Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-05-10
Her Mamma.
A GHOST STORY.

Doh pcLeNe LII SioStS. aIt sdlu,
snarling at me in n queer way. There
Is some don't believe in Scripture, and
there's some don't believe in heaven,
and there's other some don't believe in
ghosts. YAH
She was a tall old woman, and she
stood in the door of her little house,
quite filling it up. All about her, from
bush TO bush, and spread upon the
grass, We're clothes drying. Within a
fire burnt, and fiat irons were heating
upon a little stove. Old as she was,
she still earned her living by laundry
work, though she could no longer carry
home the baskets on her head. She
had COndeScended to "dO up" certain
ruttleS of mine, and l had called with
them myself. A wonderful laundress,
who seemed to nave some secret for
whitcneSS and SmoothneSS, was she.
Then you believe in ghostS?' l
asked.
"Of course. Didn't I live with Miss
ROSe?"
Was Miss Rose"
"NO, she wasn't a ghost. Not by any
means. She was just the purtiest little
thing ever you saw. She was her
grandfather's pet, and hadn't another
relation on earth. l was her nurse.
I'd fetched her up, you may say. I'd
done up every living thing she wore,
always. She loved me. l don't think
she loved any one better but him."
Her grandfather|
H\O him, Mr. Collins Ha w0c n
young man; first family; rich and hand
some. Fell in love with my Miss Rose
at a ball, and she engaged herself to
marry him.
They was as fond Of each other as
turtle-dOves, and all was going on beau
tiful. When they married l was going
to live with EN-. | wouldn't have lived
anywhere else, not for any wages.
Well, the time was coming fast. She
had lots Of new clothes. | did 'em up.
l was just doing a skirt with twelve
tucks in a cluster and putting each side
when all Of a sudden | hears her give
u little cream
1T was summer, and | had my iron
ing table under the grape vines, and
she was reading in the garden. A min
ute before she vas sitting with her
book in her hand, quiet like. Now l
saw her jump up and run toward me.
Oh. how you frightened me" she
said Charles, you ought to be ashamed
of yourself
"'Mr. Collins amt come, has he,
miss? I asked. L didn't see him.
Nov you are teasing me, too she
said. How silly! Charles. come here.
You saw him. He stood just here by
you. Charles
Miss Rose. Mr.. Collins has not been
here. | couldn't have helped SEEM
him if he had
You must be blind
Her face was pale, and her lips
trembled. She ran away looking fol
him. calling for him, peeping behind
bushes. into the arbOr, everywhere
Then she came back and sat down.
II won't speak 70 him when he
comes out of his corner she said
He has frightened me-
But Mr.. Collins did not come out
Of II corner that day.
THAT evening she watched for hin
In vain: and at II o'clock that night
she came to me. She put her hands
on NV shoulders and said, in 4 voice
that l can remember yet
"'NurSe, wake up. l can't be alone
I am going mad. He is dead, nurse
Charles is dead"
Il Jumped up in n hurry and tool
her poor cold little hands in mine anC
set her down upon the bed.
Don't be silly l said. A gentle
man may stay away from his sweet
heart one evening and not be dead
Says she, looking at me without ;
tear:
1T was not Charles that l saw to
dav. 1t was his spirit. He came t.
me again Just now. He stood by tn,
long window In the hall. His face wa
as white as snow. He pointed to hi
breast. l saw blood upon it. He i
dead
Then. without a scream or even
sigh, she just tainted away where sh
lay. l knew that something had hap
pened myself. Id heard Of warning
before"
| said nothing, but waited quietl,
while the old woman unplnned al
apron from the line and sprinkled II
when she came back she found III
where she had left me and went Oh
with a shake of her old head and a lif'
ing of her two hands:
"Well num-, she was right. TIL
news came the next day. Poor MI
Collins had gone to the city to colleC
some money. He rode there. His hors
came home without him. They search
ed for him, of course, but they neve
found him.
He had been killed for his money
everybody thought and so it was N
doubt. And the road ran along tn
river a good way, and probably, the
said, they had thrown the body int
It. Poor Miss Rose eve had an
hope. She had n long sickness an
when she came to herself her mind wa
gone.
Miss Roses grandfather quite brok
down under it; he took to his bed an
grew childish. l had my hands fui
/ can tell you; but l wouldn't have lei
her; no | wouldn't, for any none.
1,I t;n,a want on and IN WAS a Yer