The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-05-18
SeleGt Story.
A GENTLE GHOST.


white horse and a covered wagon. The
horse was not tied, but she stood quite still,
her four feet widely and ponderously plant
ed, her meek white head hanging. Shad
ows of leaves danced on her back There
were many trees about the cemetery, and
the foliage was unusually luxuriant for
May. The four women who had come in
the covered wagon remarked it. II never
saw the trees so forward as they are this
year, seems to me, said one, gazing up
at some magnificent gold green branches
over her head.
81 was sayin so to Mary this mornin' -
said another. "They're uncommon for
ward. think
They loitered along the narrow lanes
between the lots; four homely, middle aged
women, with decorous and subdued enjoy
ment in their worn faces They read with
peaceful curiosity and interest the inscrip-
tions on the stones; they turned aside to
look at the tender, newly -blossomed spring
bushes-the Towering almonds and the
bridal wreaths. Once in while thev
came to a new stone, which they immedi-
) ately surrounded with eager criticism.
There was solemn hush when they
reached lot where some relatives of one
; Of the party were buried. She put bunch
of flowers on a grave, then she stood look
ing at it with red eyes. The others
} grouped themselves deferentially aloof.
They did not meet any one in the GEM
etery until just before they left. When
} they had reached the rear and Oldest por-
tion of the yard, and were thinking of
retracing their steps, they became sudden
ly aware of child sitting in a lot at their
right. The lot held seven old leaning
) stones, dark and messy, their inscriptions
dimly traceable. The child sat close to
one, and she looked up at the staring knot
of women with kind of innocent keen
ness, like baby. Her face was small and
fair and pinched The women stood eye
ing her.
whats your name, little girl?' asked
one. She had bright flower in her bon
} net and a smart lift to her chin, and seemed
the natural spokes- woman of the party
Her name was Holmes. The child turned
her head sideways and murmured some
thing.
"What? We can't hear Speak up;
don't be afraid What's your name p
The woman nodded the bright flower over
her, and spoke with sharp pleasantness.
Nancy Wren, said the child with a
timid catch of her breath.
) "Wren?''
The child nodded. She kept her little
pink curving mouth parted.
) "It's nobody know remarked the
questioner, refectively. II guess she
comes from-over there" She made a
) significant motion of head toward the right.
"Where do you live, Nancy?' she asked.
The child also motioned toward the
right.
II thought so,' said the woman.
''How old are you?'
"Ten.''
The women exchanged glances. care
; you sure you re tellin' the truth?''
The child nodded
81 never saw girl so small for her age
} if she is, said one woman to another
YES said Mrs. Holmes, looking at
her critically; "she is dreadful small.
She's considerable smaller than my Mary
was. Is there any of your folks buried in
this lot?' said she, fairly lowering with
affability and determined graciousness.
The child's upturned face suddenly
kindled. She began speaking with soft
volubility that was an odd contrast to he1
previous hesitation.
THAT'S mother - said she, pointing to
one of the stones, ''an' that S father, an
there's John, an Marg' ret, an Mary,
an Susan, an the baby, and here IS
Jane"
The women stared at her in amazement.
sWas it your began Mrs. Holmes
but another woman stepped forward, stout
ly impetuous.
Gland! it's the Blake lot!' said she.
''This child can't be any relation to EN-.
You hadn't ought to talk So Nancy
"It's So, said the child, shyly persist
ent. She evidently hardly grasped the
force of the woman remark.
They eyed her with increased bewilder-
ment. ''It can't be-" said the woman to
the Others. 'Every one of them Blakes
died years ago
I've seen Jane," volunteered the
child with candid smile in their faces
Then the stout woman sank down on
her knees beside James stone and peered
hard at it.
''She died forty years ago this May"
said she, with a gasp. II used to know
her when / was child. She was ten
years old when she died. You ain t ever
seen her. You hadn' ought to tell such
stories"
Il aint't seen her for long time, -
said the little girl.
''What made you say you d seen her at
all?'' said Mrs, Holmes, sharply thinking
this was capitulation.
Il did use to see her long time ago,
an she used to wear white dress, an a
wreath on her head. She used to come
here an play with me.
The women looked at each other with
, pale shocked faces; one nervous; one shiv-
ered ''She ain t quite right" she whis
pered. "Let's GO The women began
filing away. Mrs. Holmes, who came last,
stood about for parting word to the child
"You can't have seen her," said she,
severely, 'an' you are a wicked girl to tell
such stories. You mustn't do it again, re.
member.
Nancy stood with her hand on Jane
stone, looking at her. ''Sbe did" she
repeated, with mild obstinacy.
''There's somethin wrong about her,
guess whispered Mrs. Holmes, rustling
on after the Others
~ see she looked kind of queer the
minute / set eyes on her, said the nerv-
! Gus woman.
Vixen the four reached the front of the
cemetery they sat down to rest for few
minutes. 1t was warm, and they had still
quite walk, nearly the whole width Of
: the yard, to the other front corner where
!. the horse and wagon were.
They sat down in row on bank; the
stout woman wiped her face; Mrs. Holmes