The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-02

Blythehursts busy tongues wagged al
excited buzz of comments when 1t became
known for fact that the old manor house
| in Witches Walk was taken.
The place had an eerie look and repu
tat1on for being haunted.
! The factis, the old manor house had beer
the scene of a tragedy, in itself rather pa
/ thetic than horrible.
A fair girl had been stricken by light
ming on her wedding eve. The stone had
gathered so much moss as it rolled tina
the manor house in Witches Walk now
boasted ghost in the likeness of the deaC
maiden. with magnified horrors of kin
dred nature.
But the new tenants were not disturbed
oy the faint, far-off. dark whispers thai
reached their ears unasked.
The new family consisted of Mr.. Ar.
thur Whiting, a humorous writer and
something of a recluse - bachelor-anC
his spinster sister. Miss FIOrimel. wht
kept house for her dreamy and unpracti-
cal brother.
That same determined lady was also in
the habit OF thrusting her brother out fol
CONSTITUTIONAL regularly after break
fast each morning deaf to his meek en-
treaties that he might be allowed to "finist
that chapter first"
And it was during one of these stroll:
that he was first awakened to the start
ling. fact that his manor mouse was
'ha' nted" by the following little occur
renee: He passed field and stumbled
upon worthyFarmer Mayhem.
You're firm the old manor house.
hain't you?" observed Mayhem, with q
curious glance of his shrewd gray eye:
from under the big brm of his sun hat.
Mr.. Whiting replied that he was.
Never see anything queer yet o.
nights?"
ANY beg your pardon ?'' falered
Mr.. Whiting, with a puzzled stare.
"Why. land alive! man, didn't you know
the place is ha'nted? has been ever sence
young gal-twin, she was. too, the rec.
tors twin daughter, and powerful pretty
was struck dead by lightnin' in this little
Darkroom with the vines runnin' all over
the winder aud the porch under 1t? No?
Well, III tell We"
And he proceeded to edify the new
owner of the manor house with hair-rais-
ing chapter OF horrors too lengthy TO be
quoted here.
got his pet jokes now. This was no jok-
ing matter.
If the servants should get tainted with
this silly superstition me recOllected with
a start having seen Stephens cast ner-
VOus glance behind him in the library al
dusk last EVENING". they would be giving
notice next, and if there was anything he
hated it was having new servants about.
Half an hour later Mr.. Whiting, hot
with his energetic homeward tramp, al
though crisp October breeze was blow
| ing, burst into the kitchen and confronted
| STEPHENS.
"Here. you! listen to what l tell you,
! \ N
! YOU; do you hear? No matter what silly
habble you may hear from these country
gawks don't believe Tits nonsense"
about the-the-ghost, sir?" faltered
! Stephens, in a whisper, with a sheepish
look behind at the yawning celarway.
| Mr.. Whiting laid fOrcible hand on the
| fellows coat collar by way Of gentle
reminder.
You blockhead. If ever see you look
| ing like that again Pll-Pll shake you.
| You're old enough tn know better. No
| giving notice, mind. If you threaten to
| leave I'll lock you up. You can tell your
wife the same thing from me. I'm not
going to have my household demoralized
| bv lot of idle talk,
While Mr.. Whiting was talking Miss
| Florimel entered the room.
"Why, Arthur" she cried, what has
disturbed yOu?"
| Arthur deigned not to enlighten her
then, but plunged at once into a vigorous
plan of his own for setting his household
an example.
"FIorimpl, my dear" he said, 81 am
thinking of changing my sleeping apart
meni. / shall take the little chamber in
the wing-the back one on the ground
floor, with the porch outside and the vines
running all over the window. Be good
enough to have the room thrown open and
aired to-day. L shall occupy it tomorrow
night"
/ Mr.. Whiting had rented the manor house
as the last occu pants left it-furnished.
| The rector, its owner. had placed ii in the
/ hands of an agent Immediately after the
sad accident that befell his daughter, and
had taken the rest of his family abroad.
Ii had not occurred TO Mr.. Whiting that
the next night was that delicionsly horri-
Bile gala night OF the spOoks. Halloween.
Stephen Quaked in his shoes as he lighted
| his master 70 the grOund-tOOr chant Der at {
! O'Clock, and the latter turned dlsapprOv-
ing eve on his trembling hands as the
spluttering candle they held qulVered ner-
| vously, and. the fellow stared supersti-
tiously into the black gulf beyond the rays
| of light.
When he was alone he speedily lost him.
self in his book. The effect he had worked
for was produced; or. rather, would be
produced when he stepped forth who lie
and sound from the ''na'nted" room the
gone abroad on Maria's loQuacious tongue
that the master hadn't ''seen anything
queer there" or even been disturbed by al
unQuiet dream.
Mr.. Writings interest in the chamber.
or the subject of which it was the key
stone did not extend beyond the impress
sion he wished to make on his servants IN
thus sacrificing his comfort TO destroy a
popular bugaboo. He turned to his work
with a sigh of relief and speedily forgol
his surroundings.
So absorbed was he that he did not hear
| Miss Writings low tap at the door until
it was repeated more emphatcally and
Ter voice Sai1 through the keyhole:
Arthur, II you have not yet retired
open the door. l have something fol
| you"
When he had obeyed he was confronted
by his sister and dainty tray of smoking
plpplns, their plump cheeks shriVeled tt
| darkest tan, with the white foam OF the
roasted meat just showing here and there
on their shining skins. A plate of baked
chestnuts and a jar of home-brewed ale
completed the contents of that festive tray
Mr.. Whiting opened his eyes 10 aston.
ishment. There was but one night in al
the year when he was wont t. indulge In
a midnight feast, and that particular nigh
was observed as reigiously by the brother
and sister as though it had been the fes-
tival of some saint.
Have you clean forgotten that this is
Halloween prattled Miss Florimel
cheerily. "Why. Artl what sleepy head
you are growing 10 be, with your everlast
ing books and i0kpots-ln your old age.
was going to say, but 4S is young. l am *
myself, and see how l have to exert my