Evening journal., 1904-11-12
THE PENSION GHOST

udg journey hdu proven idlbulnBf 80
we decided 10 stop at the next town
and again pursue our journey in the
morning.
"But where shall we stop?" asked my
wife, for our travelled friends in be-
queathing us the legacy Of their Euro
pean experience had left us the ad-
dresses Of no lodging in this little
town.
Perhaps the guidebook will help as
out" ! suggested.
Somewhat to my surprise, the guide
book mentioned our out Of the way
town and named its dozen of hotels
and pensions. One Of the latter we
chose
1t was still light when we reached
the border Of France and drew into our
station
Here there were several liveried men,
with the names Of their respective ho-
tells lettered across the fronts Of their
caps and throwing open the doors Of
their conveyances with great flourish
Of hospitality.
There were more unliveried men who
thronged about us, each manifesting
the utmost eagerness to relieve us Of
our luggage
To one Of these l surrendered our
bags and gave him the address to
which he should take them.
We had not far to follow him. He
took us through n turn in the road and
soon deposited our bags upon the
threshold of our lodging
Here we were beamingly received by
the proprietor of the pension, much.
indeed, as if we were long looked for
guests.
Madame wore an old black silk dress.
which still bore the stamp Of its Pa
risian origin. She carried a bunch Of
keys, which she jlngled as she talked.
Yes. madame had rooms, two of them
there was large one, with smaller
one adJoinihg She would show them
to us 1doi W
Very modest appearing apartments
they were that we We're shown into.
yet upon the subject Of their faded pa
perings and unstable upholstery mad .ae
was eloquent. managed TO nhler-
stand the drift Of her discourse. MAJ
DANES expressive gestures explaining
much of her fluent French, but what
was this about--'Aes eheveuK blonde,
le clair de Ia lune" and '''le parfum des
heurs?'
what does she say?" asked my
wife
"Oh. something about yellow hair
and moonlight and flowers" l some
what confusedly interpreted.
What could madame mean? But that
lady was now bowling herself away be-
fore her admiring audience. and a
small boy bearing our baggage enter
ed and left it on the floor.
looked at my wife.
"Evidently they mean us to have
( these rooms" | said
My wife did not answer. Suddenly
she began.
Long ago a beautiful maiden occu-
/ pied this chamber. and here her lover
was In tie habit Of visiting her, bring
ing with him bouquets Of hellotropc,
q, the maiden's favorte flower. One day
as she rested upon n couch awaiting
his arrival her lover stole in and pre-
sented her with q bouquet AS tho
maiden bent her head to lnhale thC
fragrance her false lover thrust a dag
ger IN her neck and fled, pulling down
her long hair over the wound.
"The room is said TO be still tho
scene Of the maiden's visitation"
In the course Of our travels / had be
come used to my wlfe's random read
ings from the guidcbook.
She now looked up from the book.
"This roomy' she exclaimed, with
enthusiasm.
"She must have been a young woman
OF uncommoniy bad taste to have oc
cupled this room" remarked. 81
should judge it to have been the caus,
Of her death but for the contrary evi
dcncc Of history"
! But the romantic tale In connection
with our chamber must have excite,
my wife's imagination. for she sat MP
ON the little lounge and gazed out OF
the gathering dusk until the moon
light began to east faint shadows upoI
the lawn below.
"HOw delightful it would be to NEE
a ghost" unused my wife
l did not want to seem unsympathet
lc so l stifled yawn and with all th'
interest ! could summon responded:
Eyes"
III you should display such anima
tion on meeting one I'm sure the ghos
would cut you Immediately after IN,
introduction"
With this reioinGer my wife took on
Of the candles | had lit and carried /
. to her room.
was soon asleep.
In the night I awoke and found m!
, room flooded with moonlight A ra!
from the moon had probably fallel
upon my face and wakened me-that o
\ something else
: What?
, ! turned uneasily In my bed. NJ,
mind seemed possessed with a strang
idea. Some one va.s in the room.
was conscious OF a subtle Fragrance
permeatiRg the air 1t was the odo
Of heliotrope. recalled the story o
the guidebook. and l instinctiyely turn
ed my eyes to the couch by the win
, dow.
IL was n woman.
A woman was resting on the couch
. the moonlight falling upon her whit
dress and on her long light hair tina
p hung on the floor