The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-05-07
ing folks.

"Faith' says l, ~ don't care Il straw
for that. But if you won't come out of
this, sure I'll turn the tables on you
and haunt you every night, whether
you like it or not
Och! the groan the ghost gave when
said this, 1t was the best hal heard
yet. Then tine creature was off again,
and followed him up till the sunrise,
when he melted away like butter in the
pan.
We'll, had rare sport with him.
Night after night hunted him up and
left him no peace mt all. Sometimes |
talked to him, and sometimes l didn't;
but was always at his heels, chasing
him round the castle and driving him
fair crazy. 1t went some against the
grain with me to worry the ghost of n
gentleman born in this way: but
thought of my dear old colonel, and
never let him be. Heaven forgive me
for the hard words l gave to that poor
ghost; the bad names l called him, in
sulting him worse and worse every
night Och led him life.
AT last one night he turned OH me and
says he, with pitiful tone which pretty
nigh went to my heart:
''Will nothing make YOU cease this
persecution?"
have you to offer?'
"What can i offer?" says he.
"Why, now" says i, look here,
ghost. Couldn't you put Inc up to n
good thing? Don't you know of hid
den treasure somewhere? have heard
that ghosts often do that
II know of none" says he, looking
very sad and sorry.
well" says ], II thought you could
do nothing, and was only trying of you
don't want any treasures. l only
want you to get out of this place, and
so, if need be, mean to haunt You us
long as live"
"Ah," says the ghost, there is com
fort in that"
as there, indeed?' says l. Glow do
you make that out?'
"Iou will continue to haunt me as
long as you live?' says inc. he it so
But do you forget? What is your mis-
era bic speck of life to mine? Have
not lived in the spirit for nigh 200
years, and shall not thus exist to all
eternity? The little that is left of your
base life is but drop in the ocean OF
my own. For that short space l must
be patient"
L could scarcely keep myself from
laughing in his face, for l knew that
was what he'd be coming to- and l. was
ready for him.
'Och!' says /, that's how you look
at it, is it? Sure, thin, we make big
mistake entirely"
What mean your says the ghost;
and / could see that he was bothered
all over
Sure, I'll show You what mean to-
morrow night" says l; ''if live, please
God"
Well, lie couldn't get word more
out of me, for | had got scheme up
my sleeve which meant to keep to my
self for the present
Now, Biddy O'Rourlse, my pretty
sweetheart, bless her! had bit of a
younger brother, II years old or there
abouts, who was always getting into
scrapcs and mischief, breaking win
dows and chasing the pigs, and fight
ing the other boys as bold as a
soldier.
So when goes down to the village
again, ] gets Thady into corner all
quiet, and nobody by, and says l:
Whist! Thady, my boy; would you
like to see the ghostY'
Thady, he turned pale bit at first,
and then those wicked young eyes Of
his lighted up, full of mischief, and he
grinned.
Sure, Tim" says he, chat would l.
Is there a ghost, then, anyway"
Then ] up and told him all about the
bad baronet" and what poor cre;l-
tlrc he was, with never n ha'porth oil
harm in him; and how I'd been chivy-
ing him all around the castle night
after night, till I'd half worried the life
out of him. And Thady laughed, and
was just mad to go with me and see the
ghost. BY st. Patrick that boy had
no more fear in him than there is in an
old wooden gate-post, and he never
shook limb when we got into the cas-.
tie.
WHO is this urchin?" says Sir Rode
rick, Tuning and glazing in the old
way.
"Och!" says I, shame on my bad
manners for not introducing him. This
is Tliady O'Ronrke, my brothcr-in-law
that is to be, and he has come here to
help me with this job
II do not understand you," says the
ghost, looking more bothered than
ever.
Maybe you don't" says i; "put
I'll soon make YOU l have brought
this boy with me to help me to haunt
you, and he's just coming here with me
night after night, to learn the business
so as he can take it mp when I've done
with it."
Never word did the ghost say; but
he started back step or two and gave