Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-05-13

after this rude shock she saw that Hi
ram wore a buttonhole bouquet and q
blue necktie and she wondered why
Mr.. Haybattle was so given to fri
vOlity
But Hiram thought Of none of these
things. His soul was as fresh as the
pink in his buttonhole. and his eyes
were as blue as his necktie, for was he
not on the very threshold of the heart
Of the one woman in all the world for
him. There could be no other, and he
would not have any other il there
were. 1t was Melissy Meggs or ever
lasting bachelorhood, and re felt in
his very bones that the good Lord had
neTer intended his servant, Hiram
Hlybattle, to be a half-cOmpleted job
The little old-fashioned music box
was playing a sweet, reposeful tuna
center table, on each side of which sat
Miss Melissy Meggs and Hiram Hay
LATHE. They had been talking for az
hour perhaps, and it YES apparent
that, whereas Hiram had originally
been on one side Of the table, his TO *
ing chair had gradually rocked itself
around front and was slowly getting
nearer Miss Melissy, a puculiarity of
rocking chairs not confined exclusively
to this one occupied by Hiram.
What the old house needs" Hiram
was saying with an earnestness that
hid his freckles in a sea of crimson
glory, lis somebody to"
But it has a ghost, has it not?'' in
terrupted Miss Meggs, somewhat ner-
vously, for she feared and yet hoped
that Hiram was going to say some
thing.
Hiram laughed and pushed his chair
out in front of the table.
80 you have heard of it, too, have
you?' he said We'll, I had hoped
that I would not have to explain how
foolish it was. Of course you don't
believe in ghosts?"
Miss Melissy was nervous, anyhow
and what with Hiram and the ghosts
she didn't know exactly what she was
doing.
81 don't know as to that, Mr. Hay
battle" she said. do you really have
a ghost? I could well understand how
one or even more might thrive in such
a big house as yours"
This made Hiram real hilarious, so
much SO that Miss Meggs showed some
signs of disapproval and shock.
only one, I assure you, Miss Mel
issy, only one he almost roared. THE
ghost and l occupy the old house all
to ourselves. The servants have their
quarters back, so we can cut up high
jinks, you know. It's jolly, this liv-
ing 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 en- hollow Footsteps"
Really Miss Meggs had never seen
Hiram in such a 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 anybody
had ever seen him.
Miss Meggs scarcely knew whether
to smile or to frown She had ALWAYS
felt respect for ghosts, which she
wished to continue to cherish, and yet
Hirem's story was iconoclastic in the
extreme, and she 1ather felt kindly to-
Did you say, Mr. Haybattle, that
there was only" she began, when
suddenly she gave what sounded to
Hiram more like little yelp than a
little Shrek, and jumped away from
him as if he were a mouse.
''Why, Miss Meggs-Miss Melissy-
Melissy, he exclaimed, in voice of
varying emotions, what is it? What
has happened?" and Hiram rose 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-
sumed her chair.
please be seated, Mr.. Haybattle,'
she said, with frig;d formality, and
somewhat in the mysterious manner
of the inquisitor, which was even more
iLe&T licably to Hiram than the previ-
Gus Outburst
However, he was pleased to be seat
ed, and he sat with his hand on the
marble tCITed table, which sent cold
shivers up his sleeve, and the music
hoy o1ioko5 &c - oh opood +,,roc o,5 bo
gan playing "Hark from the Tombs. -
The lugubricus 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
SC early in her natural manner that
HiTem looked up at her with a gulI
of gratefulness.
Goodness sakes alive, Mel-Miss
Meggs,' he exclaimed with a great
breath of relief and a little gag, as he
saw that it wasn't time yet to call he1
by the name he loved so well, "you
have no idea how good it makes me
feel to hear You ask only that.
thcrght son ethirg av-f1ll had happened
or was about to. The ghost" and
Hiram CT UcFled at the thought Of
ghost now, f'Thc ghost dressed in T
long white tablecloth, or something
like that, is tall woman, with"
Miss Melissy Meggs rose out of hel
chair like an avenging Nemisis, OF
some other dreadful creature, ant
stood over Hiram Havh9tt1e whr
shrank away into the furthest corner
Of his chair.