The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-06-14
BURYING
BANQUO'S GHOST
F. H. LANCASTER
tcOpyright. iSos. BY DAILY story Pub. cO.l

VopyHsnr, lot. by Daily story rub Col
TIER husbands friend had been
II making a series of severe remarks
anent the inkspot upon her finger. her
flushed face. disordered hair and several
sheets of scattered manuscript:
"'Ye cannot serve two masters. and
1t is my duty as your friend and his
friend to tell you so plainly. And
must say that 1t seems to me that this
inspiration-I believe that Is the word
you literary people use-this love of
scribbling, could be easily buried be-
meath love of husband and home"
1T is not an easy something to bury
beneath anything" the young wife OBJ
jected. "or rather. like Banquo's ghost,
it refuses to stay in the ditch"
Rises at the feast and mars 1t, eh?
Well, I'm sorry for you-I am sorry
for you both" Severe gray eyes looked
down critically into bothered brown
ones, and her husbands friend smiled
loftily. We'll, I've said all that l feel
justified in saying. Good-by. dear child.
happens when a man begins to feel
himself neglected."
Helen murmured that she did and
watched the erect figure sweep down
the garden path. Co." she quoted soft
ly, and stand not upon the order of
your going" Then she sat down to
think. Was she neglecting Dick, the
dear old darling? Conscience came
a ready accuser. Last evening she had
written from tea until bedtime True
he had seemed to be enjoying his
paper, but he was so kind and patient
so strong and forceful, and so much
older than she. OF course he wouldn't
complain And this was not the first
time it had happened. "Oh," with q
thrill of uneasiness. ''he might Just as
well have gone on being an old bache-
lor." Then. with quick self-reproach
81 should be ashamed. / am. It 1:
silly. My stories never amount to any.
| thing anyway. Half the things I write
are rejected. Why can't I bury thi!
ghost that is haunting our feast ant
keep it buried?" She dropped her heat
| into her hands. 1t would be hard t.
foreswear scribbling-how hard only
| those who have scribbled know-anC
| she shrank from making a resolution
that she might not be strong enough Il
keep But as his step. with a tiret
sound to it. struck the stair she started
up. seized the scattered sheets an,
thrust them into the CRATE.
| 1T is concluded she muttered
whimsically, Banquo, thy soul
flight II it find heaven, must find II on
tonight
"Oh. Dick. dear. am so glad yo,
have come I have Just been plannin,
one of those cosy. chatty little even
ings like We used to have when W
were first married"
Sure. sweetheart" Dick said. cor
daily. but his spirit groaned. He ha
Just been planning a repetition of las
evening Peace and pipe and paper
with his little wife seribbling happil
at his elbow. II rested him to lea,
back and smoke and watch the light a
1t came and went in her dear youn
face. II is so much easier. this sileu
presence. when one is tired. But Hele
was saying:
"Or II you feel like reading aloud T.
find some fancywork. Dick was de
lighted. of course. and after the te
table was cleared and the curtain
drawn. he took down a book and be
, gan to read like a little man. Hele
listened with conscientious alertnesi
Frequently. at the suggestive turn {
phrase the ghost would arise and s.
, down in the chair opposite; but Iool
, ing at her dear boys tired face an
| feeling the WEAKNESS in his voice. sh
D found 1t easy to order her Banquo bac
l beneath the sod.
. 81 will hem those sheets tomorrow,
she reflected exultingly. "and make
pair of pillow shams. / must not tr
TO read. That would be a regular picl
Ak for letting the ghost out. Poor fe
low. I wonder II he has been feeIin
neglected"
And the next day and the next, Dicl
e - longer neglected. came wearily hon
&C read aloud until he began to thin