Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1891-07-23
GIandfathcr's Ghost Story,

grandfather, mother, M,llie, Oracle and
I, had gathered around the CRATE fire,
when Oracle said, in a frightened wins
per:
Mamma, don't you hear somebody
whistling at the window p
1t is nothing my child, but the wind
whistling in the chimney said moth
er.
II thought I heard something, too
said Mile with a shudder, us she turn
ed to listen. There, grandpa! don't
you hear that tapping ON the window.
pane?'
"It's only Jack shutting the blinds"
said grandfather, drawing his chair
closer to the fire.
"There it is again." said I, growing
frightened, as loud rapping made the
easement rattle.
Foolish children T. said mother,
"why don't you go to the window and
see what it is?"
Very slowly we girls edged towards
the window. could feel Mllly's hand
trembling IN NINE like a frightened
bird as. very cautiously, we lifted a lit
tie corner of the curtain, and-oh -.
horror. there was a most hideous face
staring in at us, with blazing eyes, and
wide, gaping mouth, large enough to
swallow us down whole.
Our screams brought grandfather and
mother to the escue,-mother telling
us not to be frightened. that she knew
it Was one of Jack tricks while grand
father threw up the window with a
clatter that sent the grinning goblin
flying around the house.
The next moment, loud screams from
tue kitchen-mads called mother down
stairs, whence she soon returned. bring
ing Jack and the ogre head with her.
We girls were not little abashed to
find it a pumpkin she'll, with eyes, nose
and mouth cut out and illuminated
by bit of candle, which the rogue had
held inside Of it.
WASN'T it funny laughed Jack,
who enjoyed the joke immensely.
I don't see anything to laugh about,
SAID Mllly, with flushing checks.
II don't either said I, remember
ing the dreadful fright.
1T is very wrong of You, Jack, said
mother, gravely, "and | ought to pun
lsh you severely, for playing such wick
ed tricks"
"IIe ought to be punished as l was
once" said grandfather.
"lIow was that asked Jack, with
great interest.
"Is it a ghost sory?' put in Oracle,
perching herself on glandfathers knee.
YES, it Is u ghost story said grand
father, stroking her bright hair caress
ingly. and gazing fur away into the fire,
as he always did when heput his "think-
ing cap on.
Yes, daughter, it is ghost story he
repeated, and the wind moaning so to-
night puts me in mind Of it. though it
happened forty years ago. was
great rogue in those days, iuI of mis-
chief, and tricks. like oul Jack here.
and loved to brighten the other broth
era and sisters, by playing the ghost, on
dark summer evenings. Many hard
scolding and good brching l caught for
it, too. But neither minded the one
nor the other, until one November
night, when | was cured very cltectually
1t was cloudy, dismal day, and my
father sent me on an errand to Wood
ward, town about ten miles distant.
! could easily have returned before
nightfall, but, as it Glanced, one thing
after another numbered nae, and before I
noticed how late 1t was, the 6 loomy
clouds had darkened into a gloomier
twilight, and night had fully set in
when, at last, l started fol home.
remember hesitating when I reached
the first cross road. The nearest road
which would take me straight home
was very lonely one, and led by an
old churoh-yard. A very dismal place
it was. too; and many strange stories
had gone the rounds of the ne1ghborng
ire-sides, of winter evenings, about
mysterious lights, and ghostly shadows
which had been seen fitting around
amongst the tombs, and most Of them
rumor said, haunted the grave of man
who had come to his death by some
foul play, hundred years before. In
fact, so many of these stories had been
told that no fresh graves had been
made there for long time from long
neglect 1t had become overgrown with
rank weeds and thistles, and in many
places the walls had crumbled and fall
Ell away. Now, of course, meyer be-