A GHOST STORY.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17419, 1 April 1922, Page 15

A GHOST STORY.

A capital ghost story, for tho truth' of which the speaker vouched (says tho "Taranaki Herald'') was related at the gathering of rvotcrans.on Tuesday after, r.oon by i\lr John Heslor>, the incident being connected with un experience in his own life prior to coming to New Zealand. ,V'h«n rt youth of about sixteen ho get out to see something of life tramping northwards towards .Liverpool. At night, weary with his journey, ho called at. an inn for aocommodation, but was told the plaoo was full of men who were taking advantage of tho shooting season. Tho innkeeper ; however, said there was tmo room which tho youthful traveller could have if ho liked i.ut it had tho reputation of being haunted. The ghost, which had never been seen, was alleged to visit the room with the enquiry. "Anyone hero want) shaving?'' Air Heslop said ho took tho risk of an encounter with tho ghost, hut passed a very sleepless time in th© early port of the night, and was conscious of the worthy sportsmon in a room below his playing cards for gold. Sure enough, in tho night came tho en< quiry as to shaving, and. though feat" cook possession of him for a time, ho afe length overcame that, and going to the window, found tho bough of a tree brushing against the window-sill with a noise which had boon construed into the query Btatcd. The humour of the tiling appealed to Mr Heslop, who conceived the- idea pf a practical joke on the gamblers below. Wrapping _ a sTieet about him and taking a shaving brush in his hand, he appeared at tha door of the room muttering. "Anyone hero want shaving?" There was an unceremonious scatter of everybody, tho cards and the "bank ,: being left on tha table. Mr Heslop said he scooped the gold to himself and went back to bed and "slept tho sleep of tho just." Tha next morning he bribed tho innkeeper to secrecy on revealing tho truth of the occurrence, made hia way to Liverpool, and shipped to New Zealand. "And that," said Mr Heslop, "was my beginning of life." Ho stated that some of his friends had questioned the honesty of his action, but he said the money was to go to tho man who held the j highest card, and as ho came on the scene with the joker, lie considered lie was entitled to a win.