Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-02-02

Walking out of a troubled sleep, 1
became din1ly aware of a faint glow
over in the corner of the room where
the dressing table stood 1 fancied at
first that it was the reflection in the
mirror of some light outside. Then it
occurred to me that it might be a
flashlight in the hands of burglar.
1 sat suddenly up in bed and demand
ed: who's there?"
.'I beg your pardon" said a curious
hollow sounding voice, II didn't mean
to disturb you. was looking for some
smelling salts. I've got = depressing
experience, and I feel little faint. "
'Who are you?" I inquired, trying
through the darkness to get a better
look at the visitor.
"You probably won't believe me, F"
was the reply, when I tell you am a
ghost. But don't worrys I'm perfectly
harmless. All the spirit Of malignant
mischief that used to make me trouble
some is gone out of me. I'm on my
way back to where came from But
it's long journey, and didn't like to
attempt it feeling the way did. I'm
better now, SO again I ask your pardon
for the intrusion and bid you good
night Don't trouble to open the door
for me- / can seep right through it,
you know"
"Sit down and talk while. I've
been having bad dreams, and don't
want to sleep any more. Tell me what
happened to make you feel this way
'Well, if you don't mind me-and
there's no reason to, now-you see, it
was this way If you've lived around
here very long you've probably heard
Of me. I'm the ghost that haunted
the old Smithers place up on the side
of the mountain for so long. You
know how people used to move in, and
then pack up and get out the next
morning. Most of them were ashamed
to tell why they were leaving, but now
and then one of them admitted that
the place was haunted haunted it.
"I used to wait till they all got to
sleep, and then begin to overturn the
chairs, and ring any bells could find
around. When the tenants got up and
looked around and couldn't find any
thing, it worried them, especially after
they had examined the doors and
found them all locked. Now and then
I would stand beside bed and look
down at the head of the family, pat
ting him softly on the brow to wake
him up. You'd be astonished to see
how startled he was when he saw me
there.
"It was great fun up to Friday
week. The place was so picturesque
that new people kept moving in al
the time, and the story that the place
was haunted interested others-unti
they came and found it was haunted
Then they didn't like it SO much. Hard
boiled as this generation is, there arc
few members of it who will not let out
yell when they see a ghost looking
down at them, ghost they can look
right through and see the outlines OF
the windows and furniture on the 9TH
er side of him.
"But Friday week a new man moved
in. He came all alone. He was fun
ny looking little man, with close crop
ped whiSkers and bullet shaped head
He wore big round horn Spectacles
The place was furnished, SO he didn't
bring anything with him but his
clothes, and whole pile of note books
which he put on the table beside his
bed, together with a fountain pen. He
read until about 4 quarter to twelve
then he got some lunch out of briel
case he had, and also drink of some
thing-I think it must have been tea
It didn't smell very enticing
''He was asleep in 10 minutes.
waited for 20 more to give him time tc