The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-11
THE WOMAN IN WHITE
BY WILLIAM w. COLLINS.
unobservant neighbors,

unobservant neighbors.
The course OF our useless investiga-
tion brought us, in time. to the end or
the village at which the schools estab-
lished by Mrs. Fairlie were situated. As
we passed the side Of the building appro-
priated 10 the use OF the boys. / sug-
gested the propriety OF making a last IN
quiry OF the school master, whom we
might presume TO be- in virtue OF his OF
fee, the most intelligent man in the place.
II am afraid the school master must
have been occupied with his scholars
said Miss Malcombe, lust at the time
when the woman passed through the VII
lage and returned again. However. we
can but try
We entered the play ground enclosure,
and walked by the school room window
to get round to the door. which was sit
uated at the back Of the building. |
stopped for moment at the window and
looked in.
The school master was sitting az his
high desk. with his back TO me, appar-
entity haranguing the pupils who were all
gathered together in front Of him, with
one exception. The one exception was
sturdy hite-headed boy. standing apart
from all the rest on a stool in corner
a forIorn little Crusoe. isolated in his
own desert island OF solitary penal dis
grace.
The door. when we got round to II,
was ajar: and the school masters voice
reached us plainly. as We both stopped
for minute under the porch.
Now, boys" said the voice, mind
what / tell you. II hear another word
spoken about ghosts In this school. II
will be the worst for all OF you There
are no such things as ghosts; and there
fore. any boy who believes In ghosts be-
leves In what cca', possibly be; and
k~.11 to Itt1vt rid 0ro
and believes in what can't possibly be,
sets I'D his back against reason and dis
cipline. and must be punished accord
inRly You all see Jacob Postelthwaite
standing up on the stool there In dls-
grace. He has been punished, not be-
cause he said he saw ghost last night,
but because he is too impudent and TOO
obstinate TO listen to reason: and because
he persists in saying he saw the ghost
after I told him that no such thing can
| possibly be- II nothing else Will do, l
| mean to cane the ghost out OF Jacob
! Postelthwaite; and IL the thing spreads
! among any OF the rest Of you, / mean 10
/ 20 a step further. and cane the ghost
! out OF the whole school"
1--WE seem to have chosen an awkward
4 moment for our visit" said Miss Hal
combe. pushing open the door. at the end
! OF the school masters address. and lead
ing the way In.
our appearance produced q strong SEN
sation among the boys. They appeared
TO think that we had arrived for the ex-
press purpose OF seeing Jacob Postle-
! thwaite caned.
eco home all Of you TO dinner" said
the school master. except Jacob. Jacob
must stop where he is: and the ghost
may bring him his dinner. II the ghost
pleases."
Jacobs fortitude deserted him at the
double appearance Of his school fenows
| and his prospect OF dinner. He took his
hands out OF his pockets. looked hard NJ
his knuckies. raised them with great de-
liberation TO his eyes. and. when they got
there ground them round and round
slowly. accompanying their action by
short spasms Of shifting. which followed
each other at regular intervals-the nasa
minute guns OF Juvenile distress.
1--WE came here to ask you question
Mr.. Dempster," said Miss Halcombe. ad
dressing the school master; and we little
expected 10 find you occupied In exor.
cising a ghost. What does II all mean
What has really hsppened7'
THAT wicked boy has been frightenlns
the whole school. Miss Halcombe. by de
clarIng that he saw ghost yesterday
/ evening" answered the master And
he still persists I'm his absurd story. ir
spite Of all that can say TO him"
Most extraordinary. said MISS Hal'
conbe '1 should not have Thought u
possible that any Of the boys had mag
nation enough to see a ghost This 9
new accession indeed to the hard labol
OF forming the youthful mind at Lin
mer,dge-and I heartily wish you wei
through Il. Mr.. Dempster. In the mean
time. let me explain why you see ms
here and what Il In ! want"
She then put the same question TO tn
school master which we had ALREADY
asked Of almost everyone else In the VII
iaVe n was met by the same die
couraging answer. Mr.. Dempster had no
set ewes on the stranger NJ whom W.
were IN search.
we may as well return TO the house