Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-03-04

nero she goee again. And once more
he leaned down and "whoofed" at the
light. Itdid not SILVER.
The ghost stepped back into the mid.
die Of the room, put his hands into his
pockets and stared at the light swell.
I'm blamed" he said to himself. "Now.
what do YOU think Of that? | blew
enough wind at that thing to extinguish
q bonfire, anG It doesn't even flicker"
As he stood intently regarding the
light the man at the desk rose drowslly,
and with yawn stepped out into the
hallway. Strange as IT may seem, this
rather relieved the ghost, for he wanted
to investigate without the presence Of
inquiring and embarrassing witnesses.
He had now forgotten that his purpose
was to alright. He drew gingerly near
the mysterious lamp, and pulling in
long breath prepared to make the effort
Of his life--or death, as it were.
Suddenly, while he was still in the
act Of inhaling atmosphere, the light
went out The ghosts hair rose.
He trembled from head to foot.
"Wha-wha-w hatd-d-did that? he trem-
ulously asked himself. Then as a
thought came to him: ut was one Of
those fool new ghosts, I'll bet. Say,
you!" addressing space, in the hope that
some fellow specter would answer. I'm
haunting this place. Go ON away and
attend to your own business. Who are
you, anyway"
There was no answer.
Jaw, say" pleadingly insisted the
ghost, talk upand tell fellow. What's
the use Of acting that way? How did
you blow it out? like to busted trying
II, and couldn't" He thought that bit
Of fattery would tempt the rival spirit
to respond, but it didn't. Then the full
horror Of it appeared to him. There
was no other ghost there. lie realized
H. lie was alone. Utterly, hopelessly
alone. Oh, for the cheer Of some other
spectral presence!
His teeth chartered In noiseless,
tpggy manner. His fingers t~mbled.
and his legs shook beneath him, and II
he had known how or had had the ma
terial to break out into sweat he would
have broken out into one Of exceeding
coldness. He thought Of the man who
had sat at the desk and wondered II
he would never return. He seemed no
long gone. Oh, for glimpse OF him
sitting there doing at his book
The light flashed up.
The room was filled with It's radiance,
and yet nobody had come In with a
flame to relight II. This was more ter
rifying than its extinguishment, for
while a fellow-ghost might have blown
the thing out, 1t was palpable that even
a fellow-ghost could not have rellt II
without some preliminary performance
which would have indicated what was
going to happen. He knew all about
those phosploresccnt' lights which
ghosts carry around with them when
they are haun&inr sloppy country roads
where some pbbd~ has been hanged,
and he knew that rnne such had been
present. lie was spe.chless with fear.
Oh, would that man rever return? II
for but moment he ctuld see him and
EEL that there was something human
like he used to be--in the room, his
mind would be easier. III would never
again 10 haunting respectable people,
he swore to himself. It djf.'t pay.
The door opened and the nam came
in, The ghost would have rushed TO
him and embraced him, but he was
afraid to make himself too conspicuous
for fear the man would drive him out
into the night, as be had n perfect right
to do, Of course. All he wanted now was
TO sit right down In dark corner and
SILVER and wait for daylight. And he
sat there and watched that man hun
grily, slavlshly, worshipfully, fearing
every moment be would 20 away again.
Throughout that nightstrange things
happened. Weird whistles sounded
frightful alarms and voices came from
what looked like the ends Of ropes, but
which were speaking tubes. Bells rang,
and that valorous fearless man talked
to the wooden box, and talked as though
he knew the box understood. Strange
Instruments of brass clicked and ratified
when nobody was near them and atodd
tines a mysterious thing shot out long
Inc Of white paper, and although at
avery periodic whirr and whizz OF the
'ontrivance the ghost grew more ex.
'lted and fearfully crolched lower,
he man wasn't the least bit worried.
no ghost ever spent such a
light.
At last the morning broke, and with
he first CLEAN of daylight that tried
pook, who had courageously set out
made rush for the door
md went galoping down the streets
ind towards the suburbs, beyond which
he graveyard lay.
A little later the day shift came on
|uty at the police alarm Office. The
light man told his relief he wished he
would have the incandescent lamp
nended.-Chicago Record.
Kansas Methodist Conference.