Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-04-19
The Usual Ghost.
BY HALE HOWARD RICHARDSON.

We were talking pout ghosts and
psychical phenomena m general when
Lithgow volunteered story.
Il don't repudiate the ghost bust
ness. boys. but this is my nearest ap-
proach to an apparition. Ii was down
in Rio
Then ii was lizards" interrupted
Gammons. disgustedly.
Some one fetched him with a chunk
and Lithgow proceeded
1T was down in Rio just after the
rebellion, when the navy bombarded
the city. ] was there surveying on a
projected railroad. and had hired a
house on the outskirts of the town.
All ! needed was room. but the price
asked was so low. and the little gar
den with one or two orange and pa
paw trees looked SO inviting. that
took il. The house was in bad repair.
only one of the rooms down stairs be-
ing habitable by my standard. The
other room was only fioored in part,
but would do eXcellently for my pony.
What was upstairs | didn't know.
as the steps of the rude stairway had
been removed. and the opening above
boarded over. The neighborhood
seemed respectable. and there was
small barraca opposite with several
companies of soldiers.
The first night. strange to say.
,ept undisturbed. but may be l was
sed up from an unusually hard bit of
York. | was dimly conscious in the
norning of remembering that my
horse had been restless during the
hight. and of having accounted for it
0y flies. The next day was pretty
warm even for May. and the night
failed TO acquire its accustomed cool
ness. | kept awake a long while.
Then | noticed an increased restless
ness in the pony. and while wondering
what | could do for her comfort. some
fashion across the partly boarded
floor. | expected to hear a voice. but
my unknown visitor held his tongue.
but maintained a mark-time sort of
pacing 10 and fro.
Il jumped up without much attempt
at silence. ran to the door and flung il
open. The moonlight was sufficient to
show an empty room. save for the
quaking mare. The street door was
securely barred. and ] closed the win
dow shutters. although it seemed i'm
possible that any one could make
speedy exit by them. Then | went to
bed again. specializing on the where
fore Of the intrusion, but soon fell
asleep.
However. on the following night
the same monotonous and slightly ha-
RAISING pit-pat was resumed. The
ghost did not keep schedule time. that
Is the conventional midnight. but had
q great faculty of perceiving the mo-
ment of my falling asleep. arose
cautiously. pistol in hand. and stood
listening by the door. Stamp. stump
"a somewhat irregular light and ire
gular step was certainly sounding from
the other side. I could hear the mare
drihbling out her breath as she trem-
bled. When the footsteps seemed just
opposite the door | burst in.
But the pony was all alone. The
moonlight streamed in the windows.
for it had been too sitting 10 close
the shutters. Daisy kept her head
turned with frightened eyes toward a
corner of the room. but there was moth
ing there. Somehow | felt 10th to lin
ger. and after soothing the trembling
the door carefully. Then lit the lamp
and read and thought and dozed till
sleep overcame me altogether.
"Feliciano. the lieutenant opposite,
said with shrug of his delicate Shout
ders that no one stayed in that casa
very long. He wouldn't stay five min
utes-after dark. So | invited one of
Ae boys to the theatre and to stay
18th me all night. We had hardly
clown out the light before the walking
iegan. Donovan started up.
Who's your restless neighbor, Lith-
sow?'
don't know. Maybe two of us
AN find out. answered in a whisper
You pull open the doc; and I'll jump
In
But Donovan wanted the honor of
9amping in. and | readily consented
We listened till Donovan whispered
Now let me at him. and in he sprang
by George! | heard him right
there. Lithgow. you're got harnt.
There's been bloody murther. Let me
OUT
I'VE didn't sleep much the rest of
the night. because Donovan insisted on
relating hair-raising ghost stories
shaffed him into coming again. We
made ourselves comfortable in the
room with the horse. game of Gu
chre passeF the time until II o'clock.
and perhatS we took several swigs of
Dutch courage. We blew out the light
ind lay down. know felt consider
able suspense. reclining there right on
the ghosts stamping ground. and Dom
ovan was breathing heavily.
The suspense lasted long enough to
make us little sceptical of our appari-
tion. Donovan turned over with a re-
lieved grunt. and relaxed myself for
slumber. Suddenly Daisy gave a little
snort and we were wide awake. The
stump. stump, OF the ghosts footsteps
sounded resonantly through the room.
Donovan groaned | could not restrain
a cold sweat. The step seemed at the
very bedside. The moon had gained
the zenith and left the room in shad-
ow. sat up.
Dye see it?' said Donovan, hoarse-