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Title: The sociable ghost
 Being the adventures of a reporter who was invited by the sociable ghost to a grand banquet, ball, and convention under the ground of old Trinity churchyard. A true tale of the things he saw and did not see while he was not there.

Author: Olive Harper

Illustrator: Thomas McIlvaine
 A. W. Schwartz

 
Release date: August 26, 2025 [eBook #76737]

Language: English

Original publication: New York: J. S. OGILVIE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1903

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76737

Credits: William McGovern

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOCIABLE GHOST ***

[Illustration: North porch of Trinity Church, and the first meeting of
the sociable ghost and the newspaper man.]

 THE SOCIABLE GHOST.

 BEING THE ADVENTURES OF A REPORTER WHO WAS INVITED
 BY THE SOCIABLE GHOST TO A GRAND BANQUET, BALL,
 AND CONVENTION UNDER THE GROUND OF OLD
 TRINITY CHURCHYARD. A TRUE TALE OF
 THE THINGS HE SAW AND DID NOT
 SEE WHILE HE WAS NOT
 THERE.

 WRITTEN DOWN BY
 OLIVE HARPER
 AND ANOTHER.

 ILLUSTRATED BY
 THOMAS MCILVAINE AND A. W. SCHWARTZ.

 "The breezy call of incense breathing morn,
 The swallow twittering from the straw-built shed:
 The cock's shrill clarion or the echoing horn
 No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed."

 (COPYRIGHT 1903, BY J. S. Ogilvie Publishing Company.)

 NEW YORK:
 J. S. OGILVIE PUBLISHING COMPANY,
 57 ROSE STREET.

***

 TABLE OF CONTENTS.

 CHAPTER I.
 THE BEGINNING OF THE ACQUAINTANCE 9
 CHAPTER II.
 THE REPORTER MEETS THE LEADER OF THE FOUR HUNDRED 46
 CHAPTER III.
 THE GAMBLER'S PENANCE 59
 CHAPTER IV.
 THE MENDED GHOST 78
 CHAPTER V.
 THE PRINCESS FROM EGYPT 91
 CHAPTER VI.
 THE GHOSTS TELL STORIES, AND COMPARE NOTES 141
 CHAPTER VIII.
 THE GRAND BALL, CONVENTION AND END OF IT ALL 203

***

 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

 North porch of Trinity Church, and the first meeting of the
 sociable ghost and the newspaper man Frontispiece
 "Drat that toe! I'm sure I broke it off" 33
 "I flatter myself that the decorations are fine" 54
 "Did you say that to me?" 62
 "I won't play if such favoritism is shown" 76
 The mended ghost 79
 "But you must join us" 87
 "Forget it, forget it!" 95
 The Princess Shep 109
 With a smile of ineffable sweetness she vanished 120
 "Don't rouse the sleeping lion" 122
 "I found her sitting at the piano" 154
 They had evidently found the buffet 166
 The dance and cake walk 178

 N.B.-While other books have pictures "taken from life," it
 should be noticed that those In this book are taken from death.

***

 DEDICATION.

 To all who are able to read between the lines,
 and understand
 the real purpose and meaning of this book,
 it is dedicated with
 the sincere friendship of the authors.

***

CHAPTER I.
THE BEGINNING OF THE ACQUAINTANCE

At the northwestern end of Trinity Church stands a clump of bushes under
a tree, and lying under both bushes and tree is a large, flat stone
with the inscription quite effaced. It is the entrance to one of the
old family vaults. Beneath this dense shrubbery in the darkness at
night sat a young man. The hour was so late that even in that busy
neighborhood the lights were few and far between, except in the tall
newspaper offices up the street.

Few people could be seen on the great thoroughfare which but a few hours
before had been so animated. Stillness reigned save for the occasional
train of cars now and then whizzing by at the back, and the Broadway
cars shooting along at great and uninterrupted speed in front.

The young man was not ill nor out of employ, as the notebook and
pencils in his pocket would show. Yet he was plainly out of sorts with
everything.

A little dog came sniffing around him and he kicked it viciously, and a
starved kitten crept timidly up to him, whereat he picked a piece of
stone from the slab and threw it at the little creature which,
frightened, scampered away in the darkness.

Aroused thus from his reverie, the young man looked and felt more
miserable than ever. He was surprised at himself, for this was the first
time in his life that he had ever made a movement to harm an animal. His
conscience pricked him and he did not like the sensation.

From all this it may be inferred that the young man was in love, and
that was the truth; and worse than all, the girl of his choice was now
as unattainable as one of the stars in the Milky Way. First of all, she
was the only daughter of a millionaire, and secondly, she was to be
married the next day to an impecunious nobleman from sunny France.
Thirdly, she had eyes only for the grand title. And that was why this
young man sat alone in the darkest corner of Trinity churchyard, kicking
dogs and stoning cats.

That very day his chief had given him an assignment to go and write a
description of the wedding presents. He had turned in his copy, and not
waiting to find out if there was anything else to do, went out, and with
the instinct of a hurt dog, had chosen the darkest spot he knew of, and
had crept down to this place, which even in daylight is gloomy, prepared
to suffer as much as he wished to, unknown to anyone. If he went home he
must see his adoring mother. He was not prepared for that. He felt that
he could not bear the scrutiny of her soft but penetrating glance until
he had gotten over the worst. He knew well that she would see his
trouble, even though he said no word, and that she would wait for him to
speak. But, even this unspoken sympathy was more than he could endure.
He intended to fight it out alone, now and in the darkness, shut out
from human kind and curious scrutiny.

A fine old pipe and a paper of tobacco, not yet opened, and a box of
matches were in his pocket, but he was in no mood for the soothing
influence of the weed. In another pocket was a flask of good whiskey
which he always carried for such emergencies as might arise in his
profession as a reporter, but it was full and untouched. He had
forgotten that he had it.

The noises of the great city were settling down to a soft hum as it
approached midnight. The trains and electric cars were fewer now, while
the throbbing of the newspaper presses away up on Park Row sounded clear
and distinct in his ears as the other noises ceased. The sweet calm of a
mild May night fell unconsciously upon him and brought with it a feeling
almost of resignation.

Suddenly he became aware that he was not alone. Amazed and bewildered, he
saw that the old graveyard was waking up, and that from every grave
issued a shade which took form as

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