The New York herald., 1922-05-14
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II only know what they have reported
and what the caretaker reports A
ghost-the ghost of woman, they say,
wanders about the house at night. often
in the daytime, too. Whether 1t is MUIR
dered ancestress, or relative, / cannot
say The caretaker is an old servant of
the owners; his wife, the old woman,
was the housekeeper. They always have
been retained by the tenants. They have
both seen the ghost. They might-the
old woman, anyway, give you more of
the details l would rather you went to
them before you decided to buy, If you
still think of buying. You may say l
permit them to tell you all they know Of
the ghost and it's habits"
Edith was heartsick. The mystery
and the disappointment combined was
overwhelming. But she is determined
little woman and she drove back to "The
Grange" She did not believe In ghosts.
She did not believe the house haunted.
She determined to cross-examine the .
lodge keepers wife very thoroughly-no
doubt, she thought, it was all an idle
fancy.
Again. when the old woman came out
of the lodge, she stopped and seemed to
tremble. Edith was abrupt.
81 have decided to purchase this es-
tate" she said. "but the agent tells me the
house is haunted. He advised me to talk
with you about it and said l might con-
vey to you his permission to speak
frankly"
The old woman-a typical English fam
lily servant, trained, respectful and un-
emotional-could not, nevertheless, con-
ceal an uneasiness.
She replied only, Eyes, madam"
We'll" Edith said impatiently, "is the
house haunted, then?"
Eyes, madam"
as it true people have come here to
live sensible people and have moved
away before their leases expired?"
"Yes, madam"
"What is it that happens?"
"The ghost just walks about the house
at night-early in the evenings mostly,
but quite often during the day-really at
all hours madam. 1t does not harm any
one-that is, it never has-but 1t comes
through closed doors and out of closets
and sits down in the room where people
are. The servants all have been badly
frightened at times. madam"
What is the ghost, a legend, an an
cestor-or what?
'It is strange ghost, madam, that
was never connected with the family"
"Is it a man or a woman? Have you
yourself actually seen it?'
The old woman showed new signs Of
nervousness. There was something of
awe in her voice as she replied:
at is a lady, madam. l have seen it
often"
well. then, tell me at once-what does
it-she-look like' There must be some
reason for ghost-something somebody
knows-can't you tell more about It? |
want to know everything before decide
about buying the house, or giving it up"
Surely Madame knows-more than I,
since madam" here the old woman
faltered Edith was strangely sensitive
to coming shock.
II know?" she exclaimed-"why, what
do you mean?'
Madam surely knows what I mean,"
the old woman replied-"madam is her
self the ghostl"
Edith was thunderstruck II am the
ghost?" "Yes, madam, you are the
ghost. You have come sometimes in
white, several times just as you are.
sometimes in other gowns. You have
been coming two years. This is the first
time you have ever spoken. l am not
afraid-just a lttle--because I am used
to you But don't know why lou should
bring the agents card: you never did
before"
Edith understood-and sank back into
the running board of her car. The old
woman stood silent until Edith laughed.
Historically She pressed a banknote in
the old servants hands and went away,
saying only:
''You need have no fear, my dear; I
will never come-as ghost-again."
She stopped at the agents and paid
over her earnest money. That night she
and Arthur. after she had repeated her
story over and over TO him, called in their
friends-me among them-to tell us.
They live at the Grange now. sec them
often, and haze heard from the lodge
keepers wife her side of the story-she
likes to tell II at every opportunity. She
is hurt when we laugh, now, at the whole
thing. for we must laugh when we think
OF IL or else the weirdness OF II would
break us down But the old servant sees
nothing TO laugh at. She still firmly be-
lieves that Edith IS a ghost come to life
and she is never sure but that her new
mistress will come walking through a
door or out of a closed closet.
And that, in his own words as we'll as