The Argosy — page 333: what you’re looking at

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

CHE ARGOSY. N. elly Devitt’s Ghost. 313. March 2, 1868. we could have endured it; but it was only at twilight that we got time to think, and then the troublé began. It was never the same twice in succession. Sometimes it would be steps up and down all the evening, while at others it would only be soft little knocks overhead, or the door-handles turning as if some one were coming in who never entered. The children grew accustomed to it without being at all afraid. ‘‘There’s the noise,” Willy would say, “and I saw the strange lady to-day.” But although the child persisted that he had seen a woman with a distracted face and flowing hair, I never once was aware of an appear- ance of any kind in my presence ; and Jenny, after her first fnght, never saw anything again. Will’s voyage was strangely prolonged. We were very uneasy at first, but I inquired of the shippers, and they explained to me that the “Mer- maid” was to stop at a French port, which caused the delay ; and some- how I felt glad that we had a chance to fight out our troubles alone, for Will was not patient, and he would have been likely to give in at once and leave the place. } As nearly as I can remember, it was about a month from first to last, and in all that time we never had one quiet night, though after the first fortnight Jenny seemed to get entirely over her dread of the sounds, and sleep as comfortably as if she never heard them. I could not. Some- how there was an indescribable something about them that set my heart beating at the first tap; and yet I daily gained strength to think more and more, and reason about them with myself. We had but few intimates, partly owing to my being so busy, partly to the little fancy I had for gossip and silly talk. Many a one asked me if we were not carried off by the ghosts, and other silly things; but I always gave a merry kind of answer, that had no more sense than their questions, and kept my own counsel. So did Jenny. There was something in it, I felt sure, for we could not doubt both eyes and ears —but what was it? I asked myself till I grew tired, and could get no Satisfaction ; seeing that Jenny was getting used to it, I did not want to frighten her again by reviving the subject, so I kept it to myself. ‘It must be something that will bear explaining,” says Ito myself; “ it comes from one quarter, and however it varies, it returns again and again to that scraping, scratching sound. What does it mean?” That was a question more easily asked than answered. I kept repeating it as I worked, until the idea came into my mind to make a search. I told you that a nice little back chamber over the kitchen was where Jenny thought she saw the figure. We used to keep books and things there, but Jenny soon cleared it out, and shut it up, leaving it to the sole occupation of the sound that scratched, and tapped, and walked comicloooks (CO) mn | _