The Ordway new era., 1910-04-08
THE CANDY
GHOST

table at her left. On 1t still reposed
the fivepound box which she and her
husband had left there the night be-
fore filled to the brim with the finest
chocolates. She had eaten only two
and Harold had eaten none. Now the
box was absolutely empty.
They stared at each other unbe.
'lievingly. Then Mrs. Norway tossed
her head and went in to breakfast.
II Harold really thought It was funny.
let him keep it up. She would find
the candy when she Strengthened up
the house. AS for Norway. he felt
that he was being trined with.
The constraint lasted several days.
during which neither mentioned the
mysterious disappearance OF hve
pounds of perfectly good candy. Janet
had turned the house upside down
without finding the hidden sweets
Then she brought home a bag OF mo-
lasses chips and the next morning
when she came downstairs. Harold
with her. they both gasped. The mo-
lasses chips bag was empty. There
upon they made common cause OF the
trouble.
There isn't another living soul in
the house but you and mel" Janet
Quavered. almost tearfully. Even
the maid is away on visit. There
isn't a thing disturbed or taken but
the candy. and every door and window
is locked. as 1t should be. There's no
use talking. Harold: we've got
g-g-ghost!"
"Nonsense!" Norway hastened to
say. though he said it nervously. "Still.
the candy's gone. It's decidedly puz-
zling."
IT'S CHASTITY" announced his wife.
setting down the coffee pot with lit
tie shivery bang Harold. did you
ever walk in your sleep?"
"Never!" declared her husband.
"Well, II n ghost didn't take the
candy you must have done It,. Mrs.
Norway insisted. you've probably
dug hole in the coal pile down
cellar and concealed 1t. Please. won't
you shovel of some Of the coal and
SEQ If"
Il will mott" said her husband.
firmly. I'D rather endure a ghost.
Besides. tell you never do any
thing else when sleep except sleep!
Maybe you did 1t yourself"
why. Harold" his wife cried. in.
dignantly. You know. I'm SO afraid
Of the dark! But what could have
taken It? I'm afraid to stay here
alone today"
The Morways' candy ghost sprung
into immense popularity among their
friends. who insisted on ghost party.
but t"e Morways objected. They
said If 1t was a ghost they didn't
want to see 1t. because somebody
would have Mysteries. They were sure
1t was n ghost. because after leaving
candy on the library table they tied
strings to their wrists and the other
ends to the brass rods of the bed to
disprove the sleep-walking theory. But
the candy disappeared. However. as
Tommy Taylor pointed out. there was
nothing to prevent clever sleep
walker from untying knot in a
string and later tying 1t again.
Two or three weeks later still an.
other box nearly full of candy was
emptied during the night. The Nor
ways could not resist leaving the bait
exposed. They had endured so many
thrills that they had developed an
appetite for them. The question Of the
ghost had turned into n thing Of seri
Gus consequence. Not n scrap Of the
missing candy was to be found in tho
house. Even the coal pile had been
explored by boy.
There's no use beating about the
bush," Tommy Taylor said at one of
the Morways' Sunday evening teas
which had grown terribly popular be-
cause everybody talked solely about
the ghost, you've got sea serpent
in the house! No mouse could get
away with five pounds OF chocolates
at one fell swoop."
Besides. there aren't any mice"
said Mrs. Norway. with finality.
There were shadows under her eyes.
II shall go crazy If we don't find out
who-what does it,"
The state Of nervousness in which
the Morways were tangled made the
tension of family life too great. In
spite Of everything each suspected the
other. Finally. Mrs. Norway went
away on a visit and the night before
she left a candy box remaining below
stairs was emptied as were the 9th
ers.
I'm afraid to leave you alone In |
this house," she quavered. as she and
Norway started for the train. "IIar |
old-did you forget and leave that
plate Of chocolate fudge made for
you out on the table? 1 told you to
put it inside the sideboard!"
Il forgot It," confessed Norway |
nervously. "Oh. it'll be all right"
The first letter Mrs. Norway got
from her husband stated without pre-
amble that when Norway, after put