The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-03-02


once amused me. "You may leave
your smile as memento, an
swered, humoring him and cooking
my pistol. 1t was q self cooking re
volver, SO that this was unneces
sary, but l thought the moral effect
would be good.
The burglar smiled in superior
way, which nettled me. I went on
mot that your smile strikes me as
anything remarkable / was 20.
ing to add more had not wonder.
full thing happened, which If I had
not seen 1t myself 1 could hardly
believe The room grew lighter, and
l, still looking at the burglar, found
myself seeing, instead the rows of
ice covered trees and the barn, while
the moonlight again flooded the
floor.
Dazed, clutched my brow, think
ing sudden blindness had stricken
me. Then remembering that blind
ness would shut out the moonlight
and the barn as well as the burglar,
drew breath of relief. Still star
ing at the window, presently made
out faint ironical smilo where tho
burglars head had been, and cold
beads of sweat stood on my brow as
comprehended that tho words of
the burglar must be truc.
sat up in bed and would have
fled from the room, had l dorod
turn my back on that cold, clammy
smile. It's having no eyes or cars
gave 1t a ghastly grewsomoness
which man can hardly picture to
himself within whose experience no
such smile has ever come. The
smile as gazed grew moro mocking.
II thoroughly believe you now,"
I cried, writhing under its amuse-
ment and moreover impelled by
polite desire to make the amendo
honorable for having doubted the
word of my guest.
The smile vouchsafed no response,
and became uneasy.
Won't you please como back3"
pleaded nelvously-'the rest OF
you, mean. Still thore camc no
sign.
ut was very embarrassing, your
disappearing so suddenly, when you
had promised to disappear grad
ually," continued, my uneasinoes
changing to irritation: II can't talk
to a smile by itself. Let me at least
have your ears, to be sure that you
can hear mo-"
Tho words were hardly out of my
mouth before tho whole burglar sat |
again on tho window sill.
"Thank you, 1 said, relieved
Don't mention it, " said tho bur
glar, II hope didn't mako tho |
smile too weak. forgot that you
were not used to the night like me.
mot at all, answered. II only
wish that 1 could smile as well at
afternoon teas when 1 want to dis
appear. "
Tho burglar-or rather the ghost,
as it would now bo polito to call
him-scemed pleased. He smiled
again that smile which | knew SO
well, as the story books say.
"You tlatter me, horeplied. IT'S
an accomplishment that any ghost
can learn, though most of them neg
lect it-not but that they have
time enough" A panied look swept
across his features.
l felt the delicacy of tho situation
and changed tho subject
would you mind telling me why
you pretended to be a burglar2" I
asked.
He laughed. ut was just for fun
People lattcrly had taken to receiv-
ing mde coldly and slleptically as a
ghost, and it hurt my feelings. Bur
glars arc always believed in."
"Then you are not the ghost of a
quericd.
"No, was lawyer-a distin-
guished lawyer, l may say, of some
time ago. My name is Symonds,
and you probably remember that !
was counsel for the plaintiff in the
celebrated Mifflin-Scarborough di-
1orce trial, shortly before my death.
Now that / am found out, suppose
ought to appear in my proper
clothes. He glanced down at his I
suit in shamefaced way. THE
ruth is have become SO accustom-
ID to these old burglar duds that I ,
wear them most of tho time" G
1 am no stickler for etiquette ut c
his time of night, / said, waving {
ny hand in a deprecating way, I
lad become strangely interested in
he gentleman and reached down to I
he chair at my bedside for my note /
,ook and pencil, which always lie c
here for IDEAS that may como dur ,
ng tho night. Holding the note t
'ook in the bar of moonshino at c
he edge of my pillow, l began 70 !
OF down few incidents of our con- =
'eraation.
What are you doing2" asked the !
host, q. 1
"Just taking down few of your g
" l answered. c
"May inquire what for9" t
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