The Holly chieftain., 1901-07-12

iWeatf Are the Village tales really
erae. then :" asked his nephew, with q
look of the greatest interest.
What did they; tell you." ii y
That you were In haunted house
with rot ono or two, but a perfect
legion Of ghosts around you!" s
Mr.. Cowley groaned.
They are in tie fight I have been
introduced to four since my arrival;
and II you had not come tonight, l
should have struck my tent and run
away In sheer terror and desperation"
-Four ghosts! You must be Joking,
uncle. You never used to believe in
such things. you know!" sTasg4HS II
& "Ah. but do now! Niis ~ 5oke,
Fl can assure you. to sess1Afe63 o6eas
horrors as I have seen. And there Is
beast OF a cradle That will 90 on
rocking in the buffers pantry. You
can't zee 1t. but you hear 1t directly
under your feet
All! the girls were telling me some
thing OF that. But confess thought
1t was only some Of their nonsense"
Il wish 1t was! HoYever, now that
you have come, don't care SO much
for anything Of the kind as 1 did be-
fore. You'll see me through 1t, won't
you, my boy?"
Through whatr ,l'li'3aF4 li
why. I'll dig the old place up by
the roots but what III come to the
bottom Of that cradle business. I fancy
that all the other disturbances arise
from that" v tAtei't fetfi
And am very willing to help you"
i knew you would be. And now
Just look around this chamber,
Charles" A...a .I.f..t
Well. 1t is a very pretty ROOM" =
I'VE must sound these walls and
take up, this floor. There's something
wrong here. too"
Indeed" 4.i-.,.,t,.fE
why, was sitting over my cigar
the other night. as innocent as lamb,
when the door opened, aud a great
hulking niger came in, leading "a
bleeding nun by the hand You
young villain, what are you laughing
rat!" a....Jt.Jf ~ ]
MY dear uncle, It is too absurd to
think of such things happening in
this matter-of-fact century," 'i-
why, you puppy! do you mean to
say I am inventing tho story?"
"Oh. NO; but you might have fallen
asleep"
"Alikely thing for me to do! I tell
you I saw them as plainly as I see
you now. And the nuns hands were
tied; and, by George! they came so
close to me that could have touched
them If liked" fii ?
why didn't you?',. ?.-r5..--.s...,...5.
We'll, If you must know, they tried
to touch me, and l bolted"
Charles nodded his head and showed
his teeth.
THE wisest thing you could possibly
do. under the circumstance"
Il see you don't half believe the
story. But swear l was, not asleep
And that was not the end Of it-for
last night saw another"
"Ghost?" l}-gf Hef y tl
"Yes, sir: and in this very room"
His nephew looked incredulous.
In this room. sir-a woman dressed
In red, with black mask. And she
held confounded lock Of hair in her
hand that had sesa Npfoees i and her
face yea arsslaaxhihE again. you
unfeelins wretch! III say no more
I'll give no orders to have your room
/changed! You shall sleep here to-
= night; and hope with all my heart
she will appear to you, and make you
sing out Of the other side Of your
mouth. Laughing. indeed, at such a
story! am quite ashamed of you!"
And the worthy gentleman trotted
J Indignantly back to the drawlng-room
and never spoke to his nephew again
that evening-not even when he took
his candle and bade them goodnight.
CHAPTER XVI.
A day or two passed before Mr.. Cow
ley and his nephsw could put their.
valiant broaec& into exscutfon.a Mean
whale she Adtss Ao1n daaAesA61se -
ceedipgly dull. The two gentlemen
were always closeted together. The
weather was inclement; the box OF
books from Nudes failed to coms;
and, to crown the whole. Christmas.
was fast approaching. and they knew
we'll that they ought to be In town.
On the evening ott1se second day
I they wsre sittinE t0s1Aer tftett sea,
\ in&Martprie's httle tuxr&t-roo&.4 III,