Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-09-25

and Mr.. Crosmont, humming an air
| as he crossed the room TO his cigar
cabin, asked his visitor in a genial
waite excused himself, feeling that to
puff tobacco-smoke into the air which
surrounded that dainty lady would
be like profaning the temple of god
dess. She seemed to guess the rea-
son of his refusal, and looking at him
with a gracious smile, said she did
not mind smoke in the least. Draw
ing chair to the fire between LIB
uncle and Armathwait, Mr.. Crosmont
observed that they would not go into
the drawing-room; it was such a
mouldy old place. If he were super
stitious, he should think it was
haunted.
They do say in the village that
this house is haunted" observed his
uncle. THE servants have heard the
story too; their rooms are just over
my head, you know. And hear them
scurry upstairs at nigth in body,
like mice in the wainscot, with
little chorus of shrieks if one of them
calls out 'Boh'i Not one of those
silly girls would come downstairs be-
tween the hours of ten at night ana
six in the morning, if you were to
offer her new bonnet with the
longest feather that has ever been
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.
Yes, 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, suppose?"
There seems to be 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 | shant be able to
Sleep" protested Mrs. Crosmont, IL
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 lot of foolish, chattering
maids! | never yet heard of q
sensible woman believing in ghosts"
Il don't believes in ghosts, Edwin"
she said very humbly but you
know that when | get very much ex-
cited-and it is so easy to excite me
! fancy | see all sorts of things;
and though know very well 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-
membrance 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; | couldn't myself
under the same circumstances. AS
for the Dolly Warden room. the
draught 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
in 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 gale of wind"
The lady raised her eyebrows very
slightly. and looked more than
slightly incredulous.
Colonel Lawes 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 IL
wasn't ghosts said her husband
shortly
Since you have done me the kind
ness TO offer me a shelter for the
night. may | ask as a favour If r
may sleep in that room?" asked
Armathwaite. 81 have no super.
stitions on the suject 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, IL
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"