Humorous Ghost Stories

ish thing, as there was no doubt at all that the place was haunted. Indeed, Lord Canterville himself, who was a man

as she was dressing for dinner, and I feel bound to tell you, Mr. Otis, that the ghost has been seen by several living members of my family, as well as by the rector of the parish, the Rev. Augustus Dampier, who is a Fellow of King's College, Cam

g that money can buy; and with all our spry young fellows painting the Old World red, and carrying off your best actors and prima-donnas, I reckon th

he overtures of your enterprising impresarios. It has been well known for three centuries, sin

But there is no such thing, sir, as a ghost, and I guess the laws

did not quite understand Mr. Otis's last observation, "and if you don't mind

she was quite English, and was an excellent example of the fact that we have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language. Her eldest son, christened Washington by his parents in a moment of patriotism, which he never ceased to regret, was a fair-haired, rather good-looking young man, who had qualified himself for American diplomacy by leading the German at the Newport Casino for three successive seasons, and even in London was well known as an excellent dancer. Gardenias and the peerage were his only weaknesses. Otherwise he was extremely sensible. Miss Virginia E. Otis was a little girl of fifteen

a wood-pigeon brooding over its own sweet voice, or saw, deep in the rustling fern, the burnished breast of the pheasant. Little squirrels peered at them from the beech-trees as they went by, and the rabbits scudded away through the brushwood and over the mossy knolls, with their white tails

er former position. She made them each a low curtsy as they alighted, and said in a quaint, old-fashioned manner, "I bid you welcome to Canterville Chase." Following her, they passed through the fine Tudor hall into the library, a lo

by the fireplace, and, quite unconscious of what it really signified

usekeeper in a low voice, "blood

t at all care for blood-stains in a si

her own husband, Sir Simon de Canterville, in 1575. Sir Simon survived her nine years, and disappeared suddenly under very mysterious circumstances. His body

n no time," and before the terrified housekeeper could interfere, he had fallen upon his knees, and was rapidly scouring th

family; but no sooner had he said these words than a terrible flash of lightning lit up the s

"I guess the old country is so overpopulated that they have not enough decent weather fo

s. Otis, "what can we do

in a few moments Mrs. Umney certainly came to. There was no doubt, however, that she was ext

eep for the awful things that are done here." Mr. Otis, however, and his wife warmly assured the honest soul that they were not afraid of ghosts, and, after invoki