The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-08
WAS IT DOROTHY?


Internationally he is" said Frank
Worrall. 81 suppose he actually believes
that my Aunt Hephsibah would haunt
him if he married again without her ex-
press permission. For a man of ordinary
intelligence, Uncle Buttonball is super
stitious."
s'How?" queried Dorothy.
ooh, he sees winding sheets in the can
die, believes there will be death in the
family if a dog chances to howl under the
window, and would sooner cut off his
right hand than begin haying or go on a
journey of a Friday!'
''FrankI' hesitatingly began Dorothy.
''WelI!''
'sWhat sort Of a woman was your Aunt
Hephsibah? You know I never saw her.
She died before came to Hopton to live"
GA little, fat woman, with spectacles
and brown foretop, who always wore
brown bingham and talked through her
nose. I forgot, though-she had a mon
strosity of a cap, with frin two inches
wide all around it and a colossal bow of
snuff oolored ribbon perched on the very
top-a guy of a cap, only fit for scare
crow
ssNot at all like Paulina Pepper . said
Dorothy. "And Paulina really likes Mr..
Buttonball, and she needs a home, poor
thingl Not to speak of Mr.. Buttonball's
evident admiration for PauIina. 1t would
certainly be a match, if
"If it wasn't for the departed saint in
snuff colored ribbons, - said Frank, with
an irreverent imitation of his Uncle But
tonballs peculiar information when speak
ing of his departed wife.
s'Poor PauIinaI' said Dorothy.
"And poor Uncle ButtonballP' echoed
Frank Worral. upon the whole, darling,
it looks like hard case"
ssPast II O'Clock, - said Uncle Button
A.,
of his silver spectacles. well, hadn't
an idea it was so late. And showing and
blowing like all possessed, and the wind
bowling down the chimney fit to set a
man s teeth on edge Just such night as
poor Hephsibah died four years ago. and
bless me, " with slight, cold SILVER down
his spinal column, eff it amt the goth of
November-the identical anniversary of
the sad event. Poor Hephsyi'' folding his
hands and locking thoughtfully into the
fire. 81 hope she's happy in the other
world. She never took much comfort in
this, what with flies and dust and poor
kitchen help
And then Mr.. Buttonball fell into a doze
or a reverie-he never could be quite Ger
tain whioh-from which he was aroused
by the old kitchen clock striking 10.
''Midnigbtl 1t amt possiblel" cried
Mr.. Buttonball, chilly, uncom Portable and
superstitious 'And the fire eensmost
3
bed
But as he rose with a sort of rheumatic
stiffness from his chair the door leading
from the buttery creaked slightly, slow,
heavy footstep sounded on the floor, and,
looking around with startled and dilated
eyes, Mr.. ButtonbaIl beheld-the departed
Hephsibah.
''Benedictl' spoke out the quavering
and nasal voice. Benedict! Benedict"
Ut was always so, Uncle Button ball re-
mem bered, in all well authenticated ghost
stories, the summons was distinctly enun-
ciated three timeR.)
s'W-w-well, my dear" suffered Mr..
Button ball, holding tightly to the arms of
his chair lest his teeth should chatter him
off from it.
81 have brought message from the
other world, Benedict" solemnly uttered
the presence. "You want to marry againP'
''N-not if you object to it, my dear"
faltered the shaking widower. IL
that is''-
''PeaoeI Disturb not the voices of a
higher sphere"
''No, my dear, WON'T said the sub
''Peace, sayI'' (Hephsibah's old way
of putting him down, without loOphole
for argument) land listen: You are abb
solved from your promise to contract no
second marriage You are a free agent.
My eyes are opened now to many things,
jealousies. Go, marry whom you will, and
my blessing rest upon your bride. The
word is spoken, the oracle is closed
Slowly the brown ginghamed form re-
treated backward, with cleaning speota-
Giles and uplifted finger, through the but
terry door, into the back kitchen, while
Uncle Button ball sat staring and trans
fixed with an agony Of superstitious terror.
He has really asked you to marry him.
Paultna?'
Eyes, really" said Paulina Pepper, her
blooming face all smiles and dimples.
t'And I'm SO gladl Because-there can't /
be any harm in owning it now, Dorothy,
dear-I did like him ever so muchI'
Hes a very nice old mani mean
middle aged gentleman" said Dorothy
Martin demurely. But I thought he had
determined never to marry again.
''Oh, that's all settled cried Paulina,
looking cOmplacently down at the red
shine of her garnet engagement ring. "He
thinks he has had a vision-that his de-
parted wife appeared to him and released !
him from his vows"
Dear mel" said Dorothy. "How very
st1lnge"
''Of course the dear fellow must have
been asleep and dreaming, thOugh-don' /
you think sop
Undoubtedly" said Dorothy
"FOr-what are you laughing at, dearP''
Paulina Pepper broke off to say.
Nothing, nothing. Only it seems so
ridiculous that in this age of the world |
people can believe in ghostsl" cried DorO-
thy. giving way to a hearty peal of laugh
ter, as she caught up her embroidery and /
hurried out of the room. Frank WorraQ |
followed her.
Dorothy" said he. at was youI''
''What do you mean?''
'sThe ghost y
atProve il If Won ran p, cried Ooro+bv |
Bauoily And that was all she would ever
I'D