The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-06-17
gias. into three pieces" related m

no one noticed that--the ghostly fact
remained.
Ibid you ever account for seeing your
father after his death?" asked one of the
relatives of her hostess.
mo, never! He had been dead a year
on that night when l went to the hall
clock to see If it had been wound up.
You know the clock--one of those high
ones? 1t has been in the family for
generations. It's up in the nursery
now. AS put my hand on the door to
open It saw father standing close by
me with smile on his face, as if some
thing pleased him. I was frightened
and ran from the hall, but afterward l
looked into the clock and found n deed
to some land we were dispossesscd of.
hidden there. 1 suppose, really, l only
imagined seeing him. You know l
don't believe it was really father, but
it was strange it should lead to finding
that paper
Another coincidence" said the fin
de steele matron. when my ghost
walks in with its head under one arm l
shall look for q rational explanation OF
the phenomena"
'"Talliing about ghosts" said an
elderly widow relative, speaking in a
weird, mysterious voice, "did I ever
tell you how my first husband appeared
to me when l was thinking about
marrying the man who was afterward
my second--did ever speak of it?'
"a hundred times to my certain
knowledge" said the fin dc steele ma
tron under her breath.
IF never did, it was because don't
believe in ghosts myself, but that was
just one of the things I couldn't under
stand. was sitting in the parlor just
as if it might be now, only was alone
There came three raps--"
Mercy! goodness! what is that?"
No one responded; no one moved. and
for that time, at least, the ghost of tho
widows first husband was laid uncere
moniously-somethin ghostly was hap
pcning under the very face and eyes O.
the party.
A puff of cold air ran through thu
room with such startling rapidity tina
the wax candles flared and went out
leaving only the light of the full moor
through the lace-draped windows
mingling with the Pickering fireligh
in strange, spectral glare which wa:
focused upon the square of velvet car
pet in front of the portrait they hat
been examining that very evening.
But what was this? Had the pictur
come to life and stepped out of it
frame? The startled group at the fire
side could see only a shadow there tina
paled and ficllered, but stepped bodil,
and audaciously into the light. Was i
the semblance of the portrait, or was i
really the beautiful form and face o
that woman of a century past, wear
ing the same clothes which fluttere
noiselessly, diffusing cold sweet pei
fume that affected the senses like tn
incense of death? Her eyes We're fixe
as in the picture, but the red was o.
her lips and cheeks and her little feet
peeping from the flounces and laccs Q
her wide skirts, wore the clocked stock
ings and ribbon-crossed slippers of Ion
ago. There she stood before them al
yet never noticing them, and then sh
began to dance in stately measure
ninuet, as if some unseen cavalie
were treading the meature with he
and all the time that cold wind wa
blowing and Il strange, quaint melod
was being played by invisible hands
aside from which there was not as muc
noise as if hummingbird had flu
tered its wings.
Then somebody sore AIMED or tainted
and in a moment the music ceased; til
dancer was gone Somebody lighte
oil the gas burners, and there was tt
portrait just as it had already beel
and when the four young people, hea
ing the hubbub in the library, can
rushing in they We're overwhelmed /
what they missed, nor dared they ca
d:scredit ON the evidence of their elder
But youth thfows off impressio,
easily, and Helen and Walter and the
friends made such charming jest al
gayety out of it that with the help Of
warm supper the elders were finally i
dused to throw off the mystery al
solemnity of the astral dance, al
looked upon it as a mirage, somethir
quite explainable by certain laws Of Ii
, man occult development. Helen evt
declared, saucily, that her great-gran
, mother must have been giddy girl
come back for brief visit to earth ju
to dance that tiresome old minuet, al
then she looked at Walter and blush'
, wildly.
= You see, you dear old stupids, "
had talked ghosts until you were qui
= ready to see one in every corner.
, great grandmamma did appear, the
. it was to signify that she was qui
willing that l should step into h
: shoes"
!, II assure you that no power on ear
y would persuade me to ever allow h
clothes to be disturbed in my lifetime
said Mrs. King with emphasis.
Helen looked at Walter, and her pr,
ty mouth made distinct shaping
:. the letters ''P-h-e-w!"
Walter looked at Helen and te
y graphcd the word back again. Il
y none OF those worldly-wise people ey
: came near suspecting what might ha
!, been the real truth, not even when tn
>. saw Walters auto-harp, the most drca
musical instrument that was ever &c
u ceivcd, lying on the hall sofa the ne
D day, or when they alluded, as they o
- en- did, to Helen's wonderful rese
~ blance to her great-grandmother's p
- trait.-Detroit Free Press.
l. HIS FUTURE WIFE'S NAME.
II The Conjurer Promised to Tell 1t a
+, Did So.
1t He was n chatty kind of coniurer. n