The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-25

know that If a ghost Is sprinkled with
holy water 1t shrivels up? This first
service was attended almost exclu-
sively by printers on their way home
from their nightly labors on the jour-
mails Of the town.
The tomb which had the largest
crack under 1t lid belonged to a bishop
who had died more than a hundred
years before, and who had a great rep
utation for sanctity; so much so, in
deed, that people had been in the habit
of picking little pieces of plaster from
under the lid of his tomb and carrying
them away as holy relics, to prevent
disease and accidents.
This tomb was more imposing than
the others, and stood upon pedestal
so that the crack beneath its lid was
quite plain to view, and remarks had
been made about having it repaired.
Very early one morning, before it
was time for the first service, there
came into the church a poor mason.
His wife had recently recovered from
severe sickness, and he was desirous
of making an Offering to the church.
But having no money to spare he had
determined that he would repair the
bishops tomb, and he consequently
came to do this before his regular hours
of work began.
All the ghosts were out of their tombs
at the time, but they We're gathered
In the other end Of the church, and the
mason did not see them, nor did they
notice him; and he Immediately went
to work. He had brought some plas-
ter and trowel, and 1t was not long
before the crack under the lid of the
tomb was entirely filled up, and the
when the tomb was new.
When his work was finished, the ma
son left the church by the little side
door which had given him entrance.
Not ten minutes afterward the sacris-
tan came in to sprinkle the church
with holy water. Instantly the ghosts
began to scatter right and left, and
to slip into their tombs as quickly as
possible, but when the ghost Of the
good bishop reached his tomb he found
1t impossible to get in. He went around
and around it, but nowhere could he
find the least little chink by which he
ing along the other side of the church,
scattering holy water, and in great
trepidation the bishops ghost hastened
from tomb to tomb, hoping to find one
which was unoccupied into which he
could slip before the sprinkling began
on that side of the church. He soon
come to one which he thought might
be unoccupied, but he discovered to his
CONSERVATION that it was occupied by
the ghost of a young girl who had died
Of love. .
Alas! alas" exclaimed the bishops
ghost. How unlucky! Who would
have supposed this to be your tomb?"
ut Is not really my tomb" said the
ghost Of the young girl. at is the
tomb Of Sir Godfrey Of the Marie, who
was killed in battle nigh two centuries
ago. 1 am told that it had been empty
for long time, for his ghost has gone
to Castle Marie. Not long ago I came
into the church and finding this tomb
unoccupied, settled here"
"Ah, mel! said the bishops ghost
'the sacrlstan will soon be around here
with holy water Could not you get
out and go to your own tomb; where
Is that?"
ALAS, good father" said the ghost
Of the young girl, II have no tomb;
was buried plainly in the ground, and
I do not know that I could find the
place again. But 1 have no right to
keep you out of this tomb, good father;
1t is as much yours as 1t is mine, so
will come out and let you enter; truly,
you are in great danger. AS for me, 1t
doesn't matter very much whether
am sprinkled or not"
So the ghost Of the young girl slipped
out of Sir Geoffrey's tomb, and the
bishops ghost slipped in, but not q
minute before the sacristan 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 1t should do
next. Even If It could find the grave
from which 1t had come, 1t did not want
to go back to such place; 1t 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 a young man, not
long married, and his child, baby
girl, was SO sick that he scarcely ex-
pected to find 1t 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 1t followed him, keep
ing itself unseen. The printer found
his wife in tears; the poor little baby
was very low. 1t lay upon the bed, It's
eyes shut. its face pale and pinched,
gasping for breath.