The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-25
THE BISHOPS GHOST AND THE Printers BABY.
BY FRANK r. STOCKTON.
PRIZE NOVELTIES, No. 2.
BY FRANK r. sTocKToN.

| ops ghost slipped in, but not minute
before the sacristlan had reached the place.
The ghost OF the young girl fitted from
one pillar to another until it came near
the door, and there 1t paused, thinking
what it should do next Even II it could
find the grave from which it had come, it
did not want TO go back to such place;
it liked churches better.
Soon the printers began to come in to
the early morning service. One of them
was very sad, and there were tears in
his eyes. He was young man, not long
married, and his child, baby girl, was
so sick that he scarcely expected to find
II alive when he should reach home that
morning.
The ghost of the young girl was at
tracted by the sorrowful printer, and
when the service was over and he had left
the church it followed him, keeping itself
unseen. The printer found his wife in
tears; the poor little baby was very low.
1t lay upon the bed, its eyes shut, its face
pale and pinched, gasping for breath.
The mother was obliged to leave the room
for n few moments to attend to some
household affair, and her husband fol-
lowed to comfort her, and when they
We're gone the ghost OF the young girl
approached the bed and looked down on
the little baby. 1t was nearer death than
its parents supposed, and scarcely had
they gone before it drew its last breath.
The ghost of the young girl bowed its
head; it was filled with pity and SYM
pathy for the printer and his wife. In
al instant, however, it was seized with an
idea, and the next instant 1t had acted
upon it. Scarcely had the spirit OF the
little baby left its body than the spirit Of
the young girl entered 1t.
Now a gentle warmth suffused the form
of the little child, natural color came
into it's cheeks, ii breathed quietly and
regularly, and when the printer and his
wife came back they found their baby in
a healthful sleep. As they stood amazed
in the change Of the countenance OF the
child, it opened its eyes and smiled upon
them.
"The crisis is past!" cried the mother.
"She is saved, and 1t is ,all because you
stopped at the church, instead Of hurry
ing home, as you wished to do" The
ghost OF the young girl knew that this
was true, and the baby smiled again.
1t was IS years later, and the printers
baby had grown iffte a beautiful young
woman. From her carly childhood she
had been fond Of visiting the church, and
would spend hours among the tombs
reading the inscriptions, and sometimes
sitting by them, especially by the tomb
OF Sir Geoffrey Of the Marie. There, when
there was nobody by, she used to talk
with the bishops ghost.
Late one afternoon she came to the tomb
with a happy smile on her face. "Holy
father" she said, speaking softly through
the crack, "are you not tired of staying
so long In this tomb which is not your
ownp''
"Truly, am, daughter" said the bis
hops ghost; "but have no right to
complain. never come back here in
the early morning without a feeling OF
the warmest gratitSie to you for having
given me a place of refuge. My greatest
trouble is caused by the fear that the
ghost OF Sir Godfrey of the Marie may
some time choose TO return. In that case
/ must give up to him his tomb. And
then, where, oh where,. shall / go?"
''Holy father" whispered the girl, edo
not trouble yourself; you shall have
your own tomb again, and need fear no
one"
"How is that7' exclaimed the bishops
ghost "Tell me quickly, daughter"
"This is the way OF it," replied the
young girl. When the mason plastered