The Haunted House | Page 6

Jane took the lamp and Esther picked up her shoes, and they went to
their bed-room.
After closing the door of their room, "Esther," said Jane, "you are foolish to think
anything at all about Bob."
"Oh, mind your own business, Jane," Esther replied "let's say our prayers and retire;" and
so they did.


CHAPTER II.
THE FATAL RIDE.
Esther and Jane arose on the morning of August 28th, 1878, as was their usual custom, at
half-past six, and ate breakfast with the rest of the family.
After breakfast Jane went to Mrs. Dunlap's, Dan to his shoe factory with his
brother-in-law, William Cox, John Teed also went to his work, and none of the family
remained in the house but Olive and Esther, who commenced to wash up the breakfast
dishes and put the dining room in order, so that part of their work at least should be
finished before the two little boys came down stairs to have their childish wants attended
to. What with making the beds and sweeping the rooms, and washing out some clothing
for the boys, both Esther and Olive found plenty to occupy their time until the hour for
preparing dinner arrived. When Olive commenced that rather monotonous operation,
assisted by Esther, who, as she sat on the door-step between the dining room and kitchen
paring potatoes, and placing them in a can of cold water beside her, attracted her sister's
attention by her continued silence and the troubled expression of her countenance.
"What in the name of the sun ails you to-day, Esther?" inquired Olive, really worried by
her little sister's sad appearance.
"Oh, nothing, Olive! only I was thinking that if--that if--that if--"
"Well! well, go on, go on, it is not necessary to say that if--five or six times in succession,
is it, before telling me what's the matter with you, you nonsensical, giddy, hard-headed
girl. I believe you have fallen in love so with Bob McNeal, that you are worrying yourself
to death because you know he is too poor to marry you and you are afraid some rich girl
will fall in love with him, and that he will marry her and give you the cold shoulder.
There, that's just what I think is the matter with you, and I can tell you one thing my
young lady, and that is, that the sooner you get over your infatuation for that young man,
the better for you, and the better for us all. There now, I'm done. No I'm not either, listen
to me, girl, and don't make me angry by turning up your nose while I am giving you good
advice."

"I'm not turning up my nose at you, Olive. I only felt like sneezing, and wanted to stop it
before it had fully commenced, and how could I try to stop it except by working my nose
in that way, when I have a big wet potato in one hand and this ugly old knife in the other,
and all wet, too."
"Oh, nonsense, girl, don't keep on talking about ugly old knives and wet potatoes, but
listen to me. I feel it in my bones that trouble is in store for us, and all through Bob
McNeal. Now do be a good girl, and take my advice and never invite him to call again;
because I tell you, Esther, that trouble is coming to you through that young man, for I feel
it in my bones."
"Well, Olive, I will tell you the truth; the fact is that--why here's Jane! Why, Jane, what
has brought you home at this time of day? It is only eleven, and dinner won't be ready for
an hour."
Jane, who had just taken off her hat and hung it up in the hall, replied, "that as there was
nothing more to be done at Dunlap's until the afternoon, she thought she might as well be
at home attending to her plants as at the shop."
After looking at Esther and Olive a moment, she said, "What were you two putting your
heads together about when I came in? Esther stopped talking as soon as she saw me, and
Olive, I noticed that you went to the stove and poured so much water into the tea-kettle
from the bucket that it ran over, just because you were looking at me instead of at the
kettle. You are both up to something, I know you are. Now come, tell me all about it; is it
a great secret? I won't tell anybody; tell me, do."
Esther, who has just finished paring the potatoes and is now putting them on the stove to
boil, takes a seat in the dining room on the settee and has one of her sulky moods,