Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1910-03-31
THE CANDY
GHOST

Young Mrs. Norway stood on the
bottom stair surveying the library
table at her left. On it still reposed
the five-pound 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.
If 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 trifed with.
The constraint lasted several days,
during which neither mentioned the
mysterious disappearance of five
pounds of perfectly good candy. Janet
had turned the house upside down
without finding the hidden sweets.
Then she brought home 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 thing disturbed or taken but
the candy. and every door and window
is locked, as it should be. There's no
use talking. Harold; we've got
g-g-ghost!"
"Nonsense!" Norway fastened to
say. though he said it nervously Still.
the candy's gone. It's decidedly puz-
cling"
Its CHASTITY" announced his wife.
setting down the coffee pot with a lit
tie shivery bang. Harold. did you
ever walk in your sleep?"
"Never!" declared her husband.
well, If ghost didn't take the
candy you must have done It," Mrs.
Norway insisted. You've probably
dug a hole In the coal pile down
cellar and concealed It, Please. won't
you shovel off some of the coal and
see If"
81 will not!" said her husband.
firmly. I'D rather endure a ghost.
Besides. l 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 1t? I'm afraid to stay here
alone to-day"
The Morways' candy ghost sprung
into immense popularity among their
friends. who insisted on ghost party.
but the Morways objected. They
said If it was ghost they didn't
want to see it. because somebody
would have Mysteries. They were sure
It was a 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 it 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 ar
appetite for them. The question of the
ghost had turned into a thing Of seri
Gus consequence. Not a scrap of the
missing candy was to be found in the
house. Even the coal pile had beer
explored by a boy.
There's no use beating about thu
bush," Tommy Taylor said at one o
the Morways' Sunday evening tea
which had grown terribly popular be
cause everybody talked solely abou
the ghost. you've got sea serpen
in. the house! No mouse could ge
away with five pounds of chocolate
at one fell swoop."
Besides. there aren't any mice.
said Mrs Norway, with finality
There were shadows under her eyes
Il shall go crazy if we don't find GU
who-what @does it,"
The state of nervousness in whic
the Morways were tangled made tn
tension of family life too great. 1
) spite of everything each suspected tn
/ other. Finally, Mrs. Norway wen
away on a visit and the night befor
she left candy box remaining belo'
, stairs was emptied as were the OIL
ers.
, I'm afraid to leave you alone
this house!" she quavered, as she an
, Norway started for the train "Ha
; old-did you forget and leave thu
plate of chocolate fudge made fe
r you out on the table? told you
j. put it inside the sideboard!"
: 81 forgot it," confessed Morwa
: nervously ooh, it'll be all right"
3 The first letter Mrs. Norway g
s from her husband stated without pr
J. amble that when Norway. after pu
La, y ~, Nd limo