The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-07-06


Hattie glanced appreherSively over
her shoulder in the direction indicated,
quite white and startled.
"How foolish it was of US to think of
staying two whole nights in this great
old house alone, 1 wish Cousin Jack
We're here. FOR if a ghost We're really to
make its appearance what should We
ever do"
~ am not so much afraid of ghosts
troubling lis as am of robbers. Thank
heaven. all the doors are locked, and no
one can get in without our hearing
them" said !.
During ,he absence Of our parents,
who had gone 10 visit sick relative
living in 4 neighboring town. my sister
Hattie and had volunteered to stay at
home and take charge Of affairs until
their return. The only person besides
ourselves in the houSe-a great. ramb-
ling old structure. with many chimneyS
and gables and weather-stained pOrcheS
was q female domestic, who slept in
a remote chamber OH the first floor. We
w
ing. for we felt little timid in spite of
the often expressed assertion that we
were not bit afraid.
The silver was kept in small safe
in my mothers apartments, which COM
municated with ours and could not be
reached otherwise without going
through a long hall. the door of which
was both locked and bolted on the in
side. The noise that had so startled us
was unlike anything l had ever before
heard-a kind OF steaithy, uncertain
rustling. as if made unintentionally
and entirely against the will of what
ever or whoever it was that occasioned
it.
Naturally courag geouS, and accus-
toned to acting as well as thinking for
myself, 1 arose, locked the door,
dropped the shade, and took look
around the room. No ign of either
ghost or robber was to be seen.
"A brave pair We are, l must say"
said I, taking a volume of Scott's
poems from the table and beginning to
read aloud from the Lay of the Last
Minstrel" but l had scarcely read
I three lines before the same low.
strange rustling sound was heard
again.
Hattie quickly turned and looked in
Quiringly at the big closet in the COR
ner, the door Of which stood partly
open. A large. old fashioned oak chest
was in one corner, and above it hung
dresses, skirts. wraps and ladies' ap-
parels of all kinds.
ut must surely be mouse, Grace,
for there can't be anything else in the
closet" said Hattie, in frightened
whisper
got up and flung the closet door
wide open and save the skirts vigor
Gus shake even mounted the old
chest and took prolonged survey of
the upper shelves, moving bonnet
boxes and shawlS and everything
within my reach. but mouse there was
none. nor any indication that one had
ever been there
1T is very odd" observed Hattie. in
q low tone. noting anxiOusly the result
of my search. Il wonder is there truly
are any such things as spirits"
'Of course not. We ara only little
nervous. for there is really nothing
here" and | gave the skirts another
shake by way of adding point to my
words.
Hattie said no more and l resumed
my seat, firmly determined not to again
allow my fears to get the better Of my
reason.
Hattie. after while. said she would
60 to bed. and might have Scott and
the ghost all to myself. But it was
rather lonely sitting up all alone. so l
thought the wisest thing | could do
was to follow her example-bur no;
until ! had again made sure that the
door was locked and had placed a
shaded lamp on the stand at the head
of the bed.
1t must have been near eleven O'Clock
when l was awakened, not by a sound,
for / did not hear any, but by some
thing that seemed like a shadow pass
ing between me and the light.
/ sprapg up without disturbing Hat.
tie, and looked everywhere about the
\ room for some sign Of the mysterious
i presence, or whatever it was that had
so unpleasantly awakened me; but
saw nothing.
1 drew up the shade and looked out
on the lawn. Absolute silence reigned
everywhere. With a sigh of relief
J drew down the shade again and re
turned TO bed: but l could not sleep
and lay for more than hour gazing alb
sently at the faint ray Of light thai
shimmered across the carpet ant
drifted, wan and shaiow-like, on the
wall.
Presently l saw the lid of the ole
oak chest slowly rise, and two fierce
black eyes, framed in matted mas:
of long. jet-black hair, peered eau
tiously forth. My heart stood still; th'
blood seemed freezing in my veins
an6 ! felt for moment as if I Shoult
die Of sheer terror,