Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-12-17

shining redly from the keeping-room win
dows, and through the uncurtained case
ment they could see Grandmother Maple
marching up and down the room like {
sentinel on duty, her high. heeled boots tap
ping on the fl ,or, her fingers instinctivell
wandering around and around the inside o
her empty snuff box.
Minny hurried into the room.
why, grandmother cried she, whatever
is the matter. Here are the logs all burnee
down to a white ashes and the candlewicf
gutteripg and you in such flutter as nevel
was! What has happened, grandmother?
Mrs. Maple turned her keen blue eyes up
on her granddaughter with an expression
like that of a sleep-walker.
sMinny, come in, said she, and shut tha
door. Is that you Gilbert Crofton, the
great-grandson of Job? Come you in, also
Children with her old hands shaking as il
palsy stricken, I've seen ghostP
Impossible' cried Gilbert Crofton.
Dear grandmother, you must have beer
dreaming soothed Minny, creeping up to
her side and drawing her down into the old
arm chair beside the hearth.
sDreamirgp shrieked the old woman. j
was wide awake as I 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 thresh-
old 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 sic thirty good years ago,
was your great grandfather Maple, with his
old cue wig and his suit of butternut brown,
and the very green spectacles that he used
to wear for his weak eyes. And he took
his pipe out of his mouth aud looked at me
just as your grandmother Maple has looked
a thousand, thousand times. And says /:
Reuben, is that you?' And says he: Yes,
Lois, it is.' And says 1: On, Reuben,
what brings you back to this world?' Says
he: TO wipe out the stains of wicked
world.' And says 1: Are you happy, Rsu-
ben?' And says he: Yes, and that's the
reason I want others to be.' And then I
began to tremble all over, and says 1: is
it anything can do Reuben9' And says
he: There's no more offending nor giving
offense in the other world, Lois, and Job
Crofton's soul and mine are at variance no
longer Says he: Let there be peace,
Lois, and let the young man Gilbert be
YOUR grandchild's husband And then he
knocked the bowl of his pipe on the edge of
the andiron, as I have seen him SO often,
and he got up and walked out of the room
lust for all the world like living creature.
I've often heard the ghosts can go through
a keyhole, but your grandfather Naples
ghost opened the door, and forgot to shut
it after him into the bargain. So, when l
reused up enough to know what was going
on around me, the floor was covered with
snow that had dIifted in and the candle was
blown OUT
'Oh, grandmother, do you think this was
was real?' cried Minny, with startled eyes.
Didn't see it with my own eyes: and
hear it with my ears?' demanded old Mrs.
Maple. It's your grandfather's ghost!
And might have known that if he wanted
to appear he could, for he had obstinacy
enough for anything. rest his soul! You
may marry Gilbert Crofton, if you want to,
Minny, and perhaps your grand
fathers ghost will be easy then.
So the young people were happily mar
ried. and Gilbert came to live at the farm,
and managed all the old lady's affairs for
her, and she lived to be 100 years old be-
fore she closed those keen blue eyes of
hers upon the matters of this mortal world.
But one day, in turning over the relics OF
the roomy old garret, Minny came across
red chest, clamped with brass, and family
odorous of dried lavender and rose leaves.
she opened it.
sOh, Gilbert, look herep cried she. MY
best suit laid up 10
gum and sweet herbs! Why do
you suppose that Grandmother Maple has
kept it?'
Il don't know, am sure,' said Gilbert,
with mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
perhaps for the younger generations to
in
Minny sprang to her feet, light seeming
to illumine her own face.
sGilbert!' cried she, did you
No matter said Gilbert, laughing; shut
up the box, Minny, your grandfather's
ghost will never haunt the house again.
And it never did.