The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1891-04-02
A QUEER GHOST.

fashioned parlor sat his daughter Nellie,
in "maiden meditation, fancy free
that is she thought herself so; but the
follwing day her oldest friend and
playmate Malcolm Macdonald was to
sail for foreign land. He was q
sailor, a bonny, blue eyed lad, and
loved her with all the strength of his
great honest heart. He had offered
that heart to her the day before and
asked her to marry him and 60 away
with him. But she would not. Now
she almost wished she had, and she
rose-she would get pencil and paper
and write to him, but the door-belI
rang a long loud peal, and she waited.
The door was flung open and in came
three merry girls Margaret, Lue and
Blanche, came in so hurriedly that
Nellie stood speechless and riveted her
eyes upon them. They seemed ner-
vous, half laughing, yet evidently
scared.
ooh! Nell" I.ue says with little
gasp, going up to her and laying her
hand on her arm," II have seen
ghost"
"a what?" says Nell.
"A ghost! a downright, veritable
ghost! Now, don't look incredulous.
was never so frightened in my life
was !, girls2"
mo, never!" cry Blanch and Mar
garet, with such suspicious eagerness
that Nellie laughs outright; then says:
"But tell me all about it," and then
such a chattering as there is until Mrs.
Butterworth turns them out into the
orchard back of the farmhouse, where
they all gather round Nell and make
her tell them all the stories she knows
of Malcolm's life at sea.
There they stay till the warm July
day has come to a close, and the
sound of Farmer Butterworth bring
ing the COWS from pasture tells them it
is time to go home. They start for
the gate and Blanch says:
Remember, now, $50, at Dew Rock,
if you wan; to see Lue's ghost" and
as Nell answers, "All right the three
saunter o Wy down the village street.
Suddenly Margaret speaks, and
there is a note of anxiety in her voice.
"Will it be just fair, girls? Nell
ought to know her own heart"
at isn't a question OF fairness, it is
love and war; just now, so we may
aswell keep our promise to Malcolm"
returned Blanche.
At $40 o'clock that night four
small, dark figures erept softly into q
little old hut, hidden from sight by a
huge rock, whose great shadow casts
a deep gloom over the place, and
waited After q few minutes three Of
them moved softly around the room
leaving the fourth alone, and soon
Nell found herself alone in the middle
of the room.
Everything was so still she could
almost hear her own heart beat, when
she heard sound of footsteps coming
| -near-nearer. With little thrill of
terror she turned swiftly and faced
the door.
1t open slowly. Nell seemed to feel
cold chills creeping up and down her
back. Instinctively she glanced to-
ward the one window the little hut
contained, and with little shrek
sprang toward it; but the ghost wa 8
before her, tall, dark figure in lorg
| black domino and SLOUGH hat, pull
ed low over his face, Very unghost-
like he was, but Nell did not think Of
| that.
In deep thrilling tones he cried:
"Do not attempt to leave therooml
You are Nellie Butterworth.
Eyes" The word was whispered,
but he heard it.
"You are engaged"
mo" Decidedly.
"Want to be-" moving nearer TO
her.
The absurdity ofthe question struck
| Nell even while she drew back, and she
| burst into a merry laugh.
There was silence for q moment,
then the ghost spoke again.
She stepped forward quickly. Her
lover What was it?
"He wished me to say he cannot 60
with that undecided answer. If it be
ives he will return; if it be mo- he will
remain in Australia till he dies. What
shall | say to him for your" and the
ghost stepped a little nearer.
Nell's eyes were shining; an amused
expression crossed her face, and she
| replied-iust little catch in her voice:
s'You might tell him" then she
stopped. "Why didn't he come HIM
self? Oh, Malcolm, in tone of tend
er reproach, as the ghost threw aside
his black coat and SLOUGH hat and
/ stood IN his sailors sniff 0f navy hlun
her own fond, faithful lover.
'sNTay we come now?o cried three
merry voices.
Nell turned in mock anger as she
said:
'sDid you do this purposely2" But
in spite of the tone in which she said
it there was glad look in her eyes,
and when everything had been ex-
planned and she stood alone with
Malcolm, she whispered:
Ghosts are rather nice sometimes,
aren't they?"