THE GHOST ON THE STAIRS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1923, Page 23

THE GHOST ON THE STAIRS

theLr*?^ thereis at least «»"> theatre that is supposed to possess a S^ost, and.Melbourne is no Exception Gardner > °-B-E., in his "Days and Ways of an Old Bohemian," has some interesting reminiscences concernin s '™ »"Pffi^f" says a w"ter in -Light. Although he was incredulous as regards g^ost stories, he had a strange experience at the Hayniarket Ineatre, London, where Buckatone, the famous actor-manager, was supposed to walk up and down the staircase between an upper floor.: at the back of the house; where he died, and the stage. The major tells us that when he was associated With Tree aa manager^ after the last, performance of Irees lesseeship of the theatre, an entertainment was given, on the stage to the stage staff and their friends At about 2 a.m. I was in Tree's sanctum waiting to see the last of the roysterere out of the theatre, and killing time by destroying a .number of' valueless letters found m the drawers of his table ■when I was surprised to hear someone coming down the stairs just outside the door. -The sound was' perfectly distinct, and could have denoted' nothine else. I went out of the room and fan down the stairs so as to overtake anyone going down. There was no one. 1 then sought the fireman. 'Oh, that's Mr, Buckstone, sir,' he said. Tie's been doing that sorb of thing for many years ' I returned to Tree's room, lit a cigarette c i*K faclns the °Pen door in front ot which going up or down the staircase had to pass. There was a strong gaslight just outside the door .1 had waited only a few minutes when i heard the sound of footsteps comin" up the stairs. I could follow the sound clearly across the small landing outside the door, about 9ft from where I sat and up the second flight of stairs, but I could see nothing. I ran up the stairs but there was no one on either of the floors above, and every door was locked "