Evening star., 1898-12-17
THE TRAGEDY q /: THE /
CHRISTMAS GHOST,
BY W. W. JACOBS.
Copyright, 1898. by So 8. Mcclure Coz

| 1t wanted a few nights to- Christmas, a
festival for which the small market town
| of dorchester was making extensive prep
| arations. The narrow streets, which had
| been thronged with people, ,were now al
most deserted, the cheap jack from Lon
| don, with the remnant, of breath left him
| after his evenings eXertionS, was making
| feeble attempts to blow out his naphtha
| lamp, and the last shops open were rapidly
| closing for the night.
| In the comfortable coffee room of the old
Boar's Head half dozen guests, pripci-
| pally commercial travellers sat talking by
! the light of the fire. The talk had drifted
! from trade to politics, from politics to re-
! ligion, and so by easy stages to the super
! natural. Those ghost stories, never known
| to fail before had fallen fiat there was too
much noise outside, too much light within.
The fourth story was told by an old hand
with more success the streets were quieter
and he had turned the gas out In the
| Pickering light of the fire, 1t shone on
/ the glasses and danced with shadows on
the walls, the story proved SO enthralling
! that George. the waiter whose presence
had been forgotten created a very dis
agreeable sensation by suddenly starting
up from dark corner and gliding silently
from the room.
That's what 1 call a good story" said
y.
"Of course it's an old idea that spirits like
| to get into the company of human beings
| A man told me once that he travelled down
| the Great Western with a ghost, and
! hadn't the slightest suspicion of it until
| the inspector came for tickets. Ny friend
| said the way that ghost tried to keep up
| appearances by feeling for it in all it's
| pockets and looking on the floor was quite
touching. Ultimately 1t gave it up, and
with faint groan vanished through the
| ventilator.'
"That'n do, Hirst" said another man.
ITS not a subject for jesting." said
| little old gentleman who had been an at
| tentive listener. I've never seen an ap-
| partition myself, but 1 know people who
| have, and l consider that they form a very
interesting link between us and the after
| life. There's a ghost story connected with
| this house, you know"
Never heard of it," said another speak
| er, "and I've been here some years now
1T dates back long time now," said the
old gentleman. you've heard about Jerry
Bundler, George?"
well. I've just heard odds and ends,
sir" said the old waiter, but 1 never put
much count to 'em. There was one chap
ere what said he saw it, and the gov'ner
| sacked him prompt
my father was a native of this town."
said the old gentleman. "and knew the
story well. He was a truthful man and a
steady church-goer, but I've heard him de-
clare that once in his life he saw the ap-
partition of Jerry Bundler in this house,
And who was this Bundler?' inquired a
voice.
"A London thief, pickpocket, highway
man, anything he could turn his dishonest
hand to- replied the old gentleman, land
he was run to earth in this house one
Christmas week some eighty years ago. He
took his last supper in this very room, and
after he had gone to bed a couple of Bow
street runners, who had followed him from
London. but lost the scent a bit. went up
stairs with the landlord and tried the door
1t was stout oak and fast, so one went into
the yard, and by means of a short ladder
got onto the window sill, while the other
stayed outside the door. Those below in
the yard saw the man crouchtng on the sill,
and then there was d sudden crash of glass
and with cry he fell IN a heap on the
stones at their feet. Then in the moonlight
they saw the white face of the pickpocket
peeping over the Sill, and while some STAYED
in the yard. others ran into the house and
helped the other man to break the door in.
1t was difficult to obtain an entrance even
then. for the door was barred with heavy
furniture, but they got in at last, and the
first thing that met their'eyes was the body
of jerry dangling from the top of the bed
by his own handkerchief
Which bed room It?'' asked two or
three voices together.
The narrator shook his head 'rThat |
can't tell you. But the story goes that Jer-
ry still haunts this house, and my father
used to declare positively that the last time
he slept here the ghost of jerry Bundler
lowered Itself from the top of his bed and
tried to strangle him.
"Thatll do. said an uneasy voice q
wish you'd thought to ask your father
which bed room it was.
What for?' inquired the old gentleman.
We'll, L should take care not to sleep in
it, that's all, said the voice, shortly.
-, There's nothing to fear" said the other.
Il don't believe for moment that ghosts
could really hurt one In fact my father
used to confess that it was only the un-
pleasantness of the thing that upset him.
and that for ali practical purposes Jerry's
fingers might have hppp 1ada Of
wool, for ali the harm they could do
That S all very fine, said the last speak
er again "A ghost story is ghost story,
sir, but when a gentleman tens a tale of
ghost in the house in which one is going to
sleep l call it ID ungentemanly."
Pooh! Nonsense!" said the old gentle
man, rising. Ghosts can't hurt you. For
my own part, L should rather like to see
one. Good night gentlemen"
Good night said the others. "And l
only hope Jerry'n pay you visit" added
The nervous man the door closed.
Bring some more whisky George" said
stout commercial. Il want keeping up
when the talk turns tlis way"
shall L light the gas, Mr.. Malcom?" said
George.
No; the fires very comfortable" said
the traveier; nov, gentlemen, any of you
Il think we've had enough said an
otner man; we shall be thinking we see
SPLITS next, and We re not all like the old
sea5Iembn s!oId bnmh1s Tho has Just gone" m
L
like to put him to the test. Suppose dress
up as jerry Bundler, and go and give him
a chance OF displaying his courage"
BraVo! said Malcolm, huskily drowning
one or two faint noes" Gust for the joke,
gentlemen"
No, no; drop it Hirst," said another
man.
only for the joke said Hirst, somewhat
eagerly. I've got some things upstairs in
winch l am going to play in THE Rivals
knee breeches, buckles and all that sort of
thlng. It's rare chance. If youll walt q
bit IL give you fulI-dress rehearsal, en-
titled jerry Bundler, or the Nocturnal
Stranger"
You won't frighten u.s." said the COM
mercial with husky laugh.
Il don't know that" said Hirst sharply;
1T 8 question of acting, that's all-Im
pretty good, amt l. Somers?'
On, you're all right-for an amateur" |
said his friend with a laugh.
Il bet you level soviyou don't frighten
me-, said the stout traveller vi
Done, said Hirst; 81 take the bet to /
lrlghten you first and the oldlgentleman af- |
terward These gentlemen shall be the |
judges |
You won't frighten Rus. sir said an
other man, because we're prepared for |
you; but you'd better leave 3the old man |
N e -,