Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-09-29
BURYING
BANQU0'S GHOST
BY
+. II. LANCASTER


t-4A4f sats lfa ll DAILY story flhs Col
TIER husbands friend had been
n making a series Of severe remarks
anlnt the inkspot upon her finger, her
flushed face disortered hair and several
sheets OF scattered manuscript:
We cannot serve two masters, and
Sc IS my duty as your friend and his
friend TO cen you SO plainly And I
must say that 81 seems TO me that this
Inspiration believe that is the word
you literary people use-this love Of
scrihbIing could be easily buried be-
meath love OF husband and home"
"It is not an easy something to bury
beneath anything" the young wife OBJ
jected "or rather like Bauquo's ghost,
it refuses 10 stay In the ditch
Rises at the feast and mars 4, Ell?
Well. I'm sorry for you'll am sorry
for you both" Severe gray eyes looked
down critically into bothered brown
ones. and her husbands friend smiled
lofuly. well, I've said all that ! feel
justified in saying Good-by dear child.
I suppose you know what generally
happens when a man begins to feel
himself neglected."
Helen murmured that she did and
watched the erect figure sweep down
the garden path Go, she quoted soft
~. "and stand not upon the order Of
your going" Then she sat down 70
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 10 be enjoying his
paper. but be was So kind and patient
SO strong and f0rceful. and so much
older than she. OF course he wouldn't
complain. And this was not the first
time Il had happened "Oh.' with a
thrill Of uneasiuess, 'he might just as
well have gone on being an old bache-
Tor" Then. with quick self-reproach,
~ should be ashamed ! am Il is
silly. Ms stories never amount 70 any
thing anyway. Half the things | write
are rejected. Why can't | bury this
ghost that is haunting our feast and
keen II buried?" She dropped her head
into her hands. II would be hard 10
foreswear scribbling-how hard only
those who have seribbled know-and
she shrank from making a resolution
NAT she might not be strong enough to
keen. But as his step, with tired
sound 70 Ct. struck the stair she started
nm seized the scattered sheets and
thrust them into the CRATE.
s III Is concluded she muttered,
vbimsirsIv. 'Banquo, thy souls
airbt n it find heaven, must find 1t out
tonight
ooh Dick. dear, am 50 glad you
have come have just been planning
one Of those COSY. chatty little even
inrs like we used to have when we
we're first married
asurs. sweetheart Dick said cor
s,.,lv Int his spirit groaued. He had
i,st bssp planning a repetition Of last
.rsrIpr Peace and pipe and paper
,.i.b NJ little wife scribbIing happily
:. Ne show. II rested him to lean
bs,t and smoke and watch the light as
=. .,,s and went in her dear young
t... II is so much easier this silent
presence when one is tired But Helen
was saving; ,,,
aor n Won feel Ike reading aloud III
81 s,r,e fancywork Dick was de-
U ~, of course. and after the tea
-, MAS cleared and the curtains
- he took down a book and be-
-. - read like a little man Helen
go with conscientious alertness
r-s,pently. al the suggestive turn o. =,
ntrsss the ghost would arise and sit
go n the chair opposite but look
~. - her dear boys tired face ana
, ~ the WEAKNESS in his voice, she
s,r,5 n easy to order her Banqao back
beneath the sod. b.
~ wir hem those sheets tomorrow
-. rejected exultingly and make a
80 ~ inflow shams. ! must not lry
- THAT would be regular PICK
~ letting the ghost out POOR , isl-
~ wonder If he has been ieeiins
neglected" 1870. n,.r
- me next day and the next Dlea'
an - rsrleced. came YEARLY home
!. ~ - - aloud until be began 70 tnlnA