Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

INVESTIGATING A GHOST—A TRUE STORY By MRS. MARY E. BRYAN. THE facts I am about to relate are per- I fectly true. The person who told them to me, after I had registered a vow of secrecy, was Clarity’s mother, and if t any one ought to know all about it she should, and for fifteen years I held my peace; but since the obituary notice of Clarity’s mother appear ed in the local paper three years after the only other person who could have any objection to the telling of the tale had gone to her last rest, why not put it on paper? John never knew anything about it, Clarity would only laugh, and I shall not give you real names or places. Clarity—by the way, she was baptized Clar ita, only her mother chose to Yankeefy it — was a very pretty girl. A smart girl too and a quick one. Give her a paper pattern and a dozen yards of cheap goods, and she would make herself a costume that had an air to it not always produced by a highly paid modiste. And that is why she was always busy at home or in other people’s houses at the trade by which she earned her living, besides dress ing herself so prettily that no summer boarder could outvie her. How she got the latest styles out there at Cross Sticks, no one could think; but she did it. No wonder that Will Sheers, who kept the handsome drug store in the village, fell in love with her! It was for her sake that he hired to her mother—a praiseworthy widow, fond of telling the story of her husband’s fail ure to any one who would listen —a wing of the building in which he kept his store a snug little affair of three rooms with a private door to itself, for which he had no use, being a bachelor. The rooms directly over the store, which were large and handsome, remained vacant, which led the village to suppose that the young druggist intended to marry shortly. When Mrs. Munn had moved into the little end wing, it was but a step from the store door to the widow’s flat door-step, and Doctor Sheers spent much of his time there, espec ially in the evening, and people had begun to say that it was a “splendid thing for Clar ity” when the two Misses Shepherd came to board with Mrs. Finn, with whom Doctor Sheers boarded. Mrs. Finn advertised for summer boarders every year, under the hallucination that Cross Sticks was “the country,” and ; she always caught a few victims, who sat on the porch and fanned away the mosquitoes, and took walks to the postoffice, and went on picnics to the frog-pond in the suburbs, and looked at very distant mountain through field glasses, and were otherwise as rural as possible. The Misses Shepherd, who had tempers of their own, having been deluded by an adver tisement, would have gone home the evening of the very day they came but that young Doc tor Sheers appeared at table, and was so very civil and offered to drive them to see some fine views, if they would permit him. “We might as well stay a week, Selina,” the youngest Miss Shepherd said, when they were alone, and the elder Miss Shepherd nodd ed knowingly. This concession ended in their staying until the last red leaf had blown from the only tree in the village and until the frogs had taken entire possession of the pond and croak edfully among the empty biscuit cans of de parted picnickers. And when they went home THE GOLDEN AGE FOR WEEK OF AUG. 21 the youngest Miss Shepherd was engaged to Doctor Sheers. She was older than he. She was sharp, of voice and elbows; but she had inherited a fortune from her grandmother, and then, as Mrs. Finn said, “She ran after him, an|d would hev him whether he would or no.” Meanwhile Clarity went on dress making and showed no signs of regretting her truant lover; and when Mrs. Munn proposed giving up the rooms, forbade her to do so with the sternness with which daughters do forbid their mothers to carry out their own ideas in this the nineteenth century. “Why, ma, every one would think we felt cut up about it!” said Clarity. “I do!” said Mrs. Munn. “I haven’t felt worse since your pa failed.” “I don’t care who he marries, I’m sure,” said Clarity. “And this is the cheapest place to be so pretty that we can find.” One day from her window she saw the bride and groom return to take possession of their newly furnished rooms. “There he is,” she said, as the carriage door opened, “all spick and span. There she is. Her sleeve is set in wrong. Well, I guess he’s a Mormon, and has married two wives, for here is another bride, just the pattern of the first, drapery and all.” “It’s the other Miss Shepherd,” said Mrs. Munn. “She’s older and uglier, seems to me, than even the one the doctor has married.” “Well, that is saying a good deal, ma,’ said Clarity. Thus they consoled themselves. For awhile the bride and groom seemed very comfortable. New plate-glass windows were put into the store and a wonderful soda water fountain was introduced. There was a look ing glass between the rows of boxes, and a portiere was hung at the door that opened into the back room. A little carriage, in which Mrs. Sheers drove her sister to pay calls on her friends added luster to the establishment, and the doctor and his wife seemed to all that beheld them to be a very lucky as well as very happy pair. Suddenly a cloud arose. Mrs Sheers was ill. There was a consultation. Shortly alter that—as usually happens—there was crepe on the door. The doctor was a widower. He was the most proper and decorous of men. and he did what was required of him. He swathed his hat in black crape, looked se rious, and went nowhere for a year. Mean while his sister-in-law kept house for him, the presence of a grim and ancient servant-woman making this quite correct in the eyes of the inhabitants of Cross Sticks, and everybody spoke of the druggist as “ Poor Doctor Sheers. However, the day after the anniversary of his wife funeral, Doctor Sheers assumed a light hat, had his hair cut, and his moustache waxed, put a rose bud in his button hole, and called on Clarity Munn. Shortly afterward these two were openly engaged to be married. Mrs. Munn, when questioned, said she had not been so happy since Mr. Munn failed. Miss Shepherd refused to be interviewed on the subject, in these words: “If a man can forget such a woman as Sa rah, words are useless. ” And again things seemed to be going on well, at least, “very well, considering,” when people began to notice that Clarity was pale, that she was growing thin, 'that she cried over her work; and at last there was a rumor that she intended to “break” with Doctor Sheers. Why, no one could guess. “They’re talking it all over Cross Sticks, Clarity,” Mrs. Munn said, “and you do look most miserable. What is the matter? Don’t say you are going to break with the doctor, or I shall carry on as I never have since your poor pa failed.” And then Clarity fairly broke down, and wept upon her mothers’ shoulder. “It’s dreadful,” she said. “He’s fond of me and I am fond of him, and you’d be so com fortable. He promises everything, and my heart is broken, but I dare not marry him; oh, I dare not!” and her eyes grew solemn, and she looked over her shoulder. “Why?” gasped the widow. “She haunts me —his first wife, you know,” said Clarity; “and she says she’ll kill me on my wedding day. Oh, I’m not crazy, ma! She comes to me up in my bedroom all in white. ‘Clarity Munn,’ she whispers, before I see her then she rises from the foot of the bed. She don’t come in at the door —that is locked and the window is screwed down—right up out of the floor she rises and threatens me.” “Like her impudence,” said Mrs. Munn. “What business is it of hers? She dead and gone. I wish she’d come to me, I’d give her a piece of my mind!” “Ma!” cried Clarity. “Ma! a ghost!” “I’m not afraid of ghosts,” said Mrs. Munn. “I thought you had more spirit. Why, before your pa failed 1 found a burglar in my room robbing my jewelry-box, and I collared him. I thought you took after me and had some spirit, Clarity!” “You can not collar a ghost!’ sobbed Clar ity. “You can try,” said Mrs. Munn. “Now, what I ask of you is to take my folding bed in the parlor tonight, and let me sleep in your bed upstairs, and if she that was Mrs. Sheers appears to me I’ll make her come to terms.” Her air was so resolute that Clarity really be gan to feel hopeful. She allowed her mother to give her a bowl of boneset tea and tuck her into the parlor bed at 9 o’clock at night, with a lamp burning on the mantel-piece, and the dinner bell to ring in case of disturbance, and slept for the first time since the haunt ing began. Meanwhile Mrs. Munn, in the little upper room, put out her lamp, hid a dark-lantern behind the pillow, and waited events. Teh o’clock struck —eleven, twelve and noth ing happened. At a quarter past twelve a curious noise was heard under the bed. A groan followed —a voice, and it sounded very like Mrs. Sheer’s voice, whispered: “Clarity Munn, you shall not have my hus band!” For a moment Mrs. Munn felt faint. It was all true, then! Indeed, it was far, far worse than seeing a burglar, even to hear that voice! And now— (Continued bn page 16.) LOOK AT THE LITTLE LABEL ON YOUR PAPER. If your Subscription is past due make us glad by sending your renewal. How many will do this? 3