The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-04-23


not the slightest intention OF annoy
ing any one. When he found that
the female portion of the family
shrieked and tainted at his appear
ance, he decided not to walk" when
ladies were present. When Sir
Charles, fourth of that name. shut
up the picture gallery, after he had
frightened the footman into a fit.
he inferred that his presence was
not wanted, and ceased to walk at all.
He was both hurt and annoyed by the
GOODNESS of his family, and he sol
EMMY avowed that he would never
appear" again until he was invited
by n male representative of the fam
lily. The ghosts OF gentlemen keep
their word
For some generations Sir Geoffrey
took periodical trips Gin an invisible
form) to the ancestral halls, to see
If his company was desired. After
some few hundred years had gone by
without any of the descendants pass
Ing him the compliment of an in
vitatlon, he ceased to visit the foolish
little place that the foolish people
not been there for fifty years, when
the ghost of HIS friend, Sir Anthony
Bradham, hustled into the Spectral
Club, after a weekend excursion to
earth.
/ told you something would hap
pen II you didn't look after your peo-
pie" he said. They're going to sell
the castle"
"Eh?" cried Sir Godfrey. WHAT
Sell the castle? 1 knew Tom Hallin-
son was n fool; but never thought
he was a scoundrel!"
Toni" Sir Anthony cried, there
have been half dozen since him!
At least, this is the third-the one
l told you about the other year. "
(Ghosts reckon by years and centur-
les.) He married the daughter of
sort OF tradesman, you ltnow-a
syndicate, 1 think, they called him"
What did the fool do it for. if
the-the syndicate-hadn't money!"
Sir Godfrey snapped.
He had; but he's lost it at one of
their new-fangled gaming clubs-the
Stock Exchange, they call it. The
old man lent your fellow money on
the castle, so they're going to take
It,"
Take it," roared Sir Geoffrey.
Take IT! Why doesn't he call out
the men-at-arms?"
You can't nowadays" Sir An
thony explained. THE County Coun-
ell won't let you fight. It's a sort Of
king, and it has a lot of soldiers I'm
blue uniforms and enormous boots.
They call them the police. You'll
have to do something to stop it,"
How the-the Chaucer can I stoD
IT." Sir Godfrey reared.
why don't you go and see him?"
Sir Anthony suggested. They're
rather nervous about apparitions in
these days, and If you startled them,
perhaps they wouldn't do It,"
'How the deuce can l appear
when he hasn't invited me?" Sir
Geoffrey demanded. You remember
my vow?"
"Ah!" said Sir Anthony. "Umph!
Yes, remember. 1 don't think he'll
invite you. He doesn't believe in lis
But you might appear to her. She
does"
DO you think a Malllnson is going
to appear to a bridesmaids wench p"
Sir Godfrey Numbered. Besides. I
said 1 would never appear to a
woman again, after the fuss they
made" Sir Anthony shook his head
1T shows how careful a ghost
ought to be before he speaks" he
said, thoughtfully. ITS pity.
She's a charming woman, and she's
taken quite fancy to your por-
trait"
My portrait! They haven't got
one It's in the picture gallery"
She's made them open the gallery
bhe has rather n taste for ancestors.
and all that sort of thing. They're a
novelty to her, you see, because she's
American"
American? Where's that?"
The place that fellow Columbus
round. You remember Columbus.
mont you? The bounder who went
about with hard-boiled eggs fin his
pocket and did conjuring tricks with
them. It's somewhere across the
channel; a savage sort of country, 1
believe"
Good heavensl" Sir Godfrey
cried. you don't mean that shes
black?"
Black? No! She's as white as
lhe pinkest white you ever saw. You
really ought to go and have a look
at her, old chap"
'Pshawl" said Sir Godfrey
What's a pinkish-white wench TO
me? I'm not running after syndi-
Gates daughters, or whatever Won
Ike to call them, at my time of life.
If a man hasn't finished sowing his
wild oats by the time he's three or
four hundred he ought to be ashamed
or himself. Are you going to have a
rubber?"
One OF the wandering ghosts had
brought q game called bridge to spcc-
ireland. and it was very popular Just
then
Very well said Sir Anthony. of
you don't care about the treasure I
don't, but / thought. Well 7
neyeri"
At the word treasure" Sir Goor-
reg vanished like a-ghost. No re-
spectacle spirit ever allows buried
treasure to pass out OF the family.
That was why he tvoIMoa ~ r<...-,