The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-04-01

bur she only shook her head sadly
Why. Of course she's dead" said
she old woman. Don't you know that
all of us here are dead?"
Indeed. yes: we are all dead"
cried the other guests in general
chorus
This is getting beyond patience,"
exclaimed. You. TOO. are pleased to
joke with me. but tell YOU frankly
that ! fail to see the fun of it. Per
haps, since you possess such a fund of
humor, you will be telling me next
that | am dead. also"
Then came that laugh again.
never shall forget it, Beginning with
a cackling litter, ii spread until the
whole table was in roar. making my
very flesh creep. Then all at once II
ceased, and again there was dead
silence
Certainly you are dead" said the
old lady with the camellias. She's
dead, and all of us are dead. She died
this morning of acute congestion of
the lungs, but ! have been dead for
these 20 years, and he. too" indicat-
ing with her fan the elderly gentleman
with the pink nose NY own com
| plant was cerebrO-spinal meningitis"
My legs gave way under me and
sank into my chair. As | did so my
hand touched Mabers, and graspad
hers tightly. 1t was cold as ice. Lean
ing toward me, she whispered in NV
ear:
Don't make scene, 1t is all quite
true. You We're run over an hour ago
by trolley car"
Not daring to believe my senses.
replied:
And this house."
"Sh-h'" said Mabel TT is ONLY
the ghost of house-the phantasmaI
reproduction of an old mansion that
used TO stand on this spot. where there
has been an empty lot for 10 years
past"
II think l understand" | gasped
/ Then, though my brain swan. | made
a tremendous effort to summon up my
courage and face composedly this
dreadful situation. Addressing myself
to the old woman opposite, / said:
"Perchance you were acquainted
with the former occupants of this
dwelling?"
on, yes she answered pleasantly.
J Il am somewhat distantly related to
! our host and hostess of this evening.
they We're drowned-lost on the i'll
! fated Vile de Paris. This house be
/ longed to them, and not very long
afterwards il was torn down"
But suppose that the present own
! er of the lot were to build upon ito"
| | suggested 1t would be necessary
! to hold these charming entertainments
| elsewhere"
Not at all she said laughing and
/ waving her fan. The occupancy of
the site by a real house would not in
! tertere. 1t frequently happens. OF
course, that building is put up on
/ ground previously occupied by another
I dwelling. You must understand.
, though | might have supposed YOU
/ knew 1t, that, while the material parts
/ of tenement may be removed at any
/ time, its astral shell remains in per
petuity. Thus the ghosts of half a
! dozen or more dwellings may remain
on the site occupied by new and sub,
stantial structure They are none the
/ less real for being invisible to living
I eyes. The most remarkable instances
/ Of haunted houses that you have heard
/ about are due to conditions of that
| sort-several families Of phantasms.
/ perhaps, tenanting premises topo-
| graphically CoinCident with a mansion
| which affords physical accommodation
to people in the flesh. trust | make
! myself clear?"
Quite So replied politely.
This conversation was interrupted
| by the elderly gentleman with the
/ pink nose, who seemed to be dissatis
/ fed with something. Having poured
/ ont water goblet half full Of sherry
/ from a decanter he called for brandy
| and with those strong spirits flied il
| to the brim. Then he took a caster of
| red pepper and sprinkled its contents
literally on the surface of the mix
/ ture. Raising the goblet to his lips
| he drained its contents to the last drop
/ and set it down with a sigh.
All" he exclaimed 1T has no
/ strength. If only could get d schooner
| of real beer"
The old lady regarded this perform
/ ance attentively, with lorgnette held
/ to her nose. Said she sympathetically:
THAT is the way with all pleasures
/ in the after world. They seem to have
. no SAVIOR Even the milk is chalk and
! water"
Il suppose that is why this mince
/ pie tastes so insipid," | responded
/ toying absently with bit of pastry on
my plate.
of course it is" she said Don't
/ you see it is only the ghost of mince
! pie"
Then II seems that"
But at this point the banquet was
suddenly interrupted by a convulsiye
/ swaying and creaking of timbers. The
! table rocked, the lights in the silver
candelabra fickered, and all was
darkness. Then through a ray Of
! brilliant sunlight saw the strange
dining hall, the cleaning table, the