A GHOST STORY. 221 



I never saw such an eloquent look of shame, of pitiable humiliation, overspread 

 a countenance before. 



The Petrified Man rose slowly to his feet, and said : 



" Honestly, is that true ?" 



" As true as I am sitting here." 



He took the pipe from his mouth and laid it on the mantel, then stood irreso- 

 lute a moment, (unconsciously, from old habit, thrusting his hands where his 

 pantaloons pockets should have been, and meditatively dropping his chin on his 

 breast,) and finally said : 



" Well — I never felt so absurd before. The Petrified Man has sold every body 

 else, and now the mean fraud has ended by selling its own ghost ! My son, if there 

 is any charity left in your heart for a poor friendless phantom like me, don't let 

 this get out. Think ho-w you would feel if you had made such an ass of yourself" 



I heard his stately tramp die away, step by step down the stairs and out into 

 the deserted street, and felt sorry that he was gone, poor fellow — and sorrier stili 

 that he had carried off my red blanket and my bath-tub. 



