Judge — December 19, 1903 — page 31: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

— | ELL, make yourself at home. Fine night.” “Yes. Nice night. A trifle too much to have the pleasure of your society.” What could a ghost do with méney ? leisure,” I said. “Oh, bless you, sir! The better class are the idle classes, the same as in this world, but they are not worthy of notice.” L apologized for my mistake, and also asked him if the smoke from my pipe was unpleasant to him, “Not in the least,” he assured me. “ But, would you be so good as to blow the smoke over this way? I used to enjoy tobacco. Ab-h-h !” “That is glorious !" he said. “Do you know? I have often, dur- ing leisure evenings like this, flitted around to some of the clubs and haunted them in an inoffensive manner, solely for the pleasure of inhaling the aroma of the tobacco and the beverages I once delighted in, as a gentleman should, when they are not abused.” “T have some bottled beer, if you ever enjoyed that,” was my next suggestion. “Tdid enjoy it I'm sure I would,” he remarked. I fetched the beer and poured two glasses, but he directed me to blow the foam in his direction. I blew, as he requested, and the old wraith gave an airy sniff, It seemed to please him. Then I fetched more beer and blew more foam, until he reached out with his cane and gave me a feathery poke in the ribs, chuckling, “ Blowing yourself, eh 2” Finding that he had a sense of humor, be it ever so crude, it was easy to grow more sociable. He told me stories of haunting castles, and playing the banshee, and so on. He was an entertaining conversationist, for a ghost. You know, ghosts as a general thing are not talkative. They simply wail around in gloomy hallways and rattle ghostly swords, or clank dismal chains, and do things like that. But this ghost was a talker. I wish I could remember half he told me. 1 would go into literature and control the Christmas-story market. And, I am pained to confess, he liked the beer—or rather, the foam. It was some beer that I kept for medicinal purposes. Hereafter I shall keep it for ghosts. The guardian spirit of the Brown family soon acquired a confidential mood, and his tones grew huskier. He became loquacious—told me of his former high estate, and then: began bewailing the fall in his fortunes which occurred when he came under the control of Madame Serena “ Ivsh blashted shame he moaned. «Blashted shame! Ghos' o’ my talentsh doin’ Yi AN shuch work XS / as thish !" Is Pry if/ i, a9) ze gon We NS i ij s “he 5S YUL. 5 bor” y ““* Congratulations!" " I thought of the twenty-five dollars. But, pshaw ! “I supposed a ghost never had anything except > ghosts has much to do. True enough, there moonlight for haunting purposes, so I find myself with sufficient leisure of She closed her eyes.’ He was becoming intoxicated. Now was my time to strike, and strike I did. “ Then, what of all these stories you have been telling about me ?” “All liesh !* «All lies 2” “Yesh! Had 1'tell shomepin’, or lose job an’ be a tramp ghos'.” There was something odd about that tramp-ghost idea, but it never struck me until some time later. Just then I was deeply inter- ested in bringing that ghost to see the error of his ways. I pointed out tohim the wrong he had done me, and incidentally drew in gloomy colors a picture of the sorrow he was bringing to the heart of a fair young girl. At the time I hoped Fanny felt as badly as I said she did. After much sentimental conversation he promised to set things straight. Together we outlined a plan of procedure that would clear me and at the same time protect him in his situation, He took occasion at this point to reiterate his dread of becoming a tramp ghost. But after the agreement was reached he wanted more smoke and foam. I could not well refuse. It is not every night that one has a ghost for a guest. Having established a friendly footing, we whiled away the time as friends should, and he left me reluctantly, but speedily, at a late hour. He just winked out of the chair, with a whispery farewell. Two days later I had a note from Mrs. Brown asking me to call, as she wished to explain some matters of mutual interest. When I called she told me they had been the victims of some information which had been based upon mistaken identity. Some other person had been taken for me, with the door incident as a result. She was very nice about it. So was Mr. Brown. So was L And Fanny? She was nicest of all. We were ‘married New Year's day, and as we left the house for the train a hand from nowhere plucked my sleeve, and a voice from the air murmured, “Congratulations! But for me, you wouldn't have had the ghost of a show.” Tall plece. comicbooks.com