Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-04-21

Two ghosts indeed those of the Yer
non twin sisters. who had loved the
same sweetheart and had refused to
marry him out OF regard for the other
They had lived 10 great age, fading
aud falling ut last like withercd roses
there In the family mansion. They had
been dead twenty years. with none but
good words TO follow them. II they
hid not sleep peacefully In their sunny
graves. then We're pure lives and good
deeds vain. Notwithstanding there
was the talk. now one, now another.
glimpsed them walking hand IN hand
up the broad stairway or Hitting ut
dusk through the overgrown rose gar
den
Dennison heard all this avidly. He
liked whatever was old world and un
usual Perhaps that was why. when
the rain at last sent everybody scurry-
Ing within. he drew little apart from
the mcrrymnkers and stood staring up
the dim vista Of the great stairway
And thus he was the first to sec twin
wralths. slim and glrlish. floating rath-
or than walking. glide out of the upper
dusk and. linking arms. fall into the
swing Of waltz. They were all In
vapOrous white swirls ~ II covered
them from head 10 foot They kept
perfect time and moved so In unison II
was like the rhythm OF one soul rather
than two.
Dennlson felt his heart beat faster
All the rest had accepted the yelled
dancers as hut new come maskcrs. He
nodded toward them. saying In Hart.
wells ear: Don't you hate monopoly?
Let's break that one up"
Then IN hurried whispers he told
what he had seen. Iartwell suppressed
Il whistle. then said with quick
breath: 'rll ~ you. Take the taller
one
"NO; I'm going TO dance with the
other Ghostlike masqueradcrs don't
demand formal presentation" Denni-
son whispered back as he shot out TO
intercept the whrling visions In Il
wink he had his chosen one fast. aud
Hartwell perforce took the other. To
gether they made the round OF the long
hall-not once. but many times. the
ghost dancers moving So lightly they
did not even breathe more quickly. al
though their mortal partners M last
were painting.
How did you think OF Il? How
dared you do ~" Hartwell asked as he
whirled and wheeled. The wrath In
his arms answered evenly: We've
been doing II this long time II was II
sort OF outlet. Selma first thought Of
II after We had found the lost key TO
the big gate. but she never would have
had the courage TO do II II had not
cgged her on She wouldn't dare be
here tonight II | had let her think.
We have always gone home before 8
O'clock and climbed IN 10y the library
window. This time we shall have to
be ghosts until morning. We can get
| In on the heels of the milkman, and of
course we shall run away before I'M
masking time. What would Aunt VII
ton say II anybody told her we had
been here
lVhublh
, like that" Hartwel returned. Then
you wouldn't think. you couldn't, | am
fortune hunting when say love
you
What more he might have said no
body knows Just then there came
wild cri,.s Of fire and after them gen
eral panic Despite the pouring rain.
helped by the raging wind. She old
house burned like finder Hartwell
had for Il moment left Bess When he
looked for her he saw two vapory
creatures fleeing up the stairway.
Bess and Selma. madly bent on avoid
ing discovery. meant 10 vanish that
way and escape up the hnck stairs by
which they had come 4 wall of flame
| blocked them As they ran back from
It they heard shout: "Stand still.
We are coming" Then. up the long
,saln stair. came Iiartwell and Denni-
son. 10 rush down half minute later
through licking flames. each with a
girls innnlmate figure crushed against
his breast.
Right there was settled the question
OF double wedding Even Aunt VII
ton insisted on H. Her nieces she said.
needed stronger guardians. Both
matches have turned ont to be ideal. so
much so that Ilartwell and Dennison
say they shudder To think they gained
such happiness by barely the ghost OF
n chance