The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-08-11

VISIONS OF GHOSTS
BY CATHERINE cooPE.

For years the old house had stood
within its vast grounds, spectral and
mysterious by night, deserted and
dilapidated by day. It was a rendez-
vous of ghosts by moonlight, a place
Of creeping things by the light of
the sun.
The children ran fearsomely past
It on their way home from the village
school, while the adults refused to go
within the tumbledown gates for fear
Of the ghosts that tradition had placed
within the spacious grounds.
And yet. the gardens were most al
Turing with their assortment of old
gnarled trees. low shrubbery, and riot
GUS vines that scrambled indiscrimi-
nately over roof top or garden wall.
When slim wedge of moon cast trail
ing lights down from the starry
heavens the old haunted house as
sumed the splendors of a midnight
fairyland.
That ghosts were seen there was af-
hrmed vigorously by most Of the vii
layers, including the butcher, the
baker. and the candlestick maker
They. one and all, spoke in whispers
of the spectral figures that seemed
to float In the very air about the old
gardens. OF late there had been ru-
mors of weird music coming from be-
hind the barred windows and the
monotonous rhythmic chanting OF
voices.
The story Of noises had only of
hate penetrated the village intellect.
1t was the young minister himself
who frst whispered to his good wife
tale Of dull mnsso having reached
his ears as he passed by the haunted
house on his way to the parish church.
She a. turn spread the story. and
more than ever the place was given a
wide berth.
1t was the two strangers who were
stopping at the quaint village inn who
first expressed skepticism as to the
actual existence of the ghosts. They
doubted most emphaticaIly the nightly
appearance of the wraiths, but we're
far too tactful to express their opin-
ions save to one another.
However, when the moon was high
in the heavens and the village had
gone to sleep. Calvin Blake and
Jimmy Rogers went out for a stroll
They did not want to disturb the
peace of the scene by getting out their
great touring car from the garage at
the inn. They went out on foot.
They were not discussing ghosts
nor even romance and tradition when
Jimmy clutched Calvin's arm and
tuned white under the beams Of the
midnight moon.
Look By love. Blake-I had no
intoxicant for dinner. but swear see
couple of spooks there behind that
clump of busiest"
Blake laughed uproariously, then
stopped suddenly.
Two appalling spectacles arose from
the shrubbery, emitted weird, sepul-
chral groans, and vanished into the
very air. or SO 1t seemed to the men
who beheid the fight.
The two men, petrifled for the mo-
ment with something akin to fear,
stood still and gazed blankly at each
other.
Are we sober?" Blake was the first
to regain speech
THAT is the question" laughed Rog-
ers, quickly recovering and feeling
the normal warmth Of his blood rush.
iag back In his veins. y seem to
toubt our condition. Most certainly
we saw something moving in the
haunted garden and from my childhood
visions Of ghosts I take it that what
we have seen resembled spooks"
Very closely. II ever see any
thing like a phantom again 1t will be
me for the pledge! Let's go back
to the inn."
In the broad sunlight of the next
day the two skeptics viewed the appari-
ton of the preceding night as a freak
Of Imagination. They decided, never
theless, to watch again at midnight
There was sufficient of adventure In
the situation to appeal to them.
We will go straight into the old
garden tonight-and wait" Blake sug-
gested, and slipped his revolver into
his pocket. "Spooks may not possess
anything shootable, but I'll bet we can
give them a scare"
Accordingly they emerged from the
inn at IL o'clock and made their way
toward the haunted house. Even
imaginary ghosts have a way of up
setting the nerves, and 1t was not
without quickly beating hearts that
Blake and Rogers entered the garden
and took seats On the ancient front
porch. They were hidden by masses
of vines from the garden paths.
The night was dark and cloudy and
enhanced the fearsome silence
"Shucksl" muttered Blake softly.
"Ghostly meetings are not exactly
thrilling. feel groggy."
SSH" warned Rogers. Il heard a
noisel" His voice was trffie husky.
my spine feels as II cold water were
dripping from It"
Both men held their breath. A
wrath, making wild passes with it's
arms, came silently around the corner
OF the veranda A moment later 1t
was Joined by second ghostly appari-
ton and the two moaning and wailing
circled the house When they reached
the yeranda third time Blake put his
hand on the revolver in his pocket,
Neither man had been able to make a
sound, SO loud was the beating Of his
heart. 80 tense his breath.
When the ghosts linked arms and
went slowly, stealthily down the gar
den path toward the shrubbery walk.
Blake raised his hand swiftly and
loud report echoed through the 81
lence.
The ghosts screamed and would
have darted into the darkness, but
Blake and Rogers. their courage fully
returned, ran swiftly after them
A hot pursuit followed. In which
one ghost tripped on gnarled branch
and went headlong to the ground,
while the other fed with a degree Of
speed that made the athletic Rogers
pant
Blake stopped over the fallen wrath
and picked Il up In his arms He
breathed heavily when an inert but
warm. living gir1 and nos q phantom
was revealed 70 his touch, The head