The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-01-04
THE PERIDIN GHOST.

TOR years Peridin Hall had been
haunted. Two old people, father
and daughter lived almost hermit lives
In the dim, ruinous house at Findly's
Ford; the gardens we're tangle Of
weeds except in one corner by the little
side gate, where few tall lilac bushes
held their towering heads above a
beautifully kept rose hedge, and it was
there Annie Peridin's ghost had been
seen lowering near the gate on moon
light nights. At midnight, when all
else was in total darkness, weird blue
light shone from the windows of the
rooms she used to occupy.
Once, long ago, when Annie Peridin
was young and lovely, the old house
had been the scene of gayety and 10y,
people said but over the hill in the
graveyard white slab marked the date
OF its downfall; 1t bore only the name,
"Annie Peridin, 1865" but when she
died, everything in the home had sud
denly changed into deepest silence.
Only in the early morning, when the
sun shone on the desolate dwelling, a
woman with hair as white as snow, and
as an arrow, walked in the neglected
garden or watered the rose hedge; on
rarer occasions an old man sat in a
sunny corner of the piazza, wrapped in
his faded dressing grown. He was
Annie Peridin's father, aged and melan-
choly, almost blind, and in truth on the
verge of the grave. He had been
wealthy, and in his time figured grandly
at Findly's Ford but since his daughter
died no one had seen him smile. All his
old friends left him, aud for years none
had been known to visit the house. The
road by Findlys Ford was little used
especially after night fall, when be
lated travellers sped swiftly past pur
sued by ghostly visions, and Knocked by
the sounds of laughter and song floating
down from poor Annie's window.
We had decided TO attend the holiday
festivities at 1'elford, but for three day.
1t had ralned steadily; when, on tn,
fourth day, the sky cleared little, W,
hastily improved the opportunity Il
start out, my sister Maud and /, will
old Jerry for driver and protector A
1t was past noon and the roads wer,
bad, we chose to go by Flndly For,
road, for we had many miles to cove
and this route shortened our way con
siderably.
The sky looked threatening; the road
were full of washouts and rlvulets, bu
nothing could keep us from Telford
We travelled slowly, for Jerry was
areful driver. Maud became imp5
tlent; she opened the carriage doc
several times and called to him war;
ingly that we shall be late for the bal
"Remember the Flpdly bridge, Jerry,
she said finally, pntting forth the strong
eat argument. at is rickety and ha
no ratings, you know you must cross
before dark
Still he drove slowly and carefully
Finally, the first shadows of night b,
gan to fall, and with the dusk rain II
creasing until 1t poured in torrents.
ooh, dear" Maud lamented, pressin
her face against the window ''Sui
pose, Chris, we should get strande
somewhere2"
"Oh, WELL" began; but sudde
lurch of the carriage pitched me fo
ward into Maud's lap, flowers and al
and the sentence was not finished.
For some time we moved slowly o
through the gathering darkness an
rain, until we could not see a hand b,
fore us.
1--WE must be near the Ford,n Mau
said, and at that moment the carriag
stopped.
Jerry appeared at the door, lanter
in hand. In the pouring rain both h
and the Light looked dim and far ava,
''The bridge is gone he said, lookin
scared
Chris, what shall we do2r
This from Maud
"There amt but one thing fur you I
do, and that's to stay at Perldin's t
night"
"That's out OF the question" Mau
said, emphatically.
''No liyin' creature could ever div
through that ragin' ford, an we can
go back I'LL morning. | don't see a
there's much cholce.n
Jerry would not argue long with us
the rain was coming down in bllndln
sheets, and the wind continued to how
fercely.
l II know them Peridlns,' he added b