The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-20

all to ourselves The servants have
their quarters back, so we can cut up
high jinks, you know. It's jolly, this
living with a ghost. In the middle of
the night it is great fun to wake up
and see it standing over you, looking
down into your face, and then to have
it fade away OH hollow footsteps
Really Miss Meggs had never seen
Hiram in such mood. Nor had he
ever been SO, for on this evening he
was going TO lay the ghost forever,
and Mrs. Haybattle was to preside
over Haybattle house, and the very
nearness of the fulfilling Of his hopes
was enough to make him unlike any
body had even seen him.
Miss Meggs scarcely knew whether
to smile or to froWn. She had always
felt a respect for ghosts, which she
wished to continue to cherish, and yet
Hiram's story was iconoclastic in the
extreme, and she rather felt kindly to-
ward Hiram.
Did you say, Mr.. .Eaybattle, that
there was only" she began, when
suddenly she gave what sounded to
Hiram more like a little yelp than a
little Shrek, and jumped away from
him as If he were mouse.
Why, Miss Meggs-Miss Melissy-
Melissy,'' he exclaimed in a voice of
varying emotions, what is it2 What
has happened?' and Hiram rose hastily
and started toward her, ready to do or
die in her service.
But she waved him back as she re-
covered her wonted balance and re-
samed her chair
she said with frigid formality, and
somewhat in the mysterious manner Of
the inquisitor, which was even more
inexplicable to Hiram than the pre-
vious outburst.
However, he was pleased to be seated,
and he sat with his hand o nthe marble
topped table. which sent cold shivers
I'D his sleeve, and the music box clicked
as it changed tunes and began playing
''Hark, from the Tombs'' The lugu-
brious notes actually oozed out of the
box, and Hiram moved away from the
table
What kind of a ghost is this you
tell Of, Mr. Haybattle?" asked Miss
Meggs. so nearly in her natural manner
that Hiram looked up at her with a
gulp OF gratefulness.
Goodness sakes alive. Mel-Mis,s
Meggs," he exclaimed with great
breath of relief and little gag, as he
saw that 1t wasn't time yet to call her
by the name he loved so we'll, you
have no idea how good it makes me
feel to hear you ask only that
thought something awful had happened
or was abou to- The ghost" and Hiram
chuckled at the thought of ghosts
now, the ghost dressed in a long white
tablecloth, or something like that, is
tall woman, with"
Miss Melissy Meggs rose out of her
chair Ike an ayenging Nemesis, or
some other dreadful creature, and
stood over Hiram Haybattle, who
shrank away into the furthest corner
of his chair.
That is enough, Mr.. Haybattle,"
she said. as If she were a woman of
ice" that is more than enough. A fe-
male ghost, Mr.. Haybattle-"
This was more than too much for
Hiram. He ought to have known better
than to actually roll over on the floor
and Miss Meggs' cat, but it was the
funniest thing he had ever heard of,
and he took that way Of expressing
himself
But Miss Meggs did not think that it
was funny. nor could Hiram convince
her that it was.
On the contrary, Hiram Kaybattle
is bachelor to this day, and the ro-
nance of his life is crushed between
that female ghost and Miss Melissy
Meggs.