The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-08-06
HElRYL. BIOSSlT, Business Manager

see how foolish you were to be SO fright
ened."
''But 1 did sec white lady" per
sisted little Kate. I!
The two servants left the next day in
panic of foolish superstition.
'Never mind, ma'am," said Mary,
"FA stay. 1t amt pleasant, 1 know, to
feel as there's supernatural screeturs
a-glidin' all around and peeping at you
through the cracks in the door, but Pm
used to it. And my duty! the first
thing thinks of, ma'am."
you are good girl, Mary" said
Mrs. Clare, land, l dare say, shall get
other servants before long"
II hope SO, ma am" said Mary, dubi-
ously. But l can't say. Most of them
as goes out to service around here has a
mortal dread of Ivy Lodge!'
The stable-boy, bright little fellow.
whom Mrs. Clare had brought with her
from the city, was the next person to
whom the white lady appeared. He,
too, left at once, without even waiting
for the balance of wages due him.
"What shall do?" said Mrs. Clare,
! piteously.
There's Fern Manor, ma am, across
the river, to let" suggested Mary
Moore, with her faded eyelashes cast
down. 'It's very nice modern house,
ma'am, and"
"Irs out of the question" said Mrs.
| Clare; zen tirely out of the question.
The rent of Fern Manor is twice what
we pay here"
"But one can have peace and quiet
ness there" said Mary, obsequiously.
"And I'll have there" said Mrs. Clare,
resolutely, 'sor I'll know the reason
why. rll be conquered by no senseless
phantoms, nor yet by the silly stories
of vulgar gossips."
'Just as you please, ma'am," said
Mary, little crisply; and she went
back to the kitchen to see that the bis
cults did not brown too much.
The night closed in wild and windy
with sweeps of rain rafting against
the easements and the trees grooming
in the blast Mrs. Claro sat up late
reading and writing to her husband
and the clock struck twelve before she
rose to go to her own room.
A violent draught of wind blew Out
her light as she entered the hall, and
in the sicKly CLEAN of the hanging
lantern above she saw white, spectra
figure at the end of the passage-some
thing which seemed to wave it's arm
and retreat slowly as she advanced.
For a second her blood seemed t.
stand still in her veins: her head swan
Her first impulse was to fly in terror ant
cry out for help; her second to make {
brave stand.
Springing forward, she clutched a
the white shadow. Once, twice it evade'
her, but the third time she succeeded Il
grasping it tightly-something OF fles
, and blood like herself. Tearing tn
white, floating drapery away, she re
vealed the shrinking figure and con
science-stricken face of-Mary Moorel
$780," said she, coolly, 'you were tn
ghost, after all! had begun to su:
pect it before this. Now, tell mo ho'
long this has been going on, or I wi
, have you locked up in States prise
for the rest of your lifeH
: And thus exhorted, Mary Moore mad
/. a full confession Of her peccadillos.
1t transpired that old Mrs. Hodge:
whose maid she was for ten years, ha
partly promised Ivy Lodge-or the us
| of it, rather--to her, when she shout
J be married to Isaac Smiley, the youn
ship-carpenter, and she had anticipate
= the letting Of lodgings; perhaps, ever
house full OF summer boarders to elk
out their livelihood. But when til
r real estate agent came to look at it, b
declared that it was a great deal tt
good to be donated after this fashion
And he persuaded Mrs. Hodges to hay
it repaired and painted and let, read
furnished, for her own personal beneti
OF course, this was q cruel disappoin
ment to Mary Moore and her faint-hear
7 ed swain, the carpenter.
l "She has played me false, after a
these years." said Mary to herself, whe
s her mistress was safe among the Florit
, orange-groves, land I'll make it n
business to see that she never makes
cent of profit out of all her fine new a
rangements. She shall be glad to l
me have it yet"
l So, upon one pretext and another, 81
had contrivcd to attach herself to Il
household Of every tenant of Ivy Lodg
s and, one by one, had succeeded
n frightening them away, until MI
1 Clare's spirit and presence of mind hi
f so unexpectedly conquered her treac
!. erous plans.
Mary Moore left Middle Marsh
Q quietly, and at once. And the ghost
Ivy Lodge never appeared again.-An
l Randolph, in N. Y. Ledger.