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The Barber's Ghost

The Barber's Ghost image
Parent Issue
Day
11
Month
September
Year
1863
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

A genieman, traveling some years ago n ihe upper part of theState callee! ata tavern, and requested entertainment for the night. The landlord informed him that it was out of his power to accommodate him, as his house was alreadv full. He persiuted in stopping, as he, as well as horse. were altnost exhausted with traveling, After mueh solicitation, the landlord consented lo his stopping, provided he would sleep in a certain room that had not been occupied for a long time, in consequence oí a belief that it was haunted by the ghost of a barber, who was reported to have been murdered in that room sonao years before. " Very well," said tho man, " I'm not afraid of ghosts." After baving refreshed himself, he enquircd of the landlord, how and in what manner the room in whioh hewas to Iod2;e wns haunted. The land'ord replied that shorlly after they retired to rest, an unknovvn voice was heard, in trembling and protracled accent, saying: " Do you want to be shaved?" " Well," replied the man, " il he comes he may shave me." He then requested to be shown to the npartment, in going to which he was conduced through a large room where were seated a great number of persons at a gambling table. ' Feeling a curiosity which nearly every one possesses after baving i eard ghost stones, he carefully searched every corner of his room, but could diícover nothing büt the usual fixtures of the apartment. He then lay down, but did not close his eyes to sleep immediately, and in a few minutes he imagíned he heard a voice saying: " Do you "'ant to be shaved?" He aróse from his bed and searched every part of the room, but could discover nothing. He again went to bed, but had no sooner closed his eyes than the question was repeated. He again arose, and went to the window, the sound appearing to come írom that quarter, and stood awhi'e silent. After a few moments of anxioua suspense, he ngain heard ho sound distinctly; and convinced that it was from without, he opener] the window, when the questiou was repeated full in his ear, which startled him not a little. Upon a minute exarnination, however, he observed that the limb of a large oak tree, whii h stood uoder the window, projected so near the house that every breath of wind, to a lively imagination, made a noise resembling tho interrngation - "Do you want to be shaved ?" Having satisfied himsèlf thathis ghost was pothing more nor less than the limb of a tree coming in contact with the house, ho again went to bed, and attetnpted to go sleep, but he now was interrupted by penis of langhter, and an occasional volley of oaths and curses, from the room where tho gamblers were assembled. Thinking that he could turn the late discovery tohisown advantage, he took a sheet from the bed and wrapped it around him, and taking the wash basin in his hand, and throwing a towel over his arm, proceeded to tho room of the gamblers, and snddenly opening the door walked in, exclaimitig, in a tremulous voice : " Do you want to be shaved '?" Terrified at the sudden appearance of the ghost, the gambldrs were thrown nto the greatest confusión in attempting to escape it - some jumping thro' the windows, and others tumbling heels over head down stairs. Our ghost, taking advantp.ge of a clear room ; deiberately swept a large arnount of money from the tabla into the basin, and retired unseen to his room. The next inorning the house was in the utmost confusión. He was immediately asked if herested well, to which he replied in the affinnative. "Well,no wonder," said the landlord, " for the ghost, instead of going to his cwn room, made a mistake and come to ours, frishtened us out of the room, and took away every cent of our money." The guest, without being the leaRt suspected, quietly ate his ovvn breakfast and departed, many hnndred dollars richer by the adventure.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus