The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1892-09-09
Grandma's Ghost Story.

~ lCSIStA&ASV ~ NAlObO OUO1 ~
"Tell us a ghost story, granma,"
"Yes, grandma, do. A ghost
story"
"Now is The time for a ghost
slory-in The morning. I'm afraid
TO listen to them when il is most
bed time"
Thus Mrs. Loe's grandchildren,
Lizzie, Mabel and pearl. II it had
not been such stormy day the
dear Old lady might not have re-
ceived such an early demand, the
long winter evenings beng usual
ly chosen for story telling; but
something in The sound OF the
wind and slee, that seemed trying
to burst their way through win.
dows and doors drove The children
to her cozy chimney corner.
"A ghost story, dearies. | don't
think | know one. Your Aunt
Polly Bly, Is the one to go to; she
do's beat all of them" said grand
ma.
"Oh, yes, guess you do" coax,
ed Pearl, the youngest. "rhink
real hard, and see if you do not"
And after each little girl had re-
newed her request, alter mo-
menl's thought, grandma began !:
"When your grandfather and |
were first married we lived in a
hired house, and it was several
years before we got torehanded
enough to think of buying house
of our own; but after "A while we
did and alter we made up our
minds 10 it we began to look
around for The right place.
Before long your grandfather
found one that suited us in every
way, but the man SAID to him be-
fore the bargain was finished
"Now see here, Lee, | won't
cheat you. This house has stood
empty two or three years because
ii has some way got the name of
being haunted. | think IT'S all
foolishness-. don't believe in ghosts
never did and never shall-but il
| sold you The place and took the
money, and atterward some one
should lell you all the trash that Is
told about it, and you should hear
a leaf rattle or a mouse squeak,
You wonld think and say hard
things about me. So | want every.
thing plain and well understood
between u.s.
Well, your grandfather burst
right out laughing.
IL ain'l such fool as 10 let such
fol-de.rol stand in my way says
he, and so they closed the bargain,
and the next we moved into the
new house-at least new to lis.
Your grandfather thought best
not TO tell me al first about the
ghost lest might try to break up
the bargain; but after all was set.
tied he did 50, and had a good
laugh over it.
The laugh was mostly on his
side, thongh | did not say any.
thing, Not that | really believed
in ghosts, but | always had queer
feeling about such things, and
would have much preferred to live
i: a house that had better repu
tation.
After our furniture was safely
moved, your grandpa went back 10
lie old place to get a box Of hens
II was nearly ten miles away, and
the team had been over the rOat
once that day, carrying him and
me and the babies, and he did not
feel il right 10 return that night ;
so he told me that he would stay
at a neighbours, and be home ear
ly the next morning.
Well, it was rather lonesome
after he went away, but little Josy
made it lively as ayoungster o.
four years knows how 10 do. Their
the baby--that was your mother
children-was very cross, and l hat
to sit down and hold her. But fl
nally they became still, and Joe
lay down on a pile of things ant
fell fast asleep, and the baby wen
to sleep, too, in my arms.
1t was growing dark, and don
know what made me, but grew
nervous, and kept listening 10
some sound--what,I did not know
l suppose l was thinking OF The
ghost stories.
BY and by, I heard what | wait
cd for. The stairway was one 0
the old fashioned kind that open