The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-08-18

it was some time before they would
come near me or touch me But Biddy
came running out, and threw her arm
around me in the street before all the
people.
och Tim darlin. she says, and have
you come back and left none Of your
wits behind you? Och. praise lie tc
the saints for this mercy, But dom
go near the bad place again; don't
Tim darlin."
Then she went on 70 ask II | had
seen the ghost and 50 did all the
neighbors and the colonel himself
But niver a word would ! tell them oi
what had seen. kept my mouth
shut till the mex, night, and after that
too. and just an hour before midnight
started of for the castle again.
Imade myself snug once more in thai
room with the sound window, anc
waited for the ghost Ii struck mid.
night at last, and I listened for the
groanings and the creakings, but nivei
g sound could hear.
We'll, l SAYS to myself the ghosts
getting into bad habits I shall have
One o'clock came, and still there
wasn't the ghost of a ghost.
What's up now, 1 wonder?" says L
Sure he hasn't cleared out Of this al
ready. Perhaps he's gone 10 get soma
other ghost TO come and help turn mo
out, and can't find one at liberty. Well,
I'll give him TO sunrise, anyhow"
But the sun rose. and never a token
Of the ghost could see or hear. So
just rolled myself up again on the win,
dow-seat and went TO sleep
1t was the same again the third
night, and, faith began to get un.
easy.
What's to become OF him, won
der?" thinks |. Then. when had con.
sidered bit over the matter. says 70
myself, Sure, he's hiding away some
where. I must go and see what he's
after. at all"
So takes up my candle, and walks
along the passage, and across the great
ball till got 10 the east wing Of the
castle There stood and listened a
bit Sure enough, heard a groan, but
a long way off.
So shouted: Halo! ghost where
are you. stallT'
II was at the end OF The long gallery
in the east wing that found my gentle.
man at last. There he was. looking
out through the window, as though
he was adniriug the pretty country un-
der the moonlight But ne didn'tseem
enjoying himself, poor creature, and
kept on groaning worse than ever
What a chap you are for groaniug"
says !, ''as though that could do anv
good II you're sorry for what you
used TO do when you were alive. why
can't you think it over and keep quiet?'
As soon Us the ghost heard me, he
turned about and, if you'll believe me.
be looked fairly startled
Why do you trouble me, NAM he
says "Begone and leave me in peace"
OCH! thinks |, lis that your tunen
Ifs very different sort of note from
what you sang the other night" So
Gays:
''Sure. ! am waiting for some of those
terrible things you threatened to do to
me When are you going TO begn?"
Base slave" says the ghost olapping
his hand on the ghost Of sword
'Wirrasthrew!" says I, tits no use
your doing that anyway. Your sword
can't do more harm than this pipe of
mine; not so much; and you know it."
You should have seen the look Of the
ghosts face as I said these words He
seemed just bursting with passion; his
eyes opened wide, but they couldn't
hash, as all the FIRE had gone ou. Of
them long ago. Sure, NO one ever saw
. ghost in such rage before.
Then he threw . look of contempt
on me, and turned on his heel and made
On. He didn't run exactly, for that
would not be genteel in ghost but he
Alipped away pretty quick, and had a
bit OF trouble 70 keep up with him,
with my game leg. But followed him
pretty close through one gallery after
another, and at last he stopped short
Soldier" says he, more quiet and
civil than ever he had been before, II
beg that you viii leave me in peace.
NY doom is terrible, condemned as
am to walk the earth by night in expi-
alton OF my crimes Why add TO my
awful unkhment'
'WhyY' says |. Sure, don't want
70 get you out of this place, where, as
! said before you've got no busi-
ness TO be, and which belongs to
my old colonel? If you must haunt
something, go and haunt some ruins
that nobody lives in. and not decent
castle like this, that only wants a bit
OF plumbing and carpentering to be
made all snug and comfortable for liv.
ing folks"
II cannot leave it, says the ghost;
1T Is my home. 1t would increase my
punishment tenfold were doomed 70
haunt d strange abode.
Faith says |, II don't care a straw
for that But ii you won't come out Of
this, sure I'll turn the tables on you
and haunt you every night, whether
you like II or not.
Och! the groan the ghost gave when
! said this, IL was the best had heard
yet. Then the creature was of again,
and followed him up till the sunrise,
when he melted away like butter in the