Year: 1878




"Cannot say do, and 1 don't care if
it is"


"But if I am to live with you there, 1
care very much. They say that for seve-
raj nights after his death, old jerks, the
former owner, was seen in his shop in
great nightcap and with large carving
knife"


"A most formidable and disagreeable
sort of ghost, 1 must say; but how
have you heard this p


"Ah there's the secret, although
cannot imagine now the story of mammals
former connection with old Mr.. jerks
has not come to your ears. Now, listen
to me. But first solemnly promise you
will not repeat what am about to tell
you. There, hold your tongue, and
don't interrupt me. You are so fond of
hearing yourself talk. Men are so much
given that way. I've told you half the
truth, and that is more than you deserve.
Well, the other half, which you might so
easily have known if you had not been so
stupid, runs thus: My mamma and Mr..
jerks were formerly near neighbors, and
Mr.. Jeuks fell violently in love with
mamma and offered her marriage, and
mamma refused him and Mr.. jerks went
mad, and one day he presented pistol
at his head and"


"Good gracious p


Would have killed himself, but
somebody knocked him down, and the
pistol went off, and mamma was stand
ing close by, and"


Mercy on me |"


Was nearly killed-with fright.
Then, when Mr.. jerks came to his senses
he was so sorry, and though he couldn't
have mamma for she married papa, and
he lived many years. yet he made will
in mammals favor, leaving her every
thing. He told mamma so positively one
day when he was poorly, taking some
Cruel. Then he died; but though search
was made, high and low, no will could
be found, and rich old heir-at-law came
in for everything. And there's the rea-
son mamma cannot bear that place.
And, please, what is to be done ?"


1t wasa curious story, and I had not
heard word of it before. And as to
what was to be done, that was a puzzle.
/ could move, of course, but where to,
and with what prospects of doing better,
and where were the costs of removal to
come fromP So said must argue the
point with Mrs. Barton, and this / did,
and having overcome her scruples, it
was agreed the marriage should take
place at once, and that we should all
live together and face the ghost, if need
be, and, which were of much more i'm
portance, the difficulties of the situa-
ton.


And so Lucy and I were married, and,
of course, were supremely happy, and
it was not until three writs had been
served upon and four lawyers letters
sent me, and the gas company had cut
off the gas, and the landlord given me
notice to quit, that with just little
feeling of apprehension we began to
consider what next.


One night, after rather long confer
ence on the state of affairs, when Lucy
had apparently fallen into deep sleep,
I reused up suddenly, fancying I heard
a sound below. Very gently rising so
as not to wake my wife left the room
and looked down the stairs into the shop.
A little light entered through some
apertures at the top of the shutters, and
to my astonishment and alarm I saw a
figure in white behind the counter, in
the act, as it seemed, of opening one Of
the canisters. Was it Mr. jerks ghost
The light was insufficient to show me
more than the bare outline of the figure
and the slight movement of the arms.
I watched with rather beating heart,
confess, for minute, and then I thought
that before seeking closer quarters with
what might be an apparition, but which
much more probably was a burglar in
his shirt-sleeves, I would don some gar
ments; so, refraining from going bach
into the bedroom and frightening my
wife, I went to an upper room and pro-
cured some there. Then I again de
scended, and the figure was gone.
went into the shop-all in order. So
much marveling, went to bed. :.


When next morning I told the story
my companions were scared.


"Let us go-let us get out of th,
unlucky place." said my wife passion
ately. "Whatever there is, Harry, sci
it at an alarming sacrifice, and thel
you must get a secretaryship unde
Government, or a iudgeship in the col
onies, or something of that kind
Mammals sixth cousins husband isl
well, forget what he is, but there
some connection or other between hin
and a member of Parliament, and HI
must do something for you, that's wha
it comes to. So now, please, we'll go a
as soon possible"


1t was painful, but it was necessary
to explain to my dear young wife tina
the powers of her mammals distinguish
ed relative, even should he be willing t
exert them, were probably limited
Lucy would not believe it. And tn
letter was written and was not answered


Well, now for the workhouse. An
upon my word I do think somethin
dreadful would have occurred, but,


A few nights on-again that sound
Lucy" I said, gently, but she did nc