The Ghost of the Manor

Hawera Star, Volume L, 25 October 1930, Page 15

The Ghost of the Manor

(By Ben lice Eutwistle.).

It was a. cold winter's night mid outside the ,snow was falling fast. Inside the Manor House CUtrioe Noith Micky Dawson, Monda Huberts and A were' sitting around a cosv fire m the drawing room. It was the second evening of our school, holidays, which Clarice had asked us to share with her. Me had all) been delighted to do so tor the Manor is a big, rambling old house, with such queer passages, and cupboards, and all those, things that make

you think of ghosts. Tills; night especially, was as Monda called it a “ghost night. ’ Just fat iqi a really thrilling ghost story, and Clarice began one. She looked dreamily into the glowing coals, and started oft. “Very many years ago —oh, hundreds., i expect, lived in this house a very wealthy man, who had a beautiful daughter He was a, fierce Royalist, and o his. daughter loved a Roundhead captain, so. you can imagine that lie I was not at all agreeable about it. Well, one day a party of Roundheads came to the house, and thundered on the great front door. The Royalist "first- locked his daughter up in a tiny chamber behind one of the great pictures in the hall, and then went to meet his visitors.’ As I said before, he was a fierce old fellow and wouldn’t go peacefully with them, and there was a fight. He was killed, and away Avent the Roundheads., never dreaming of the girl Incited away in that tiny room. She waited a long time, and then began to- shout ! and beat on the wall, but it was all no i use. Gradually she grew weaker and | died. And now. it is said, her ghost haunts the house, moaning and shriek--1 ing .and walking back and forth.” A stealthy movement sounded bei hind us and we jumped round, all eyes and mouths, to find Jack North, and his chum Harry Moor laughing silently at- us.

“Oh, go away!” cried Clarice. “Wo were not really scared anyway.”

“Oh. yes you were! Thought- we were ghosts!” scofFecl .Tack, her brother. “Bali!” retorted Micky Dawson, the tomboy. “There are no such creatures.” “Aren’t there” asked Harry. Weil there is one her© anyway. The servants all say so.” „ „ Monda and I looked rather fearfully into the shadows beyond the firelight. A story ghost was- one thing, but a really live one was another thing altogether. “Yes,” went on Harry in an awed whisper. “How is the time it is usually seen.” Micky began to look interested. She always loved to do daring things. “I believe ITI wait up for it- tonmht just for fun.” “Righto, only you might get a frioht!” replied' Jack, giving Harry a meaning look. “Now I’ll deliver the message the mater gave me. Jt-’s time we went toi bed.” “Well, you have taken a jolly long time to deliver it!” remarked Clarice scornfully, rising as she. spoke. Micky and I shared one bedroom and Clarice” and Monda another. A:s soon as Micky had closed the door, -she turned! to me her eyes sparkling. “No listen hard.. I’m going to dress up, and! parade along the corridor, and give Jack and Harry a well deserved scare!” she announced breathlessly. This daring plan certainly took my breath away. . “Onlv.” finished Micky, “will you keep watch, 'cos its arfully dark and lonely out there?” . li J—T. suppose so,” I quavered. Hus part of the plan didn’t suit me, but when Micky looks at you with a- wistful expression, you have to give in. At eleven-thirty we stood ready. Micky find a large sheet draped over her, "with'slits for the eyes. The madcap had said ishe was sure Mrs North wouldn’t mind, hut I had other ideas on that point. Micky sallied forth in great style. A pale moonlight filtered through the windows and. as I watched her progress, I felt my spine quivering. Along the corridor sailed the madcap, and was just finishing off a nice moan, when' round the 'far corner came another white-draped figure. Micky stopped short, and ,so did the other ghost. I smothered a shriek and wondered whether my eyes would ever become normal again. How long we would have stood Jhus, I cannot say. if it hadn’t been for another interruption. Up the stairs, treading in stately fashion, came a third ghost, who also stopped short at the sight of the other two Mickey uttered a sound which might have been a- smothered laugh. “Great- Scott!”, exclaimed the far ghost. and promptly disappeared. Micky and the ghost- of the stairs flew after' it- in a decidedly unghostlike fashion, and carne upon Jack, free of his robes, clinging to Harry and shaking with laughter. “Well you are a beauty!” exclaimed Clarice, the stair “ghost.” “No, I believe we are all beauties! Just fancy, three ghosts! Oh!’’ and Micky and she collapsed in a heap. That is the -last we ever heard of the A fan or Ghost. One needs only to mention ghosts now, and Clarice, Micky and Jac-Ic promptly go into fits ol laughter