Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-05-10

grouped themselves close to the hearth
The high wind outside caused an over
hanging maple bOugh 10 lash itself
against the window pane This ex
cited the nerves Of some Of the ladies
and this with the social and expansive
element which a fire has always the
power to awaken, turned the converse
ton upon the weird and fantastic.
Il can tell you genuine ghost story
and, what's more, every word Of il
is true" said Miss Blunt, a lady who
though still unwedded, could own tC
years and experience sufficient to ex
pect that her word be accepted.
Tell u.s. Tell usr' clamored half d
dozen female voices.
Well" began Miss Blunt, who was
a frail, nervous little woman, with
wide open. startled eyes, which one
could easily believe had acquired their
present expression from frequent OBJ.
| seryatiOns of ghosts. Before contin-
uing she drew nearer to the fire,
clasped one knee about with both
! hands and continued: Some wears
ago | went to New York On a visit
| to a relative. This cousin was de-
| scended on the paternal side from an
old Dutch family, which in days long
gone by had built a great house in
Blocker street, and there for three
| generations had lived in the enjoyment
Of wealth and high social position.
At last, however, evil days came, the
house in Blocker street passed into
strange hands, and the old family be-
came scattered.
This cousin had somewhat regained
| the wealth and position which his
family had lost By a strange freak
! he rebOught the old house in Blocker
street, preferring it to an UP town
residence After he had reftted it, it
made charming home. 1t was after
he and his family had been living
there for some months that | went to
visit them. When looking out Of the
windows, it seemed queer to be in
this part of New York, but when 1
gave myself up to the comfort and
beauty of the rooms it was as delight
full as any house | ever saW-at least
[ thought so, though the family itself
did not seem quite certain concerning
it.
My cousin, L could see, was charm
ed with the success Of his scheme and
had the satisfied air of a man who
has played bold game and won it.
The wife and daughters did not ap-
pear to partalIe of his content They
were restless at times, and | was in
"tned TO thing them wanting in graft
lde.
"One day | was sitting in my room.
untying some embroidery silk, when
upon looking up l saw standing before
me Il little old woman, all dressed in
brown, with i white handkerchief
crossed upon her breast Her face
was that of a foreigner, and her eyes
had that pathetic, appealing look in
them which goes straight to the heart.
Finding this strange woman in my
room unannOunced, | felt some sur
prise and questioned her sharply. She
gave me no reply, but stood there,
looking me through, as it were, with
those pathetic eyes. Thinking her
some foreign sewing woman who was
possibly embarrassed at her inability
to use the English language, / told
her to accompany me down stairs,
where some one no doubt could be
found who would understand what
she wished.
I'VE started together out of the
room. L preceded, but kept her in
sight. Upon the stairs she seemed
to disappear suddenly. l called to her.
l ran back to see if l had been mis-
taken and if she fingered still in my
room. | did not see her anywhere.
Then | concluded that she had dis
appeared into one Of the other rooms,
and that | had better descend and
send some one to seek her. | went
down into the library, where my
cousins wife and daughters were &C.
cupied with their embroideries. l told
them about the little woman up stairs
and requested that they look after her.
When [ had finished my story my
cousins wife Shiyered little and re-
marked in a strange voice, That is
strange She rose from her chair.
You said she had very pathetic eyes?
she asked. Yes, the most pathetic [
ever saw I replied. The girls looked
down at their work. but said nothing.
Their mother left the room, but soon
returned, saying, 1t was nothing
After this we settled down to our
work, and the morning, though per-
ceptibly by my little episode, passed
quickly uy.''
At this point in the narration all the
ladies drew closer together, and form
ing circle about the narrator urged
her to proceed.
'Some nights after this continued
Miss Blunt, u aWole suddenly from
my sleep, and there, standing by my
bed, almost bending over me, l saw
clearly by the street light, which fell
directly into my room, this same little
woman, all dressed in brown, with
the white handkerchief crossed upon
her breast, and looking earnestly at
me as she had done some days before.
[ sprang up quickly and called to her
as 1 fastened to light the gas, but
any sign Of any one having entered
the room. It is not necessary to say
that l bolted my door securely,
wrapped myself in the blankets and
sat up the rest of the night. This
time 1 concluded that my cousins