Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-07-14
vi.
THE FACE AT THE WINDOW.

CHAPTER VI.
THE FACE AT THE WINDOW.
"But what about the little girl who
sent the carriers to your reliefp' asked
Edie. the youngest Of the sisters. who
had listened with breathless interest TO
Dicks second and amended version Of
the perils so recently endured; YOU
ought to make enquiries about her,
aHf.~--
'.Ha. to be sure,'' calculated Dick:
but now / must tell you the best Of
the ioke' The carriers declare-and |
am personally disposed TO endorse their
sentiments-that the girl was n girl;
in other words not a human being Of
flesh and blood. not a living breathing
fellow-creature. but a formless, bone
less wrath! Some such historic per-
sonage, / am credibly Informed, halnts
these parts and"
oh, Dick, don't talk nonsense!"
cried Kate with a short hysterical
laugh. for all the girls were more or less
oyer-excited, and the inevitable reac-
ton might be expected at any moment
to set in; ''if you allude TO the Barnes
Common Ghost, and know Of no 9TH
or, you don't really suppose"
She went all that way out of her US
ual beat? Is that what yon would in
fer, Kittiel" the vicar asked calmly as
the girl paused.
Then of course one and all laughed
heartily, albeit Kate forthwith launched
into an unnecessarily elaborate eXpla-
nation. intended 10 make clear TO her
listeners that she never had believed in
ghosts ever when a child; so il
Dick were so stupid as to suppose it
possible. She
she cherished in maturity any such
delusion.r that hero interpolated quiz
city, ''he was not far off the truth"
whereupon Kittie grew crimson and
appealed to mamma whether it was
fair of Dick to make fun Of her, for the
general ~edifcation.
Mamma contented herself by smiling
and reserving judgment the while she
filled small glasses round" with a de-
lectable and highly odoriferous decoc-
ton which was styled lemon puuch,"
a celebrated brew for which the vi
Garage was famous; but which the ma
ter declared TO be only orthodox and
permissible on this good night of all
the year.. IL was nor the less appreci-
ated on that account. however, and
when Dick, a a privileged guest and
invalid, had drained his beaker and
passed it up 10 the presiding Hebe with
strict injunctions that 1t was TO be "a
bumper this time to make amends for
short measure in the last glass" the
general hilarity vas at its height. Then
the rector closed his eyes and pretend
ed TO be doing, in order possibly to es-
cape the necessity of putting a peremp-
tory stop to the ''children's talking non
seDse," whereupon Dick forthwith re-
verted TO the theory promulgated by
those reliable authorities, Carriers Tom
and Bill, grayely declaring that he was
disposed TO coincide with their opin-
ions, and add the full force Of his per-
sonal testimony and convictions TO the
at present somewhat vaguely supported
belief in the existence of the Barnes
| Common Wrath.
"For I'm in a position to swear" he
! concluded emphatically, THAT We
/ passed no human creature on our way,
and no living thing passed us. How
then could the fleet-footed messenger
so graphically described by Messrs.
Bill and Tom have been other than q
bodiless being. who momentarily elect
ed TO adopt the female form d~ivine?"
"But, Dick, surely you don't believe
in ghosts in the nineteenth century,"
questioned Nellie with a severely judic-
ial air. lone would think 10 hear you
talk you were a silly brainless school,
boy instead Of"
"A sage and reflective man-about-
town" interrupted her brother gravely.
''in a position to acquire and retain all
the latest and most important discover
les of modern scientists and biologists,
who prove facts so incredible that ex-
ploded MYTHS and so-called ~"fallacies"
sink by comparison into actual insignif-
icance in the scale of wonders and the
history of maryels."
We'll" began Edie with a sagely re-
Elective air: Il don't see why we shodld
disbelieve in elfin creatures. for"
"Observe that Edie wisely eschews
the vulgar monosyllabic ghost" Kate
opined archly.
because ghost suggests the spirit
Of a murdered creature" Edie ex-
planned with momentary accession OF
color. and"
"Why rs 10 that interrupted Mel
lie in a voice sayoring OF triumph; You
know the story of the Barnes Common
Ghost does originate in the history OF a
hapless little gin who had her throat
cut by a rowing pedlar at Burnham
crossroads n Christmas Eve more
than twenty years ago. Ever since
when. the tale goes - .
'.She on Christmas Eve"
Edie finished hurriedly. But not like
a remorseless vindictive ghost pursuing
the surviving relatives of the wicked
murderer; but in the guise of a fair
Christian spirit seeking To perform
some kindly action which may do pen
ance.here on earth for the hapless soul
chained below, and ultimately assist in
its deliverance from the lowest depths
of purgatory: where everyone knows
the souls Of the damned writhe i'm red
hot irons, bound to fery stakes for a
thousand mortal years, unless by dint
OF charitable deeds those who would
fain intercede-"
.Edie! / cannot listen to such nom
sense!" m~aterfamilias interrupted de-
~clsively. Papa is DOING again. / see,
or he would put a summary stop to
such ridiculous conversation, and l
must desire, Dick"
That / throw some light on the pop
uiar delusion, mother, respecting
ghosts, rs BELTS time, place, and cir
cumstances on this suspicious Christ
LAS ever lOu Snaii IOIthWltn uc
obeyed, madam. and"
Go on. Dick, go on" urged Nellie,
drawing nearer and propping her elbow
on the table, that she might support
her chin on the palm OF her hand, and
thus catch in her open mouth, il
seemed. the sapient words which fell
from her brothers lips. do you real
ly believe in the Barnes Common
Ghost, and-"
After the experiences Ut this hence
forth eve memorable night, my child,
how can l doubtyr returned Dick
gravely. delighted at the opportunity
thus afforded him of turning his late
adventures To admirable account, and
at the same time holding the little par
ty enthralled by a discussion Of the or
thodox calibre. on Christmas Eve of all
good nights. 'Should / not otherwise
prove myself the prince Of sceptics, the
most profane of cynics, after so direct
a manifestation OF spiritual agencies on
behalf Of my unworthy selfy Edie has
unwittingly corroborated the evidence
already. before the court; the theory OF
the wrath Of the murdered girl coin
! cideo q MeyvsiUs with the united testi-