San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-11-21

is thinking of to allow his wife to be 30
overridden with relations. Tho weather
is very hot, and she is far from strong.
And am told they sleep themselves on
a sofa bedstead in tho parlor to make
room for that swarm of parasites"
my dear" said the good parson, "are
you not expressing yourself rather
strongly"
'I'm only speaking the TRUTH" said
Mrs. Pepper.
But it soon transpired that Mrs Cones
visitors, like Barnum's happy family,
could not agree.
Miss Haidee Clare could not write
without the accompaniment of perfect
silence. The little Effinghams could not
divert themselves without the hoots and
shrieks peculiar to their tender years,
and both Miss Clare and Mrs. Effingham
took exception to the mournful banjo
notes on which Andromeda Falkland
was wont Of an evening to bewail her
blighted love.
"They are quarreling like cats and
dogs" sighed Lally to her husband.
"Let 'em quarrel" said Aldrich.
"What larks, NAL" said Erskine Ef-
fingham one afternoon, as he returned
from successful raid upon the hens
nests in the barn. "We've got to take
our hammocks and croquet out of the
Maple lot"
"What for?" petulantly inquired his
mother.
cousin Aldrich has sold it,"
"Sold IL? How very inconsiderate Of
himw said Mrs. Efiingham. sold it to
whom"
"To the cemetery people"
"Whutw
1.-The cemetery people" enunciated
Master Erskine. "The railroads a-goin'
right through the old grave yard, and
they've got to have new place. heard
Cousin Aidrich tell the carpenter to
bring that load of fence posts right off,
and heard him say, too, that it didn't
matter SO much because there had al
ready been two or three interments
there"
"Interments!" gasped Mrs. Eflngham
-"under our very windows? Goodness
gracious me! l never heard of such a
tki' ."
"If 20 phase, ma'am, said Della, tie
aurse, "that accounts for it,"
Accounts for whatr"
"The ghost, mum-all in white!" ut
tered Della, with chattering teeth. II
seen it last night, mum, as the church
clock struck 10: an seen it the night be-
fore. An | don't wonder, maam--the
poor, dead bodies bein' dug up and scat
tered around this way. And if you phase,
ma'am, you'll suit yourself at once, for
not another week will Della O'Rourke
live next door to church yardl'
MA ma, whispered Florence Effing-
ham-who had eagerly devoured every
word of the discussion-"I'm afraid of
ghosts. Della says ghosts come after
little girls if they DON'T
"Will you hush?" said Mrs. Effingham,
clasping her hands in despair. "Aldrich,
what is this? Have you sold the Maple
Iot2''
"Sold it! Why shouldn't II" said Mr..
Cone, who just then came in with a
string of speckled brook trout. "They
offered me capital price. and I'm not
rich man."
'But to---a cemetery!
II don't know quicter neighbor than
q cemetery" said Aldrich.
"And I'm told" said Mrs. Effingham,
with shudder, THAT some interments
have already taken place!"
II didn't suppose you'd mind 1t, Aunt
Effingham," said the young host.
"Mind it! Why, it's semi-barbarous
proceeding!" cried the lady. "Do we
live in a civilized country, or do we notT
Mar screeched Rudolph Eflingham,
the second son, jerking at the maternal
skirts, "here's load Of lumber at the
bars-a real big load. Do you suppose
that's to make the coffins out OFF,
Just then Miss Clare stalked, a la Lady
Macbeth, upon the scene. :
Il attach no Importance to vulgar
superstition, said she. Glaring at Mrs.
Ehingham, with whom she was no longer
on speaking terms. "Of the dead en-.
tertain no fear. But the living are quite
a different thing. And | certainly saw
a-man, Cousin Aldrich, prowling about
these premises last night, with dark
lantern"
1.-The ghost!" squeabed Della. 81 seen
him, tool | did, with these eyes. the
blissid saints betune me and all harm!
Oil oh! oh!''
peace, foolish womanr" said Haidee.
This was no shaded Ii was burly
thief, intent no doubt on mischief. u
saw him try TO open the back parlor
shutter, and then Neighbor FoxleysI
wagon drove by, and he disappeared as
II by magic. And want you TO under
stand, Lally," to Mrs. Cone, "that can't
stand the nervous shock Of this sort Of
thing. Ny profession requires that ]
should be surrounded by peaceful calm.
/ leave here tomorrow"
AN III go wild yeZ," said Della. 81
can't sleep nights in a place where burg
lars is climbin' up the trellis work, and
poor ghosts come stalkin' around when
the church clock strikes midnight, and
a whole wagon load more comm. to-
morry OF next day, from the cimetery!
Och. hone. the like Of IL niver was heard /
beforel-
'lIa. ma! can't we 90. too, Were
afraid 70 STAY at Blossom Hedge any
longer,- pleaded the little Ehinghams.
in chorus.
And 80 there was a general exodus
'AldriclI, is this true sid tirs- Cone, ,
when the last express load Of trunks hsd
disappeared around the curve q the
road
sIs what true Yon're not afraid q
ghosts, are you, Lallyy-
"No. but