The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-10-31

IL Al y
LAY NH "a from either end
Ese. YtY Il.ME "a a house of which
E sesZ:.T,- ss-s5T7&9 Father Time had
ESS: - been the | e
painter, and where
every board bore The mellow, brown
ish impress of the suns and rams of
more years than Hiram Melwyn cared
to count.
Just in front magnificent butter
nut tree tossed its plumes OF foliage,
like deep pillows of green, and lilac
bushes, all empurpled with fragrant
spikes OF blossoms, hedged in the
well-worn stone doorsteps. MELVIN
Farm was tho oldest place in the
neighborhood, and Hiram Melwyn was
proud OF its unpretentious antiquity.
June evening though it was, there
was chill in the air, and great wood
fire blazed, with cheerful, cracking
sound, upon the hearth, with ruddy
reflections playing on the wall and
ceiling. A bright-colored rag carpet,
woven in stripes, covered the centre
of the floor; the splint bottomed chairs
were ranged neatly in their places,
and the tall clock in the corner, with
asparagus wreathed in misty green
round its face, licked solemnly in
unison with the mouotouous purring
OF the gray cat on the Learthstone-a
scene of coy content.
There were only two persons in the
room, Miss Prudence Melwyn-an
antiquated spinster and her pretty
young cousin, Mabel, from the CITY.
who had come to Mclwyn Farm to
drink new milk, and absorb the Grim
son glow of freshly gathered straw
berries and roses into her somewhat
pallld cheeks. And an artist would
have enjoyed the tableau-M Mabel lean
ing forward with the freight mirrored
in her satin-brown hair and dilated
blue eyes, and the spinster equally
absorbed in the recital of her thrilling
tale.
ooh, Cousin Prudence. how ter
ribleY'
Eyes, it's all true, I assure you. nv
dear. Right on the edge of the woods
you drank yourself at the spring
this afternOon--the Indians scalped
her, in cold blood, n hundred years
ago; and on moonlight nights they
say yen can sec her ghost fitting
about through the trees, all in white.
with outstretched hands, as if calling
for aid; and the groaus, my dear, they
say are quite irightful!'
"Did you ever see it, Cousin
Prudence?"
No-I can't say ever did: but
I've talked with those that had, and
they say it's sight TO freeze The
blood in your yeinsl"
"a hundred years ago." repeated
Mabel, musingIy.
'Old Chloe, who used 80 live here
declares she has often seen The white
figure gliding up and dow4 the stair
case i'll this very house, when the
moon was at the full: and, my dear.
some nigbt3 there are certainly
sounds about the old garrett that !
can't call wind. nor rats, Whatever
Hiram may say
Mabel drew nearer t. her cousin
with little shudder.
ooh, Cousin Prudence" she said.
~ have always wanted TO lie i'm
haunted house, How ! wish could
see the ghost Hush What's that?"
Both women spraug to their feet
with little scream but there was no
more serious cause Of alarm than
hearty peal Of laughter from bluff
Hiram Melwyn himself who had
entered noiselossly at the back door.
so Prue's been telling you ghost
stories, hey, little Bell? Don't Won
believe q word of en-. my girl
Ghosts have enough to do in their
own world, without coming back to
this.
Indeed, Hiram, eud HE sister.
Dridlin8, 'you know very well that
Chloe
Bother Cbloc-au old bundle Of
bones and superstitionsl I'll be will
ing 10 eat all tho ghosts that ever
haunted Melwyu Farm aye aud
without salt or pepper
How can you uso such dreadful
language, IIiram2'
And how can yOu women folks he
sucb fDsla2 That's what 7 want Go
know Conc Cir around, aud get
tho supper. Truo ifs seven o'clock,
md I'm a8 hungry ae a grizzly bear,'
Miss Prudence obeyod Sho knew
very well, from daily experience. how
difficult 10 be-, iu this proaaic world.
for The ideal Gu combat 'ho real
Supper had elbOwcd The shadowy
assemblngo Of ghoste completely of
the field and even Mabel, DO spite Of
her sympathetic thrills Of terror.
showed q good appetite for slowed
nppleg, country cream and Aaky ten
biscuits
She cat up late that night in her