The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-03-20
ONE NIGHT IN NO. 81.
A Story of Ghosts and Rats at
Bracing Hall

madam; no, not so much as closet va
cant. and DR.. Norris smiled bIandly,
and washed his hand with invisible
soap in inperccptble water"
That Bracing Hall was a popular sam
itariun l was wei aware. but ] was
not prepared for this; what was I TO do,
where should go at that late hour +,
q maiden LADY, an entire stranger in the
CatsllilIs? I consider that for any man
10 smile under those circumstances,
even IN perfunctory and purely profes-
sioual way, was nothing less than
brutal
There is No. 81" said an attendant
satellite. IN exactly the tone in
which he might have suggested the
North Pole or the equinoctial line. or
anv other remote and unsubstantial inn
possibility.
'.Yez, repeated the doctor, musingly,
as if novel and pleasing problem had
been unexpectedly submitted for his
consideration. Yes, there is No. 50. 5"
Perhaps the lady might not object, :"
continued the attendant.
"Cbicct." said the doctor. suddenly
waking up Good grrcious, Jones,
why should this lady object; why should
aay one object u No. 31?''
The subordinate was about TO speak,
but the-doctor stopped him by 4 wave
of his hand. Let No. 81 be prepared
for this lady, he said, giving to his
words all the force OF royal mandate.
'.i wish To know, Jane" l observed
TO the houscmaid who conducted me 30
No. %. half an hour later
Please, ma am" said that young
person, interrupting. my name isn't
Jane. its Sabina."
Then / am not going to follow the
example OF your parents and sponsors,
who were clearly foolish persons, Jane.
] repeat I wish TO know what is the
matter with this room?"
"Uh, don't ask me, ma'aE. | don't
wish 70 friEhtcn you-but-I wouldn't
sleep in it-nO-not for hundred thou
sand million dollars"
Then yoE are a very foolish young
woman; Is it damp?"
'-Oh. no. madam; the whole house is
dry as bone"
at is the-the-ahem-the CiI-.ix
Cectularius?"
''Weu. it is pretty bad. but I don't
think it's quite as bad as that. returned
Jaue, slowly, with an air of bewilder-
mont.
1t was painful to a lady OF my exces-
sive refinement, exceedingly painful,
but the occasion was urgent, and il was
evident that I must sink to 4 common
level Of expression il wished 70 be un-
dcrstood.
1T is small Jane-it is brown-it is
alive-very much alive-it-it-bites?''
'.Oh, no, ma'am." answered Jane,
glowing with sudden enlightenment,
1--WE don't never have none Of them
nasty things in our beds"
''Ihen '-hGt is it?''
"Weu, If you must know" replied
Jane, with the air of one struggling
vainly with the inevita bic, '.though It's
worth as much as my place IS worth to
tell you-it's ghosts
Ghosts-baughl Really the ignor-
ancc of the lower classes is colossal.
clearly our public school system is far
from perfect, but what could be ex-
pected from I girl called Sabina?
have always thought there was a great
deal in q name, and don't in the least
care what that play writing person may
have said 70 the contrary. There is
something in n name which insensibly
molds the character; mine is Sarah
Margaret.
Ghosts, Jane, ghosts, when it has
been clearly demonstrated by the Soci-
ETY. for PsychicaI Research that there
are no such things as ghosts"
1T was the gambler. ma'an. what
lived here before it was made into a
sauitarium,' Jane went on, with ire
pressible volubility; they was playing
poker, an he was killed, an every night
every night-his ghost -
Jane, enough Of this folly-Co, nv
Z
a work on the Iliogicalness of Supersti-
ton
Being n lady Of enlightened under
standing and cultivated, indeed, / may
say advanced thought, at once dis
missed the foolish story from NV mind.
and congratulated myself on having Sc
cured a comfortable room.
Bracing Hall was built on the highest
range of the Catskin mountains and
was famous for the view it commanded
of the loveliest section of Rip Van Win
llle land; night now vailed the beauty
Of the far-stretching mountain-bound-
ed interplane, but gradually its fair
ness became apparent, as the shadows
below died under the light of early
moonrise
Objects dim and shapeless took form
md beauty. Every house and hamlet,
winding road and mountain strea1nlet
we're won as If from choas into life.
while far away the winding Hudson I
CLEANED like string of silver under the /
moonlight. Lights in happy homes
-Wlnkled like fire-hies through the I
gloom OF dense woods, giving Just that
touch OF life needed u break the solen-
nifty OF forest and mountain.
me moon was up, nature avoke, a
'reeze swept by bearing the music of a
nInDlng brook, the melody of murmur-
ng pines. tho love notes Of a belated