News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-06-16


friend p and it wrung it's water spat-
tering hands in acute agony.
every well, Madam" | ventured,
you say" and fixed my eyes on the
cOrnice, assuming an Indifference,
that l hoped she would take for Ii
dismissal
Not so, however, for with q moist
smile, like sunshine through a mist,
she asked, throwing herself into an
easy-chair, care you fond of ghost
stories ?"
NO." [ answered, severely, mot
only am | not fond of them, but |
don't approve of them"
"Ahp' she huskily exclaimed, ''then
you shall not hear mine, nor why l
ma ghost, but beware oftouching the
pump" and rising, she drifted from
my presence like a vapor, leaving
only the damp impress of her feet up
on the carpet, her hands upon the
chair. my linen limp, and water trick
ling through my hair, ana down my
spine, to tell that she had been there
According to a previous agreement,
the plumber came, removed the old
pump, and put in the water-pipes
Scarcely did l touch his bill, sent at
once, when it grew damp and limp, in |
my fingers, trickling, cold water, crept |
down my spine, and | felt that the |
hydrOpathic-ghost was beside me,
and that evening by gas-light, after
fearful day of shiver and chill, / |
saw her almost clinging to my arm.
Exasperated, l jerked away
Her cold, dripping hand was slow
ly drawn across my face
"How would it do to give me
one thorough going shower-bath,
and let me go at that? ?' | cried, hop
ing to temporize.
All in good time, in good time,
in good time" she gibbered, and l
fancied, gibed.
Nearly beside myself, with a grow
ing dread of this aqueous intruder, /
flung extra wood upon the fire, hop
ing to steam her from my presence;
but the fire splutted and sizzled, as if
L had fed it with rain, and my effort
was in vain.
| retired The sheets and pillow
cases were as damp, as if just home
from the steam-laundry, and the
blankets as clammy and moist as
sea-weed at high-tide The humidi-
ty increased. | seemed drizzling.
With a mist-choked cry of "Similia, /
curantur," l sprang from 1
bed, and wildly plunged my face and /
hands, into "a bowl of water, thus de-
irving my only relief during the en-
tire night. I
"Mercy! SahI but vo' looks voo-
dooed, Lahl" exclaimed my servant,
the next morning, SIS yo' ready to !
have me bring yOre baf, Sah?"
''You rascal" | responded, ''men- :
tiOn bath to me, and I'll''-but the
poor fellow had fled. ,
Three days of this damp agony
continued. | was without appetite $
and falling into an ague of horror,
when, blissful thought l remembered
that Undine had been imprisoned in
her water-hOme by placing n stone
over the opening through which she
Waiting anXiously for n
time, when my yapOry ghost would
leave, for few moments, as she did
now and then, L hastened to the
basement, entered the desecrated
and succeeded, with the :
aid of two strong working about ,
the premises. in placing a broad,
thick piece of fag.stOne, over the
mouth of the well.
That night no ghost bathed my .
brow, with dripping fingers, and l /
slept as soundly as a boy. In the T
wrote Emily, the first let {
ter, had been able to compose, since !
my attack of the ghost. ,
January, twenty fifth, found me ,
married, the weddrng-trip accom- +
plished, and a date chosen for our 4
house-warming, or to give it Emily's G
name; our first evening reception.
Punctually our guests arrived and I
us upon the complete
old home. One antique lady, had a
ghost-story to tell me about my
house, but avoided it, by Fastening t
to Emily, who was looking toward i
me with troubled eyes. $
evelyn" she said, 1.-The ladies '
are sending for their wraps. | am '
what can be the matter with t
this furnace?" and she drew an af- |
CHAN over her plump white shoulders. |
:" | will go down and look at the {
furnace" l said meekly, butinwardly {
raging Eschewing the furnace, | /
went directly to the pump-room, and I
there, as l had suspected, was the I
cover off the well, three or
four ice-cream freezers swinging ;
against its cold, stony sides.
deaths head at a feast /" | cried, s
with teeth chattering, and a douche /
of cold water along my spine, "whO
dared to let that internal ghost Out?' ,
Internal" repeated ii misty voice ;
at my elbow, " that word makes me >
perspire for that and other insults,
| shall haunt you and your wife, /
and everyone in your house. Put I
back the pump and you shall be
Free" and she finished her assertion,
by dank, dripping, drawing of her I
hand across my face.
/ made lurch forward, and rushed
upstairs to my guests.
Friends" | said, 81 am glad to
see you in your wraps and over |
coats; it is wise, for my house, to-
night, is haunted with a-ah-, we