The Lamar register., 1901-07-10


look of the greatest interest.
What did they tell you?"
'That you were in haunted house
with not one or two, but perfect
legion of ghosts around you!"
Mr.. Cowley groaned.
"They are in the right. have been
introduced to four since my arrival;
and II you had not come tonight, I
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"
"Ah, but I do now! 1t is no joke,
u can assure you, to see three such
horrors as I have seen. And there Is
q beast of a cradle that will go on
rocking in the buffers pantry. You
can't see 1t, but you hear 1t directly
under your feet"
"Ah! the girls were telling me some
thing of that. But confess thought
1t was only some of their nonsense"
II wish it was! However. now that
you have come, don't care so much
for anything of the kind as l did be-
fore. You'll see me through it, won't
you. my boy?"
Through what?"
why, I'll dig the old place up by
the roots but what I'll come to the
bottom OF that cradle business. l fancy
that all the other disturbances arise
from that"
And am very willing to help you"
Il knew you would be. And now
Just look around this chamber,
Charles"
well, 1t is very pretty room"
I'VE must sound these walls and
take up this floor. There's something
wrong here. too"
Indeed"
"Why. was sitting over my cigar
the other night, as innocent as lamb,
when the door opened. and great
hulking niger came in. leading a
bleeding nun by the hand You
young villain, what are you laughing
att"
my dear uncle. 1t is too absurd to
think of such things happening in
this matter-of-fact century,"
"Why. you puppy! do you mean to
say l am inventing the story?"
"oh, no; but you might have fallen
asleep"
"a likely thing for me to do! tell
you l saw them as plainly as see
you now. And the nuns hands were
tied; and, by George! they came so
close to me that could have touched
them II liked"
why didn't you?"
"Well, II you must know, they tried
to touch me, and I bolted."
Charles nodded his head and showed
his teeth.
"The wisest thing you could possibly
do. under the circumstances"
Il see you don't half believe the
story. But 1 swear l was not asleep
And that was not the end of it-for
last night saw another!"
"Ghost?"
Eyes. 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 l had seen before; and her
face You are laughing again, you
unfeeling wretch! I'll say no more
I'll give no orders to have your room
changed! You shall sleep here to-
night; and l 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
story! l am quite ashamed of you'll"
And the worthy gentleman trotted
Indignantly back to the drawing-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 nephew could put their
valiant project into execution. Mean
while the ladies found the house ex-
ceedingly dull. The two gentlemen
were always closeted together. The
weather was inclement; the box of
books from Nudes failed to- come;
and, to crown the whole, Christmas
was fast approaching, and they knew
we'll that they ought to be in town.
On the evening of the second day
they were sitting together after tea,
in Marjorie's little turret-room. Mr.
Cowley and Charles were in the parlor,
Matching some plot against the ghosts
together, and Mrs. Cowley gave a tre-
mendous yawn.
so dullw she exclaimed. "Rose,
child, do read something"
VERY well, mamma; here is the
new book papa brought the other
night" and the girls eyes twinkled
mischievously as she began:
THE DOCTORS STORY.
On my eighteenth birthday I COM
menced the study of medicine, and,
with proud heart, placed my name