Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
[Illustration: 'Such grotesque attitudes as his figure assumed Inever saw.']
Ghost I Have Met And Some Others
By John Kendrick Bangs
With Illustrations by
Newell, Frost, and Richards
TOCHOICE SPIRITSEVERYWHERE
CONTENTS
GHOSTS THAT HAVE HAUNTED ME
THE MYSTERY OF MY GRANDMOTHER'S HAIR SOFA
THE MYSTERY OF BARNEY O'ROURKE
THE EXORCISM THAT FAILED
THURLOW'S CHRISTMAS STORY
THE DAMPMERE MYSTERY
CARLETON BARKER, FIRST AND SECOND
ILLUSTRATIONS
"SUCH GROTESQUE ATTITUDES AS HIS FIGURE ASSUMED I NEVER SAW"
"I TURNED ABOUT, AND THERE, FEARFUL TO SEE, SAT THIS THING GRINNINGAT ME"
"THE FRIENDLY SPECTRE STOOD BY ME"
"HE FLED MADLY THROUGH THE WAINSCOTING OF THE ROOM"
"THEN HE SET ABOUT TELLING ME OF THE BEAUTIFUL GOLD AND SILVER WARETHEY USE IN THE ELYSIAN FIELDS"
"THERE WAS NO ONE THERE"
"I DRAINED A GLASS OF COOKING-SHERRY TO THE DREGS"
"IT HAD TURNED WHITE"
"IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT ONE'S LITERARY CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST"
"'SIX IMPTY CHAIRS, SORR'"
"'L—LUL—LET ME OUT!' HE GASPED".
"'I SHALL KEEP SHOVING YOU FOR EXACTLY ONE YEAR'"
"I WAS FORCIBLY UNCLAD"
"HE WAS AMPLY PROTECTED"
"PINNED HIM TO THE WALL LIKE A BUTTERFLY ON A CORK"
"FACE TO FACE"
"HE RATTLED ON FOR HALF AN HOUR"
"THE DEMON VANISHED"
"'DOESN'T DARE LOOK ME IN THE EYE!'"
"'LOOK AT YOUR SO-CALLED STORY AND SEE'"
"IT WAS TO BE THE EFFORT OF HIS LIFE"
"WHEN HE ROSE UP IN THE MORNING HE WOULD FIND EVERY SINGLE HAIR ONHIS HEAD STANDING ERECT"
"'WEARS HIS QUEUE POMPADOUR, I SEE'"
GHOSTS I HAVE MET, AND SOME OTHERS
GHOSTS THAT HAVE HAUNTED ME
A FEW SPIRIT REMINISCENCES
If we could only get used to the idea that ghosts are perfectlyharmless creatures, who are powerless to affect our well-beingunless we assist them by giving way to our fears, we should enjoythe supernatural exceedingly, it seems to me. Coleridge, I think itwas, was once asked by a lady if he believed in ghosts, and hereplied, "No, madame; I have seen too many of them." Which is mycase exactly. I have seen so many horrid visitants from other worldsthat they hardly affect me at all, so far as the mere inspiration ofterror is concerned. On the other hand, they interest me hugely; andwhile I must admit that I do experience all the purely physicalsensations that come from horrific encounters of this nature, I cantruly add in my own behalf that mentally I can rise above thephysical impulse to run away, and, invariably standing my ground, Ihave gained much useful information concerning them. I am preparedto assert that if a thing with flashing green eyes, and clammyhands, and long, dripping strips of sea-weed in place of hair,should rise up out of the floor before me at this m