The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-01-02
rHE GHOST OF
Quincy MANOR
Copyright. 1901, by Arthur J. Stringer)

dered there and buried in the cellar
ma that she still haunts the place.
That's all nonsense, of course, but for
all that there's something mysterious
ana uncanny about it, and l mean to
follow it out to the bitter end You're
coei and level headed and analytical,
and SO | want you to see me through
with it,
We turned in through a broken wall
topped by a thick tangle Of brushwood.
Beyond this Was an orchard run wild.
Beyond this again, in the midst Of a
dark little clump Of spectral looking
trees, stood a rambling, old, many ga
bled structure, looming up gloomy, des-
olate and forbidding through the gray
afternoon.
1t was certainly not an inviting look
ing place. Even the village express
man had declined to do more than leave
FOrd's boxes and trunks outside in the
snow on the tumblcdown veranda. We
went up the dilapidated steps, and my
companion unlocked the massive front
door. Then for two hours we worked
like beavers, hauling in and unpacking
tie boxes. building a fire in the massive
old fireplace and doing what we could
to make ourselves comfortable for the
night i'll the big dark paneled room
. which Ford spoke OF as the ''long
:, roOm." The old colonel. learned, &C.
! cupied two little rooms in the extreme
| south wing and did not so much as
make an appearance as we pounded
! our furniture Getia-ily about the place.
| suggested that we both look thor
ou"iily over Tie building while there
was still little daylight. We went
from room TO room. peering into twilit
closet s. and probing about gloomy pas
sageS till it grew dark, and Ford went
back for lamp. The hours slipped
past but st!l! we searched about the
strange Old house. 1t grew late, and
we found nothing but dust and cob
webs, though | believe Ford would
have kept up the search till New Years
morning had not somewhat disgusted-
ly protested that hot dinner would
suit me better than a ghost.
Ford cooked the dinner himself, and
must confess it was an atrociously bad
one. Over our coffee and cigars, how
ever, my good nature returned. l
| laughingIy inquired for a little more
information about our esteemed friend,
tie ghost, and timidly insinuated that
perhaps the pugnacious old colonel had
a more or less active hand in the mat
ter But Ford wouldn't hear Of such
thing. The colonel is decrepit and
can scarcely walk. He even lent me
that long Larreled old rifle leaning
against tie fireplace there and said he'd
be greatly obliged if I'd fill this fool
ghost full Of lead for him. And | would
like to see how an apparition takes to
bullets. But, besides all this. Wetller-
| ell, our ghost, iSa woman
"A woman
Yes. q woman. and with one of the
most emaitab!e faces | ever saw. The
fact is, there couldn't be a mere beau
tiful face. She suddenly appears, from
nowhere at all. apparently, and is al
ways dressed in white. | know it
sounds tritc. but if you'll only waltz
He broke off. for at the back of the
house bell rang loudly. There was
something ominous, disturbing, unnat
ural. in the sound OF that changing bell
as it echoed enormously through the
huge empty Lails Ford did not move
The bell rang again. y little SILVER
crept up my spinal column. For the
third time the Eell sounded.
Its the front loorbell.' whispered
my companion It's one of the signs
of-it,r'
seized the lamp and hurried to the
f,oo? No ono was there. Outside ar