The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-10-15
Spooks

Nobody home! That's queer. l
wonder if Aunt Annie got my letter or
not"
Dick pulled the old-fashioned door
bell again and heard the faint costly
clang of the bell inside, but that was
all. Nobody at home and he was
stranger in strange city with mighty
little money in his pocket and no
wheer else to go. He had come East
to visit his aunt and uncle who had
often invited him to come. So sure
indeed had he been of his welcome he
had waited for a reply to his letter
nnouncing his coming.
Gee! What'll do now" he said
himself, feeling in his pocket for
his scant store of cash. 1t was very
cant indeed, but his hand closed on
letter and brought it out. A letter
rom his Aunt Annie.
Dear Dick" it read, II wish you
would come and Sc us as we are al
1ost your only relatives, and you
would be very welcome any time.
Please consider our home as your own
and don't hesitate to come whenever
you can. Your loving Aunt Annie.
Dick read it over thoughtfully
That's clear enough" he said. "She
sure did invite me. I'm to consider
her home my own, she says. Well
then, I'll just walk in"
The dor was locked, which seemed
id to the country boy. Must be
urglar hereabouts," he murmured.
Maybe the keys under the mat" He
ad heard that people put keys under
oormats and looking under, sure
nough he found a large key.
The next minute he had the door
open and was peeping into large
musty dim hall AS he peeped a
queer scared-looking chap opened
, door opposite and peeped at him. Dick
Jumped back in alarm and the stranger
umped back too. Then Dick laughed.
The scared looking chap was his own
reflection in large mirror.
After that he tried to look bold and
stepped into the hall. Just then the
house began to tremble-at least he
thought it did-and before he knew
what was what the front door slammed
hut Just as if somebody had pushed it.
had pushed it.
"Whew!" whistled Dick. "If I be-
lieved in spooks I'd be plum nervous"
His hand shook a little os he locked
the front door on the inside. Then
e began to tiptoe through the house
Why did he walk so carefully and
lowly as if the house were church
or a graveyard He didn't know, I'M
ess it was because this was such a
great gloomy dark old place that it
seemed to demand silence and awe.
wish somebody else was heret
Dick muttered "Im lonesome"
He went first to the parlor, long,
high, narrow, dark room full of large
black furniture and oil paintings OF
dreadful looking old folks staring
down from the walls. Dick didn't like
it so he tiptoed on to the dining room
but Just as he stepped in to admire
the great big sideboard and the pic
ture of pheasants hanging by their
feet, he was startled by what sounded
like somebody running lightly over the
floor. Pit-pat-pit-pat! The rug cronk-
ed over so slightly and then straight
ned out again. That was all.
Don't like this dining room," NUT
TERED Dick, backing out. 'Tm not so
orful hungry anyway. Guess I'll go up
stairs"
The stairs were just as ceraky as
hey looked and when he reached the
lsecond floor and peeped into the first
bedroom a white-faced. pop-eyed fell
low peede at him. OF course, it was
only a mirror again but somehow Dick
didn't like that room, so he went to the
next one which had no long mirror in
lit.
Here he put down his little travel
ing bag and sitting down on the edge
of the big bed he looked carefully
around as if expecting to find some
thing which was not easy to see at
first glance. First he looked at the
big black old-fashioned highboy and
and sure as he was sitting there, the
thing went creak! click! clickity-click!
"Glad don't believe in spooks'
said Dick. "If l did i'd said you was
haunted"
He spoke in a whisper and turned
his eyes away from the highboy' me
fat upholstered old rocker by the WIN
dow was a cheerful sight. Dick had
l. a..