was rather startling. Spirits that clank their
chains have a very unenviable reputation.

"Pooh!" said my uncle. "What you heard was nothing but rats." Then,
turning to me, he asked: "Where is the steel trap?"

"Stolen, I think," said I. "I set it day before yesterday, and when
I went to look to it it was gone."

"An' will ye be givin' me the wages?" said Biddy, "afore I bid ye
good-marnin'?"

"Going?" asked my sister, in astonishment.

"An' sure I am," answered Biddy. "Ye don't think I'd be afther
stayin' in a house that's haunted, do ye?"

In a few minutes I heard the front door bang, and, looking out, saw
our late domestic, with a budget on each arm, trudging off as though
her ideas were of a very lively character.

A colored woman, recently from the South, took Biddy's place that
very day, and was assigned the same room in which the latter had
slept.

We had invited company for that evening, and some of the guests
remained to a very late hour.

The sound of voices subsided as one after another departed, and we
were left quietly chatting with the few who remained. Suddenly there
was a mysterious movement at one of the back parlor doors, and we
saw two white eyes casting furtive glances into the room.

"What's wanted?" demanded my sister, of the object at the door.

[Illustration: "I'VE SEEN DE DEBBLE."]

Our new domestic appeared in her night clothes.

"O missus, I've seen de debble, I done have," was her first
exclamation.

This, certainly, was not a sight that we should wish any one to see
in our house, as desirable as a dignified spectre might have been.

"Pooh!" said my sister. "What a silly creature! Go back to bed and
to sleep, and do not shame us by appearing before company in your
night clothes."

"I don't keer nothing about my night clothes," she replied, with
spirit. "Jes' go to de room and git de things dat belong to me, an'
I'll leave, and never disturb you nor dis house any more. It's
dreadful enough to be visited by dead folks, any way, but when de
spirits comes rattling a chain it's a dreadful bad sign, you may be
sure."

"What did you see?" asked I.

"See? I didn't see nothin'. 'Twas bad enough to hear it. I wouldn't
hav' seen it for de world. I'll go quick--jest as soon as you gets
de things."

We made her a bed on a lounge below stairs. The next morning she
took her bundles and made a