| Show GHOST how I 1 met and lost her but expects to meet again A CHRISTMAS STORY last christmas evening the ram falling and the general outdoor out door aspect gloomy I 1 lounged into my uncles bachelor apartments at the D hotel tor a sociable talk one of my accles bobbies was to be surrounded at all limes by young men and indeed he seemed little more than a apy himself in feelings although be had passed his fiftieth birthday and we were all devoted to the major as we called him I 1 believe that was his title during the war there was no one so willing to offer helping hand when we were lo 10 a col lege scrape no one who wool loan money so readily when an allowance fell snort there was no one with such a fund of experiences from which to draw for amusing or thrilling tales and then his hospitality wa unimpeachable pea chable on this particular evening I 1 found him stretched out before the are his eyes fixed reflectively upon the ceiling as be blew huge rings of from his pip HOW are a re you tom he said lazily youve saved me from myself bj choiping in it has been such ft nasty sort of a day and an evening like this I 1 always mope and think of my choist your chest I 1 echoed Why yes you know I 1 have the pleasure of owning one do you men that 1 have never told you the d no emphatically land the maiors aiace grew radiant with the an ed pleasure or the W thing 1 was a good story told by himself and they almi we were comfortably settled he began it was about fifteen years ago and I 1 was oa my way t chicago the traina go right through as they do cowand stopped oftener it might have beefs 5 in the evening and we had one more night to ride when the train agan to glow up finally stopping at a small station and a young woman came into the car the seats were pretty well occupied and when she reached aoe ahe asked if she might have the other half of mine of course I 1 said yes there was plenty of room and she only had a bit of a bag with her rouk naw I 1 never was much ou I 1 can tell a pretty one hueu I 1 sec her and a lady he was although althou eh her dress was plain and black and her doves had been neatly mended in several places I 1 bad a bumber of books and papers the most entertain ing of which 1 offered her and when she thanked me herL Voice atas the sweetest I 1 ever heard low musical by jove said the major as ne reached for the brandy i know that woman would sing with her whole seal she have helped it with that voice well be continued abe took up a book but she read much just turned the pages at domand ran signed softly to herself every litile while as if sher were unhappy or m trouble when the conductor came through she called him and asked about a berth 1 I am sorry hu said you should have telegraphed we are very full and tagre is nothing but an upper one left you would like a whole section 1 I would she replied although lower berth would do you are bure me 1 I am sorry miss but I 1 dont see how and thao burly conductor did seem sorry out of sympathy UK tie saw the troubled expression in the girls lace then I 1 spoke 1 I have a whole section to myself 1 I said and I 1 always breler the upper berth 11 ll was lie tor 1 had never slept in oue before bui bhe was enouf and unhappy cue ugh to warrant a lie of tuat annd so it you will dalre the lower 1 should be most happy to resign it to you 1 ahall never forget the glance she save me I 1 had not noticed her eyes before ajit now they lit up her whole face they were a deep violet almost carple with black depths and thick black lashes which cast shadows on her pale cheeK 8 yes she was very paie i ou would have called her ill un ui you saw her lips were like a strip of scarlet on the snow another noticed just below her left temple there was a giuy scar which looked as if it bad been made by some sharp instrument 1 l tried to talk with her for she interested te giue deeply but although she answered me pleasantly she said nothing oy which i could discover who ebe tahe was where ane was going or why to be traveling alone just before it was time to make up the bealts she grew very nervous untwisting her haugsand haud sand tapping aiex foot dihe glanced at me once or twice but to all appearances 1 was deep in my book lve got to do it I 1 heard her say m possible voice indeed I 1 dont believe poor child she knew that she aloud so occupied was she wi thoughts IQ a few moments she spoke again abill talking to herself they never mhd him about me it would spoil alland I 1 would never I 1 lost the next two words but they sounded like ace him she seemed aware men had spoken and looked ac me quickly page of my book and back in my caruer then see opened her little bag and took from it a picture As as I 1 could wake out it was the picture oi an aristocratic young man with blue ees and smiling lips ahe looked at it fur about 15 minutes longingly passionately then she bissie H furtively lurt ively under cover of her handkerchief after that she covered it with both hands save one little sob and then began to tear the picture into inch bits ah ha a loveis quarrel I 1 aud yet it seem quite that it was too serious like a parting forever in a little while she turned to me she was paler than ever and the old scar was brighter will you please open the window she asaei 1 I have something to throw away I 1 did as she wished and behe scattered the pieces of that photograph to the tour winds hue drew a long breath of relief now that is over the rest will be comparatively ively easy she said this time to me k what will be easy I 1 ventured pardon me speaking my thoughts to a stranger isac replied 1 I suppose I 1 mean life will be easier while we live and death when we die life should always be easy tor one as youna as you relf said I 1 gallantly bue turned her beautiful eyes towards me again and her glance was like a shock from a battery in their depths I 1 saw both oy and sorrow pas baun and pain while she said slowly L te to be easy muslam sweet mine aas been very sweet with the em 60 the has been too sweet to last but now well all will be right in the future I 1 have no fear and she turned away after that I 1 could only make her speak in monosyllables at last that whole car full had settled lown for the to try aich gain the little rest which bight be bound everything was tolerably quiet and I 1 shut my eyes and tried not to notice the jar ot the train or the occasional groan of the engine albere was a little scraggy pale november moon which gave me a chill as I 1 looked at it and made me imagine all sorts of creepy things I 1 thought I 1 heard a stifled sigh once or twice from the beith below I 1 even seemed to notice a faint unpleasant odor all my auses were abnormally active and as I 1 was an old traveler I 1 was ashamed of i myself when finally I 1 did sleep a little it was to dream of a accident in which that pale yellow moon and 1 biad a hand to hand fight to see which of us should save the pretty girl and during our struggle she had been crushed under the car 1 I had important business a few stations this bide of chicago but 1 I had nude up my mind that I 1 would talk with the young lad left the car in the morn lct when t abose I 1 went to the front plat foi in for tome fresh air when I 1 entered the car again almo stall my fellow were visible but that berth under mine was just as it had been all the girl had not vet appeared could she belli Iwas verv near my stopping place 1 could not go without sai ing goodbye good bye the porter passed through I 1 called to him and told mm that there was a lady in that berth who had not et been heard from she might be sick he went to the burih directly and made one startled exclamation ati passengers began to crowd arouca I 1 felt sick and fagat but went with the rest there she lay the lashes resting her cheeks bey lips still thai wonderful dash of red but fsr face was like marble her hands were ice and heart ah 1 there was no action there she was dead by her aide vas ft bottle ball filled with laudanum which showed that she bad taken her own life 1 I did not wait for anything more to hear th and the questions as to who sho was and why she did it I 1 just took one long parting look and touched her pretty brodu hair then I 1 went 0 ut to the platform again and remained there until 1 reached my station the major smoked violently fora few moments but where does the ghost come in I 1 asked at length the ghost he said with a aug of passion in his voice which I 1 bad never beard there before she is the ghost her pale face black dress and violet eyes have haunted me mow or leas since I 1 can hear her sweet musical voice as plainly today to day when I 1 will allow my I 1 did then and it ww fifteen years ago there is a prece in my heart now for those pool gloves which were ia themselves a pathetic story iam i am never on the cars at that she does pot stand before me with that little troubled expression and that pleading look until I 1 reach out my briw to touch her then she vanishes and I 1 know it was you will say an 11 luciou a fancy 1 call it hr ghost how many times have I 1 wished that in some way I 1 biad gained possession of the fragments of that mans picture I 1 would have pasted them together if it had taken half a lifetime life time and then 1 donld have found him I 1 would have that poor girl tor the wrong he tad done her tea wrong for i abw that in some way he had driven her to death that is why I 1 hayte never married I 1 cant tell I 1 cowf know that I 1 have never yet met a who could be to me what her ts aad I 1 saw her but once even icci of her 9 bey charter J and I 1 am called a man of the world and yet boy he exclaimed taming to me his face gray with passion 1 I am happier on a dark stormy night like this in the prospect of coming home to be with her spirit her memory if you will than I 1 be if I 1 knew another a real woman was waiting to fling soft arms aromnd my neck to kiss me with kenderest ten derest lips forgive me tom I 1 seldom speak of my own feelings and emotions but perhaps now you can faintly understand how much reality there can be even in a iahost the major had gained arol of himself once more and was nodding as good humo over his pipe as it roi rance women always been they always would be sl rangers |
