Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-09-25

tween the hours of ten at night ano
six in the morning, if you were tc
offer her q new bonnet with the
longest feather that has ever beer
worn in Mereside.'
Apparently this fact was already
known to young Mr.. Crosmont, for he
betrayed no surprise.
Have you ever questioned them on
the subject, them" asked he quietly.
Eyes, Agnes is the most com
municative on that, as on any other
subject, and she assured me that the
corridor-it's always the corridor, you
know''-Mr. Armathwait noticed that
at this point young Mr.. Crosmont's
hand became suddenly rigid as he
was in the act of conveying his cigar
to his lips-"was haunted by a lady
who Of course had the correct blue
marks of strangulation on her
throat"
His nephew laughed. ''They have
seen the lady, l SUPPOSED"
! There seems to be a doubt upon
that point But Nancy is ready to
swear by her coral necklace and
everything else in the world she
holds sacred, that she has heard un-
earthly means and groans in the
Dolly Warden room.''
Don't uncle; you will make me so
nervous that 1 shan't be able 10
Sleep" protested Mrs. Crosmont, II
earnest entreaty.
Stuff and NONSENSE" said her
husband roughly. What is the use
of the education you think so much
of if you can be frightend by the silly
fancies of a lot of foolish, chattering
maids! I never yet heard of a
sensible woman believing in ghosts"
Il don't believes in ghosts, Edwin"
she said very humbly But you
know that when 1 get very much ex-
cited-and it is so easy to excite me
i fancy 1 see all sorts of things;
and though I know very we'll all the |
time it is only fancy, and that they |
are not really there, yet if the fancy |
is very strong, it is quite as dreadful |
as reality"
She spoke dreamily and absently, in
a low, awestruck voice, with her eyes
fixed before her, as if the re-
Of some OF her fancies of |
the night were filling her with vivid
horror.
'Of course, if you will read trashy
novels and fill your head with i'm
aginary crimes and mysteries just be-
fore you go to bed it's no wonder
you can't sleep; l couldn't myself |
under the same circums lances. AS
for the Dolly Warden room, the
1raught comes in at the window, and
that's the worst you can say for it,
Yet you chose it for your own
room, and gave it up after sleeping
n it only one night"
THAT was because of the draught.
tell you. The least superstitious
person in the world doesn't care to
sleep in a gale of wind"
The lady raised her eyebrows very
slightly, and looked more than
slightly incredulous.
Colonel Gawes slept there last
summer, when it was so hot we all
had to keep our windows open; but
we had to chance his room the next
night. [ forget what pretext he gave.
but he wouldn't sleep there again."
she said
"Whatever pretext he gave it
wasn't ghosts said her husband
shortly
Since you have done me the kind
ness to offer me shelter for the
night, may l ask as a favour if |
may sleep in that room?" asked
Il have no super
stitions on the SUBJECT of supernatural
appearances, am a light sleeper and
have extraordinarily quick ears: so
that if anybody can find out the cause
OF the prejudice against the room and
set Mrs. Crosmont's fears at rest,
ought to be that person"
''Done!" cried Mr.. Crosmont rising
to ring the bell And we'll compare
notes at breakfast time as to our ex-
periences in the room"
To be continued