Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-05
the little that passed, each blamed the
storm for hpr

the little that passed. each blamed the
storm for her nervousness.
Aunt Phoebe was up early the follow
| Ing day and began to investigate what she
called the scandalous conduct of some of
the female help. She went after Jeanette
first. but the fiery little French Canadian
parlor maid soon convinced the self-ap-
pointed experimenting houSekeeper that
she had not been out in her robe de mutt
Then Aunt Phoebe stood Sarah up, and
Sarah Indignantly denied having left her
room during the night and promptly handed
in her notice
1t took time even for Aunt Phoebe to
nerve herself to move on Mary the cook
In two minutes it was all over and Mary
was packing up. I've given notice." said
Sarah, as Mary, red and perspiring, stamp
ed I'D the back stair.
I've given them a chance to fill me
place. said Mary.
Aunt Phoebe. baffied and alarmed, called
Mrs. Deering, who. after much diplomacy
succeeded in establishing a truce between
| her sister and the servants.
Its all very well for them to DENY IT
said Aunt Phoebe when her sister chided
her, but saw hussy come up the river
path and pass around to the rear of the
house just as you entered my room last
night
Mrs. Deering stared at her sister.
1t was Sarah's night out that night and
with the consent of Mrs. Deerng Jeanette
went with her.
1t was midnight when the two girls en-
tered the lower gate and hurried along the
driveway. There's where the dreadful man
hid, said Jeanette. ito photograph Mr.. At
wood in the swimming pool. Isn't Mr. At"
Jeanette stopped short, grasped Sarah's
arm and stared in the direction of the
pool. Out of the shadow of the big hir-h
white figure Jared, crossed an open. star
lit space and disappeared over the shout
DER or the hill in the direction of the river
Inc girls caught hands and raced for
the house.
few nights after Louis the elder of
the Deering boys, returned late from a
banquet. While he was hunting the key
hole he heard footsteps as of man run
ming along the driveway Turning ne saw a
woman running straight for the front door
AS she came near she fell forward and
he caught her in his arms
As he lifted the falling woman he saw
white figure pass under tulip tree ON
the brow of the hin and then drop Sudden
| ly behind the bluff
Young Deering, not wishing to alarm the
household. drew his find to the front of
! The veranda and held her face TO the star
| hight anu began to look her over.
1t was Mary the cook. He laid her pe,-
ny DOWN on the door mat, plucked bunch
| OF dew-wet leaves from tulip tree and
| famed her face.
| please, sur said Mary "would ,-o,, H.
| house?" 'e'i Vi the
| Yes, yes, Mary" said Deering. "you,u
| be all right now
|
| or the house Mary kept CHANGING back to-
ward the big birch from whose dark shad
/ ows she could have sworn she had seen n
| ghost appear ~ "
rms thing went on until one by one al
| most every member of the household had
seen the white-robed figure emerge
from the shadows down by the swimmine,
| pool, pass over the hill and fade i'm the
forest that frinsed the rivers rim.
|, They set watch in Mrs Deering's rom,
| "ilch overlooked the grounds to the south
| ana the river to the west but the annari-
| tion falied to appear They watched AGAIN
on the Following night. Midnight and moth
ing came, Just as they were breaking Up
| the watch Aunt Phoebe, who had been
sitting by west window, called excitedly.
| LOOK! Look One of the yonng noan
sprang TO the window He could see
nothing, but Aunt Phoebe declared she had
| Just beyond the tulip tree
The wnole household was by this time
| becoming so demoralized by the constant
! dread of some dire calamity that Mrs.
Deering determined to take Atwood into
| her confidence. The author laughed at
first. but seeing how his aunt was dis
| tressed he promised to make the ghosts
acquaintance at the earliest possible mo-
| ment.
That night he joined the watchers. but
| the ghost refused to walk Another night
was equally disappointing.
On the following night Mrs. Deering saw
| 1t and told Atwood so. II have a plan,"
| said the author. You take my room. I'll
| take yours, and when half-past IL strikes
I'll put my work aside and watch for your
| ghost
For three nights he worked and watched
| and waited but had nothing of interest to
tell his hostess when the next day dawned.
Mrs. Deering returned to her apartments
and Atwood to his.
That very night she saw the sprite. Aunt