Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-10-24

/ CCuttdi udil sOtiit ulBub DtloFt L n0iuef''
And she promised me she would.
II happened on rather sullen, gusty
night that Peggy and chose TO investigate
the ghost story, or rather, | chose, for
Clarkson did not choose, save only for the
sake of her promise.
With the recital Of Sir Ruperts roaming
about the central hall doing penance ring
ing in my ears and burning in my soul |
waited, in company with Peggy and Ancil,
in the deep silence for the spirit TO ''walk"
Clarkson, ali in a SILVER of fright and ex-
element, declared that had taken "the
very kolnde oy nOight on which the
| spirit wud be most loikely to give us a fair
show
| Idrew my wraps about me in the dense
shadows, and Clarkson chung to me like a
frightened child us we entered the central
| hall, and our footsteps echoed hollow and
strangely as we proceeded.
| Had IL not been for my overruling desire
OF experiencing genuine spirit visit and
my morbid love of adventure with the mys-
! FERROUS, should have given up the project
at the outset because of the old hOusekeep-
er's increasing timidity But | could not
bring myself to say: Let us give it up"
and so we proceeded
| So crouching low on the lower steps Of
| the great oakeu staircase we waited pa
tiently for some demonstration Of Sir Ru-
pert. The hall lamps. which had not been
| lighted since the dead master lay. so cold
and rigid in the adjoining room we're light
cd and, burning low. cast more Of gloom
| than chceriElucss arOGrG rs The yltc'.-
! ing hour ir.rrachcd; tho si.Haosy. hare
heavily t,.d, i;h lue corners, and seemed
TO cii.% 10 tic IIadcrng bHustraGe ike
1ensc curtains % Grape Peggy was grow
ing uneasy, and, too nervous to converse,
sat shivering on the edge Of the steps,
white faced and alert.
Ancil leaned against the polished railing
and listened with the air Of a martyr
Doubtless they were both martyrs to
foolish freak, and !, relenting. was on the
point OF saying quits, when something
arrested my attention. ! was conscious of
stealthy movement in the corridor above,
and 1t seemed TO me felt, rather than heard,
the manifestation, if such an expression is
allowable. Peggy held her breath, and, put
ting her finger on her lip. siguitied: Isl
lence; listen'
A sound as OF some one walking YEARLY
about with muffcd step cameto our ears at
intervals, ana | lancled Sir Rupert was
resting between marches. This continued
for some time
Back and forth through the corridor
went the weary, painful march Of unseen
feet, with the moments Of rest sandwiched
in at regular intervals.
"A very methodieal ghost" | said to
Peggy. Hush" she whispered, and shut
up like clam.
Then weary sigh lloated down the long
staircase, and | felt rather uncomfortable
to think the plot was tnickening 50 fast in
favor Of Sir Rupert
Surely my theory was IN danger already
Of being eXplod, by the persistent spirit.
But while we listened the manifestations
grew fainter and fainter, rs Il Disguised
with the fruit.css tramp, tramp, and the
sound of footsteps had died out altogether
when the soft, iuGistiEct tread as Of some
one in their stCckiuEcd feet was plainly
heard on the landing just above US, and
fanced a sort OF mUrmurcd whispering
seemed very near U.s.
This was more than Peggy and Ancil had
contracted for ana their prccipitate fight
was something wonderful 10 behold. They
rushed from the foot of the staircase across
to the side entrance through which we
came in; there they paused in the open
doorway, Peggy reckoning frantcally for
me to follow. | followed her, seeing that
such a terror had seized them. And in
fact |, myself, began TO feel creepy and
imagined / could hear lie repentant con
fession Of the haplcss old man n my wake.
Pausing at tue passage way, | instantly
regainSd my seli-possession and signfed
my intention Of returning TO the foot of the
staircase. Peggy demonstrated, and finally
said that if 1 ''must jue hams with the
spirit, why, must go alone, as she should
not return.
Gan right, Peggy 1 said; 'wait for me
here, will you!'
AN faith Oh will If the masthur don't be
fur gittin' Arthur me too airnestly,n she
replied, shivering with fear and excitement.
was in for the whole manifestation, and
if should pause now from some squeamish
notion of danger / should always regretmy
having done So
The open passage-way made very cold
draught, connecting the outdoor current
of raw night air with the one formed i'll the
stairway, and felt rather uncomfortable;
so wrapping my loose cloak about my chilly
form l retraced my steps, and leaning
against a column midway Of the hall wait
ed further developments,
"Pshaw!" said, feeling ashamed Of our
inglorious retreat, and began taking myself
to task, mentally, for so doing, when the
indistinet footballs came on down stairs. !
strained every nerve to catch every sound,