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.