A BOOK OF GHOSTS

BY S. BARING-GOULD, M.A.

WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY D. MURRAY SMITH

SECOND EDITION

METHUEN & CO.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON

Colonial Library

First Published     October 1904
Second Edition     December 1904

"WHO ARE YOU?"

PREFACE

Some of the stories in this volume have already appeared in print. "The Red-haired Girl" in The Windsor Magazine; "Colonel Halifax's Ghost Story" in The Illustrated English Magazine; "Glámr" I told in my Iceland: Its Scenes and Sagas, published in 1863, and long ago out of print. "The Bold Venture" appeared in The Graphic; "The 9.30 Up-train" as long ago as 1853 in Once a Week.

CONTENTS

Jean Bouchon
Pomps and Vanities
McAlister
The Leaden Ring
The Mother of Pansies
The Red-haired Girl
A Professional Secret
H. P.
Glámr
Colonel Halifax's Ghost Story
The Merewigs
The "Bold Venture"
Mustapha
Little Joe Gander
A Dead Finger
Black Ram
A Happy Release
The 9.30 Up-train
On the Leads
Aunt Joanna
The White Flag

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"Who are you?"

"Then the bride put back her veil, and Betty, studying the white face, saw that this actually was not herself; it was her dead sister Letice"

"Her hat was blown off, and next instant a detonation rang through her head as though a gun had been fired into her ear"

"If he went out for a walk they trotted forth with him, some before, some following"

"You let that Mustapha come in, and try and stick his knife into me"

"'Mammy!' said he; 'Mammy! my violin cost me three shillings and sixpence, and I can't make it play no-ways'"

"I believe that they are talking goody-goody"

"She thrust her hand into the teapot and drew forth the coins, one by one, and rolled them along the table"

A BOOK OF GHOSTS

JEAN BOUCHON

I was in Orléans a good many years ago. At the time it was my purpose to write a life of Joan of Arc, and I considered it advisable to visit the scenes of her exploits, so as to be able to give to my narrative some local colour.

But I did not find Orléans answer to my expectations. It is a dull town, very modern in appearance, but with that measly and decrepit look which is so general in French towns. There was a Place Jeanne d'Arc, with an equestrian statue of her in the midst, flourishing a banner. There was the house