Phillips County herald., 1923-03-22
GHOSTS
BY AGNES II. HOWARD
10. 1921 hy Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate

SatNC tHC oahhAhSA A'oaANAA A'ONoS
speculative glance.
s"How much is the fare?" l. asked
the driver.
"Tifty cents. I hope you like 1t
there. There's some as says there's
queer things happened in that there
house"
"What sort of thlpgs?" l queried.
"Oh. faint nawthin'. but there's
some about these parts as thinks there
is such things as ghosts. Wal, may
he so, maybe so. Tain't for me to
say. I amt never seen none" He
laughed.
II hope don't see any!" l ex-
claimed Aanxiously.
"Oh, maybe you'll have luck" he
said. "She amt had no trouble lately
with that boardin' house. guess that
air ghost is getting to be dead one
for sure Them queer people that used
to own the place has been dead goin'
on ten years now. l wouldn't worry
1t amt worth It."
"No. won't" promised. but never
theless the seed of wonder had been
firmly sOwn.
paid him and advanced toward the
house. l was greeted at the door by
large. miidle-aged woman in blue
checked gingham dress.
'T'm Miss b" 1 offered. by way
of explanation.
"Oh. yes. Come right In. Your room
has been ready. waiting for you for
two days now"
She took me upstairs-to large
room. Just or the back stairs.
''Itefone Of the very best in the
house.s she said. "Clean, big, and
away from things" shivered.
''Make yourself to home" She went
out and left me alone.
"Supper's at seven." she fairly
screamed from the foot of the stairs.
At the supper table ventured
question or two.
'What is this I hear about ghosts
around here? Some interesting legend.
is IT."
She eyed me sternly.
"Now, who's been a-filling sou up
with nonsense?" she questioned,
rather too sharply. thought. II say
thar ain't no such thing rs ghosts. AMI
we amt got none here. We amt aim
Ing TO keep them long" wondered
whether II was the ghosts or her Wis.
itors she didn't ''nim" to keep long.
Two hours later prepared for he'd.
At last | was ready. Something like
a cold chill ran down my. spinal col.
umn rs ! hnstliy blew out my lIght
and crept into my cold. unfamiliar
bed.
"Strnngr and rather ciammy." I
murmured to myself.
About three minutes later ] brought
my head up with n start. opened my
eyes and peered into the inky dark
ness. Had really heard something.
or was the strange newness Of the
place working Its spell on me?
Less than ten minutes later I sat
upright In bed There wns no specu.
latIon this time. had heard some.
thing. listened. A faint. light. tap.
ping noise about ten tlmes-then nb.
ruptly stopped. waited for more.
Then something slid. and heard n
crunch. crunch. crunch.
You are u fooi--a 'fraid.cat," told
myself. Soon after I fell asleep.
II rust have been at least three
hours later when l was awakened by
the mingled sounds Of a retrcating au.
iomobile and soft. deliberate footballs
on the carpet. which were not retreat.
Ing. / clutched tho bedcloihes md
felt for the electric light switch. A
thousand curses on houses which nre
not wired for electricity! The person
coming toward me had stepped on n
board which gave small squeak. ani
then he Tor shc) stopped.
dared not make move. Ny
muscles We're thught. wns Ike one
frozen to the spot. could hear my
henri beating like an automobile On.
einn md my mouth and throat were
growing dry. AZ last. instinctIvciy, I
drew my feet MP slowly. silently. ]
tried Ia collect my thoughts. began
10 think rapidly There was not u
thing could do--bnt whnt could the
creature do 10 me. anyway lie could
hut XIII me. nj worst. But I was not
rcndy 10 die.
An unconscious prowier-a victim
of lnsomnini Some one Ia III. wrong
room--wby. of course. I had ~ A
ghost ! If ! could hive moved my lips
or lifted my voice. would have
screamed. but could do neither.
closed my cyesl
Then II happened,
The ghost grabbed me.
remember plunging forward. aud
then the awful. terrible falling sensn.
ton.
! returned 10 consciousness 10 renl.
lze that Mira K stood over me
with n lamp In one hand and big
Ansorn en, gathered under one arm.
whats The inntterf Did you fail