Humorous Ghost Stories

their return home, she made up her mind to go up by the back staircase so as not to be seen. As she was running past the Tapestry Chamber, the door of which happened t

long avenue. His head was leaning on his hand, and his whole attitude was one of extreme depression. Indeed, so forlorn, and so much out of repair did he look, that little Virginia, whose first idea had been to ru

hers are going back to Eton to-morrow, and then

little girl who had ventured to address him, "quite absurd. I must rattle my chains, and groan thr

u have been very wicked. Mrs. Umney told us, the firs

st, petulantly, "but it was a purely f

inia, who at times had a sweet puritan gravi

ookery. Why, there was a buck I had shot in Hogley Woods, a magnificent pricket, and do you know how she had it sent to table? However, i

ean Sir Simon, are you hungry? I have a

kind of you, all the same, and you are much nicer than

First you took all my reds, including the vermilion, and I couldn't do any more sunsets, then you took the emerald-green and the chrome-yellow, and finally I had nothing left but indigo and Chinese white, and could only do mo

began it all with his Paragon Detergent, I certainly saw no reason why I should not have your paints. As for color, that is always a matter of

h there is a heavy duty on spirits of every kind, there will be no difficulty about the Custom House, as the officers are all Democrats. Once in New York, you are sur

nk I should

o ruins and no curiosities,"

answered the Ghost; "you hav

nd ask papa to get the twi

so lonely and so unhappy, and I really don't kno

difficult sometimes to keep awake, especially at church, but there is no difficulty at

and Virginia's beautiful blue eyes opened in wonder; "for

d like rose-leaves. She came towards him, and kneeling

murmured; "have you no p

long and deep, there are the great white stars of the hemlock flower, there the nightingale sings all night long. All n

m with tears, and she h

arden of Death,

listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no to-morrow. To forget time, to forget life, to be at peace. You can help

her, and for a few moments there was silence

, and his voice sounded li

the old prophecy on

w it quite well. It is painted in curious black letter

golden gi

m out the

barren al

child gives a

all the hou

come to Ca

t know what

, and then, if you have always been sweet, and good, and gentle, the angel of death will have mercy on me. You will see fearful shapes in darkness,

t her bowed golden head. Suddenly she stood up, very pale, and with a strange light in her

ittle Virginia," they cried, "go back!" but the ghost clutched her hand more tightly, and she shut her eyes against them. Horrible animals with lizard tails and goggle eyes blinked at her from the carven chimney-piece, and murmured, "Beware! little Virginia, beware! we may never see you again," but the ghost glided on more swiftly, and Virginia did not listen. When they reached the end of the room he