The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-06-04
A HOMEMADE GHOST.
RESULT OF AN INGENIOUS BOYS
DEVICE.


RESULT OF AN INGENIOUS boys
DEVICE.
His scheme for, Driving Away. Rats.
Pernicious Activity of n BelIed
Rodent-First Drove Away "a Rich
Aunt - Sam Kept silent Pur-
chased by a Rich Ghost Fancier.
From the New York Commercial Adver-
tiser
Just outside a suburban town, on the
side toward the metropolis, stands a
house we'll established in the popular mind
as haunted. 1t would be unkind to les
present owner, an ardent ghost fancier,
to specify Its location more closely in
this exposition of the ghosts making,
since 1t would needlessly mortify and dis
appoint him. firmly believing, as he does
at present, in the ghostly qualities of his
house. 1t is true its peculiar manifesto
tions have now ceased for several years,
but a good reputation for being haunted
is far more lasting TO a house than
good name 10 a man, and, unexposed, this
house will probably continue to delight
and satisfy its owner as long as he lives.
To be sure it is only a "one-ghost house."
but in this country we cannot put on
many airs In the ghost line. Ghosts come
in an old, settled civilization by blood
and murder long past; and whatever
gruesome associations we may gain from
fresh-slain person, we can acquire
ghost only with time. Therefore, though
the poet may sing
Houses are classed, l beg to state,
According to the number
OF ghosts that they accommodate,
in this country we are glad enough to
get even one self-respecting ghost. with
out striving after a whole retinue. En-
PEASANT l may remark that in our cal
lowness we look on being haunted with
courage that would be admirable were
1t not simply the resuk of ignorance.
However, this is not a treatise on
ghosts. and the haunting of the house in
question brought considerable acute dis
comfort to its former occupants. until
the fortunate denouement which shall
wind up this history, as 1t is. proper a
denouement should do. The house was
inhabited by a physician, struggling up
ward in his practice, DR.. Wiley by name,
blessed with Two sons and a daughter.
One of the sons, Sam, was what is known
as an ingenious boy. While not doing
particularly well at school. he was al
ways inventing things, and mixing chem
icals to see what would happen, and rig
ging up contrivances for doing things that
other persons did by hand. He was par
ticularly weak in the classics and would
not have known what deus ex machina
was; nevertheless, he was one, IA this
matter of the haunting.
The Wiley house, although not old
enough in the natural course of events
to have ghost, was quite old enough 20
- lac
causing Mrs. Wiley to complain bitterly.
Now Sam, the ingenious boy, had read in
a book given him by his parents that
the best way to rid a house of rats was
90 catch one, tie a bell around its neck
and turn II loose. The book said that
the rat ringing back to his kind, would
so brighten them as to cause them to
desert the house entirely.
Sam caught rat, tied bell around its
neck-at the expense of two bites in
thumb and forefinger-loosed II. and
eagerly waited for the disappearance of
the rats, and that he might receive the
gratitude of his family. He had learned
not 60 make any claims in regard to his
contrivances until they were proven sue
cesses. The immediate result of his ex-
pertinent, however. was most vexatious
incident in connection with a visiting
aunt. She was the usual rich aunt, aware
of her Importance to her struggling neph-
ew, and willing 20 take full advantage
of ii. The morning after her arrival she
complained because the telephone bell had
rung so often during the night and kept
her awake.
.'But the telephone bell didn't ring once
last night" protested DR.. Wiley; land.
besides, it's in my room, where you
couldnt possibly have heard it."
.H'mv' shifted the aunt, "if my ears
didn't hear the bell last night at least
wa net
Then / must have slept unusually
soundly, and some Of my patients will
be going over 20 DIR. Wilcox" DR.. Wiley
answered, jocularly and the danger pass
ed off,
That night, although he knew ID to be
impossible for his aunt to hear the tele-
phone bell from her room, DR.. Wiley took
the receiver off the hook, before going to
bed. in order that 1t could not ring I'm the
night, preferring to risk the loss Of pa
tient to annoying his aunt. In spite OF
this precaution, however, the next morn
ing Aunt Susan came down 10 the break
fast table, having plainly passed very
wakefuI night. She waited until her
nephew inquired solicitously after her
health before making her complaint. Then
she said:
II don't know what II may be, Samuel"
Sam was named after his father-''but
/ heard a most mysterious ringing last
night. 1t seemed TO be right in my room,
and frightened me so that I didn't sleep
a single wink. Oh, my poor headr' She
pressed her hand pathetically to her brow.
81 did not thing that in your house
Samuel. I should be denied even a nights
Sleep" She looked at Mrs. Wiley, too,
so as to include her in the arraignment.
This was hardly Just, but DR.. and Mrs.
Wiley were as alarmed as II she had dis
covered an intentional slight of theirs.
The doctor had her lie upon sofa and
gave her a headache powder with words
as soothing; Mrs. Wiley made her some
chicken broth with her own hands and
the daughter, Agatha, brought 1t to her
with toast, daintily arranged on a tray.
The aunt's feelings were a good deal
soothed by this general attention, espe-
cially when she found, later, that all her
belongings had been moved to another
room where no untoward ringing might
disturb her Agatha also volunteered 10
sleep with her. but this the aunt refused.
The next day she left the house. The
ringing had tormented her again, and this
ainna she had emitted n shrek that