Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-09-21

Kill me on my wedding day On, am
not crazy, mar
Pm not afraid of ghosts" said Mrs.
Mum. 81 thought you had moro spirit
Why, before you pa failed l found
burglar in my room robbing my jewel
box, and 1 collared him. l thought
you took after me and had some spirit,
Clarity"
"You cannot collar ghost" sobbed
Clarity.
you can try" said Mrs Mum.
"Now, what I ask of you is to take my
folding bed into the parlor tonight
and let me sleep in your bed upstairs,
and if she that was Mrs. Sheers APP
pears to me I'll make her come to
terms"
That night Mrs. Mum in The little
upper room put out her lamp, hid a
dark-lantern behind the pillow and
awaited events
The clock struck eleven-twelve-
and nothing happened. At 1915 a curl
GUS noise was heard under the bed
groan followed-a voice, and it
sounded very like Mrs. Sheers' voice,
whispered: CLARITY Mum, you shall
not have my husband!'
For moment Mrs Mum felt faint
1t was all true, then!
Indeed, it was far, far worse than
seeing a burglar, even to hear that
voice! And now-nowl Yes! Slowly,
solemnly arose from behind the foot
board a figure all in white. Mrs. Mum
covered her head with the quilt.
You are right to quail before me-"
said voice. 81 claim my husband for
my own. Marry him, and you die!"
tho VOICE Of hTe -
seemed to the old lady. She had al
ways dislilzed it. Now it irritated her
and helped her to be brave. Making
one great effort, she sprang to her feet
and faced the ghost.
The ghost retired. Mrs. Mum fol-
lowed. 1t struck her that she had fright
ened the spirit more than it had fright
ened her. This encouraged her. And,
stretching out her hand, she grabbed
the ghost by the collar, as she had the
| burglar Her face was close to its
pallid face now, and her blood curdled
in her veins as she fancied that she
recognized the sharp nose, small mouth
and fiat forehead of the late Mrs
Sheers amid the folds of the ghostly
headdress. But the thing did not van
ish. 1t was quite substantial.
| II believe I've materialized YOU"
said Mrs. Mum as she crowded the
| ghost in the corner and reached for the
| dark-lantern, which she had hidden
under her pillow, and opened the slide.
| In q moment more she had pulled away
the white wrappings and stood over a
sharp-featured young woman in a hello
trope-colored gown, who crOuched and
shivcred in the corner-Miss Selma
| Shepherd, whose reSem blancc to her
sister vanished when one saw her red
hair, for Mrs. Sheers' hair had been
black, either by nature or by art
Opinions varied as to that
$50 it is you," said Mrs. Munn-"you
that have been frightening my Clarity
out of marrying your sisters widower?
/ suppose she'd have gone on thinking
you a ghost forever. But you've got
me to deal with now. How did you
get imp
"Oh, Mrs. Mum, have mercy" Selma
moaned. "Sister left everything to
him, and I'm to be turned out of house
and home. 1t was just life and death
to me that he shouldn't marry"
'You didn't want him yourself,
then?'' asked Mrs. Mum.
"No," said Selma; mo more than he
wants me. I meant to keep house and
be his sister; and 1 don't know how tx
= earn my living. Now he'll be furious
and he'll hate me-"
miss Selma" said Mrs. Mum, chow
/ did you get in here?"
! "a trap door in the corner opens OF
pair of stairs to the drug store. Thi:
, used to be stOrerOOm," sObbed Selma
''It bolts on the other side"
''I'I see it is nailed up" said Mrs
Mum. 'Now we may come to terms
I I'll tell Clarity, but neither of us will
! tell the doctor or anybody else. Stol
| haunting and be friendly and CLARITY
y won't let the doctor send you away
) Seeing he's got your sisters money
:, that will be but fair. Only, tn
; minute Clarity is tormented l tell m.
story"
Miss Selma stopped sobbing anc
scrambled to her feet.
+ agreed" she said. ''Women VIII
have had hard times ought to feel TO
4 each other"
. Having lighted the ghost down tn
c ladder and thrown her white vest
ments after her, Mrs. Mum put
v trunk over the trap door and retire
Q to dream of weddings.
/ After Clarity married DR.. Sheer
people used to say how wonderful
l. was that Miss Selma received he
= brother-in-law's second wife so pleas
> antly, and how curious it was that sh
n was so friendly with Mrs. Mum.
: Fireside Companion.
t Jails for the Pupils.
a Tn coma Of tho schools Of Chilli WIN