Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-08-15

uncurtained easement they could see
grandmother Maple marching up and
down the room like a sentinel on du-
ty, her high-heeled boots tapping on
the floor, her fingers instinctively
wandering around and around the in
side of her empty snuff-box.
Minny hurried into the room.
why, grandmother" she cried.
whatever is the matter? Here are
the logs all burned down to white
ashes and the candle wick guttering,
and you in such futter as never
was, What has happened, grand
mother?'
Mrs Maple turned her keen blue
eyes upon her granddaughter with an
expression like that of a sleep walk
er.
"Minny, come in said she, ''and
shut that door Is that you, Gilbert
Crofton, the great-grandson of Job ?
Come you in also. Children" with
her old hands shaking as if palsy
stricken. I've seen a ghost -
Impossible - cried Gilbert Crof-
ton.
Dear grandmother, you must have
been dreaming soothed Minny,
creeping up to her side and drawing
her down into the old arm chair be-
side the hearth.
"Dreamingm shrieked the old wo-
man. Il was wide awake as | am at
this moment. | had been over to see
Mrs. Muir's sick child, and it was close
on 10 o'clock when | got back. And
the minute | crossed the threshold l
had that queer feeling of some one
being in the room creep all over me.
And there, sure enough, in the chair
opposite where he used to sit thirty
good years ago, was your great-grand-
father Maple, with his old cue wig
and his suit Of butter-nut brown, and
the very green spectacles he used 10
wear for his weak eyes. And he took
! hiS pipe out of his mouth and looked
at lie Just as your great-grandfather
Maple has looked at me a thousand
| times. And says | {: Reuben, is that
YOU? And says he: Yes, Lois, it is |.
And says : oh, Reuben, what brings
you back to this world? And says
he To wipe out the stains of wick
ed world And says | Are you hap
Nv. Reuben? And says he: Yes, and
| that's the reason | want others to be.
! And then | began to tremble all over,
and says l. rs it anything can do,
Reuben? And says he There's no
more offending nor giving offense in
the other world, Lois, and Job Croft
tons soul and mine are at variance no
longer Says he Let there be peace,
Lois, and let the young man Gilbert
be your grandchilds husband. And
then he knocked the bowl of his pipe
on the edge of the handirOn, as I've
seen him do it so often and he got up
and he walked out Of the room. just
for all the world like a living creature.
have often heard as ghosts can go
through key-hole, but your Grand
father Naples ghost opened the door
and forgot to shut it after him into the
bargain. SO when | reused up enough
to know what was going on around
NE the floor was covered with snow
that had drifted in and the candle was
blown out"
"Oh, grandmother do you think
this was real ~ cried Minny, with
startled eyes.
Didn't see it with my own eyes,
and hear it with my own ears ? de
manded old Mrs. Maple. It's your
grandfather's ghost And | might
have known that if he wanted to APP
pear he could, for he had obstinacy
enough for anything, rest bis soul
You may marry Gilbert Crofton il
YOU want to, tomorrow, Minny And
perhaps your grandfather's ghost
will be easy then"
So the young people were happily
married, and Gilbert came to live al
the farm and managed all the ole
lady's affairs for her. And she lived
to be a hundred years old before she
closed those keen, blue eyes Of hers
upon the matters of this morta
world.
But one day, turning over the relies
red chest, stamped with brass, anc
family odorous of dried lavender anc
rose leaves. She opened it.
'Oh, Gilbert, look here r. cried she
my great -grandfather's best suit laiC
up in camphor gum and sweet herbs
Why do you suppose that grand
mother Maple has kept it p
Il don't know, I'm sure" said Gil
bert, with a mischievous twinkle II
his eyes. Perhaps for the young
generations to masquerade in
Minny sprang to her feet, a sudder
light seeming to illuminate her whole
face:
Gilbert - cried she, did you"
No matter" said Gilbert, laugh
ing; shut up the box, Minny, you
great-grandfather's ghost will neveI
haunt the house again.
And it never did.