The Family Ghost.

They reached the house at last , and crep t cautiously around to the yard . The tempest had abated now , and a Avan yellow moon showed over the trees . William ' s hat lay full in the moonlig ht in the middle of the yard . He had just clutched it ,

when he heard a noise from the Avoodhouse , and looking up , saw a ghastly figure , having the features of his brother John , but clad all iu Avhite , in the very habiliments of the grave . His companion saAV it at the same time , and they both darted

away at their utmost speed . But the figure , whatever it was , folloAved them , without sound or apparent motion ; each felt that the touch of the spectre Avas upon him . They reached the toAvn at last . There Avas a light in my surgery , and for

it they made like fri ghtened deer . I must tell you IIOAV it Avas that my surgery was lighted up at that time of night . John , as I told you , had spent the evening with meand I Avas heartily wishing

, that I could get rid of him , Avhen as luck would have it , a message came from the quarry to Avhich I am a surgeon , to call me to see a young man AA'IIO had fallen and

broken some bones . The messenger had come on horseback , and he Avent on to the Goat to order a car and horse to take me to the quarry , whilst I put up my instruments and so on . Among other things , I took a small bottle of chloric ether , as a

stimulant , in case it Avas required . I couldn ' t leave John in the house , and so I took him Avith me . We reached the quarry , and I attended to the young man , leaving John in the ear , and , as it happened , the bottle of ether , too . It was a cold

night , and John , seeing the little easebottle , thought it contained spirits , and , first testing it with his nose , applied his mouth to it , and took a good pull at it . When I returned to the car , I found the bottle empty , and John lying at the bottom

° f the car fast asleep . Fortunately , as it seemed at the time , he had not drunk enough to do him serious harm , but the effect Avas as if he Avere intoxicated , and it would be best for him to sleep it off . But as we were driving homewardsit occurred

, to me that I would not like to have him at my bouse any longer , and , as it Avas not rar out of my Avay to go round by the Plas , I determined to leave him there . When 1 reached the house every one was in bed ,

and not to be aAvakened . I made up a sort of nest for master John , Avith mats and rugs , upon the hall floor , and drove homewards through the avenue , the white horse in the car showing conspicuously against the dark background of the night

, and frightened our friend William and his companion , as I hav * e told you . And that Avas IIOAV the accident happened to poor John . When I reached home , I had some medicine to make up , and hence the light inthe surgery .

Well , not to keep you any longer in suspense , I may tell you that John Avas not killed—not e \* en seriously hurt—and Avh-it happened to him in the Avoodhouse he told me afterwards , and it pleased me so much that I will tell you all about it .

He had not been long in the woodhouse Avhen the cold brought him to his senses . He Avas under the impression at first that he Avas still in the car , and that some one Avas leaning heavily upon him . This Avas the log , you remember , that they had

placed against him . Well , he gave a violent push , the log fell to the ground , and he rose to his feet quite beAvildered as to where he Avas . Seeing , hoAvever , the moonlight shining through a chink in the door , he made toAvards it , and tried to pull

the door opeu . But the log he had pushed off him had jammed itself against the door , and Avas immoveable . Then it struck him that he Avas in prison . This narroAV confined place , out of Avhich it Avas impossible to get , must be a cell of the police lock-up . He had been riotous in his cups , no doubt ,

and the police had taken him up . He Avas very indignant at first that he , a gentleman ' s son , should be treated so , and he hammered violently at the door for some time , and shook it ; but finding that nobody took any notice of him , he made up

his mind to go to bed . E ' eeling about with his hands he discovered a kind of a ledge on a heap of roots , Avhere they had been taken away for household consumption . It Avas more on the level than you might suppose , the

tAvigs , and fragments , and chips from the chopping filled up the crevices . Still , it could not be very soft . But John thought it Avas the prison couch , and took off his things down to his shirt and drawers . Then he crept into bed , but found everything very uneasy .