The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-02-10

AA' sNeAr 80 AeAeAt 49, ANNsNN'
arose.
It's getting to be too much of q
good thing-this haunted house story
said John Sloan, young lawyer in the
town. The place is so overgrown and
dilapdated that 1t is a blot on the
landscape"
And all because 1t is said to be
haunted" added Claire Haman.
Yes; because 20 years ago some OF
the good sisters living near saw a
white-clad figure scrambling about the
roof of the veranda. It's ridiculous! /"
oh, that isn't ALL" cried Helen
Ware, a pretty, delicate little person
who believed firmly in the haunting
proclivities Of the old Stanislaw place.
my Aunt Mary Ann told me herself
that, night after night, when old Mr..
Stanislaw was so Ill and his two old
sisters almost as bad, she saw a ghost
yes, a, ghost!-walk around the yard
and climb up the porch columns and
disappear into that little south win
dow there-the only one that has no
shutters, to this day"
The members of the club were in
various stages of emotion as they lis
tened. Some laughed; others tried to,
and still others had earnest, credulous
faces.
Then" the little lady continued,
when, a year afterwards, old Mr..
StanislEw and his aged sister fol-
lowed each other so closely in leaving
this world"
But they were old enough-they
we're all in the 7Os and had suffered
from mere senility for years" inter
rupted the lawyer. 1T was not un-
natural that they should die"
That's all right, John Sloan, but my
Aunt Mary Ann, with her own eyes
saw this ghost and the night the last
Stanislaw sister died she saw it as
plainly as she can see me now"
Which isn't very plainly-excuse
me" laughed John Sloan. IF l remem-
ber rightly your Aunt Mary Ann is
somewhat senile herself now and not
so keen as to eyesight as she once
might-~have been"
The girl gave him a whitening look
and continued:
And then-the very next day the
young woman whom they had adopted
and who had lived with them as their
own child-even if she did nurse them
and do a great deal Of the work-dis-
appeared and has never been heard of
since. Now-if that doesn't indicate
ghosts and 'ha'nts,' as you call them,
I'd like to know what does"
IT'S queer" admitted some.
It's probably fancy, whetted by a
realistic telling of the time-worn tale
by such as your Aunt Mary Ann" in
sisted John Sloan. And consequently
the good old homestead is an insight
ly landmark in an otherwise beautiful
town"
"All of which doesn't get US any
nearer to the issue of this evening""
suggested a club member who had
seemed not at all interested in the
review.
true, admitted Helen.
I'm for having the party this year in
the so-called haunted house." said
John Sloan, 1T will be a novelty
the atmosphere will be spooky enough
for any Of you and it might tend to
dispel the idea that it is haunted and
thereby do a civic good"
Suppose we decide that way" ac-
quiesced the young man who was not
interested in ghosts, "and impose a
penalty on any member who refuses
to come. He who does not join the
crowd at the Halloween party at the
haunted house is a coward" declared
the youth, waxing eloquent.
Here! Here!" shouted the crowd.
But the Halloween party was plan
ned and the night rolled around when,
one and all, the members assembled
at the foot of the hill in sheets and
pillow cases to mount to the old home
stead beneath the trees The moon
5hone brightly and the boys carried
lantern on their heads, lanterns fash
oned of pumpkins.
The white-clad figures Wended their |
ways slowly silently up the narrow |
pathway that had once been drive |
way to the house. Now 1t was over
grown with brush and weeds and tan
sles Of wild vines. Katydids and tree |
.oads chirruped and all the night |
noises sounded weirdly near as the lit
he band climbed step by step closer to |
he house they had known all their life |
o be haunted If fearful hearts beat
beneath the white garments, no one
iaid so. The spirit Of Halloween was
Ipon them.
Arrived at the old gardens, they
stood and gazed at the ancient ruin,
or that it looked, indeed, In the
lueer light that sifted through the
leavy tres.
| see no spooks but ourselves"
aughed the girl, indistinguishable in
Ter enveloping white robe.
If your Aunt Mary could look
lp here now she might see ghosts"
aid John Sloan to the little lady near
lin.
He believed 1t to be Helen Ware.
Whether it was or not, she did not
ay.
One by one the little group found
ourage to seek the old verandas and
xplore the premises. And, at, last,
ghen they had made merry in the old,
ashioned manner at Halloween
ports, they assembled for the picnic
upper they had carried with them. !