The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-02-15

on the stairs, slowly and solemnly
AS it neared the bot
tom it raised an arm; low moan
ca came from it, and a rasping sound
OF by no means cheerful character.
Butter Scotch made for the door,
and in his excitement pushed against
It: It instead of pulling, so he could get
out. The ghost, seeing our fright,
uttered a shrek, and came swiftly
towards us.
This was too much for flesh and
blood to bear, and Butter-Scotch
yelled Murder! thieves! fire!" frantic
with horror, and we all three pulled
and. pushed, beside ourselves with
fear.
just as the ghost nearly reached
us, Ned pulled the. door open, and
there was a>crash and a rush, and
before / knew what had happened the
door was shut with a bang, and I
was left in darkness in the hall, with
the knowledge that the ghost was
there it could touch me if it wanted
to: A second of silence, and then a
voice Missed, "Cowards!" indorsed
that opinion heartily, but the others
were greater towards than I was;
I wouldn't have kicked the light out
of the lantern, or shut the door on
them.
There was a yawn, and then the
thing said, "Oh, my!"
Il plucked up my spirits a little.
The ghost had sense enough to be
sleepy, and I thought I could stand a
q a#little talk, if it would only keep
hands off. Possibly it wanted to find
the door, for it came straight towards
me-. But the knob wasn't where the
phantom thought it ought to be, and
the seeking hand rested for about
two seconds on my nose. The touch
gave me courage; it was warm, soft,
and pleasant as a wOman's. stretch
ed out my arms. and grasped the
phantom. 1t shrieked and started,
but [ was strong, and the ghost was
solid, SO it didn't get away. Ididn't
feel afraid of it then; on the contrary,
it.seemed afraid of me.
Dear ghost, sweet ghost,'' I said,
Il won't hurt you.''
/ The answer came tremblingly and
low: "What are you saying! Who
sent you?"
why, my darling ghost,'' I said,
Sthe lady that's going to be Mrs.
Butter-Scotch."
How do you know she is?''
i 'Oh, I know well enough. You are
a smart ghost not to know that!''
z.5f' She doesn't love him. ..,rs.
yes, she docs: M. sweet little
phantom, you are entirely mistaken.
Come, III see if I can't light the Ian
tern, if that insane BOBBY hasn't
smashed it all to pieces in getting
OUT
''Let me go, please the ghost
begged, in a very polite manner;
and as it spoke the words sounde d
to me very much as from human
voice disguised, and yet I couldn It
see for the life of me how anything g
human could have got into the
house after we came in, or how any
thing human could have made such
an everlasting row, and ratified it's
bones so unp]easantly. But the
ghosts hands had flesh on them.
My curiosity was aroused, SO I said,
mo, [ can't let you co.
"1t's wrong hugging me when you
love another
"Whom do Ilove?''
Mrs. Butter-Scot ch, of course. I
know all about it,
''You do, eh? Then I suppose you
know how it all happened?"
"1es, of course I do
DO you know why I stopped?'.
because you hadn't money
enough to ask her to marry you"
"You're perfectly right, my dear
little ghost; but neither you nor I
know whether she'd have married
me even if happened to have plenty
OF money. 1 wish you'd tell me
that.''
II won't do anything of the kind
Pm perfectly surprised at myself for
talking to a mortal so long. Good
bye man. Go back to the Humph-
reys, and tell them what you have
seen. If the old man buys this house,
won't make it hot for him! Good
bye, MORTAL
But I would not let go of the
ghosts arm.
'Please let me go now," the phan-
tom beseeched.
A bright idea came to me. said:
'sCan / trust you? Is a. ghosts word
good for anything?"
With great dignity it answered:
eyes; [ never lie."
"All right. If you'll promise to
meet me tomorrow evening under
the old apple tree on Mr. Humphreys
place at ten o'clock, I'll let you go"
And as I released my hold the ghost
seemed to vanish away, and l opened
the door and went out My senses
were dazed in the open air; the even
ing had been SO strange, so almost
auspicious, that I could not fathom
it all at once. Besides, ] had al
lowed the ghost to go before it had
given the promise to meet me again.
[ remem bered nv StuDiditv with re-