Arrow Book of Ghost Stories PDF
Preview Arrow Book of Ghost Stories
JHbBP9I ARROW BOOK OF ftlwt Tories Edited by NORA KRAMER Illustrated by George Wilde ia^r^Xl SCHOLASTIC BOOK SERVICES Published for Scholastic Boole Services by TAB Books, Inc., a division of Scholastic Magazines, 33 West 42nd Street, New York 36, N. Y. Copyright Notices and Acknowledgments THE KING O' THE CATS, by Joseph Jacobs. From More English Fairy Tales, by Joseph Jacobs. Reprinted by permissionof G. P. Putnam's Sons. JIMMY TAKES VANISHING LESSONS, by Walter Brooks. Copyright, 1950, by Story Parade. Reprinted by permissionof Brandt and Brandt. THE WONDERFUL CAT OF COBBIE BEAN, by Barbee Oliver Carleton. Copyright, C1o9p5y7r,igbhyt,Th1e95J6o,hnbCy. WCuirntsitsonPubCloi.shRienpgriCnot.edRebpyrisnpteecidalbyperpmeirsmsiisosniofnroomfJTahcek aJonhdnJilCl. Winston Co. TEENY-TINY, byJosephJacobs. From English Fairy Tales, byJoseph Jacobs. Reprinted by permission of G. P. Putnam's Sons. THE CONJURE WIVES, by Frances G. Wickes. From Happy Holidays, by Frances G. Wickes. Published by Rand McNally and Co., 1921. Reprinted with permission. SPOOK'S BONES, by Louis C. Jones. From Spooks of the Valley, by Louis C. Jones. Copyright, 1948, by Louis C. Jones. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Co. WHICH WAS WITCH? by Eleanore M. Jewett. From Which Was Witch? by Eleanore M. Jewett. Copyright, 1953, by Eleanore M. Jewett. Reprinted by permission of The Viking Press, Inc. THE WATER GHOST by John Kendrick Bangs. Originally entitled "The Water Ghost of Harrowby Hall" from The Water Ghostand Other Stories byJohn Kendrick Bangs. Reprinted by permission of Harper and Brothers. Copyright, ©, I960, by TAB Books, Inc. All rights reserved under International and Pan American Copy- right Conventions. Published I960 by TAB Books, Inc. Printing History 1st printing August, I960 Printed in the U.S.A. CONTENTS The King o' the Cats by Joseph Jacobs 1 Jimmy Takes Vanishing Lessons by Walter R. Brooks 5 The Woodman and the Goblins byJ.B. Esenwein and Marietta Stockard 24 The Wonderful Cat of Cobbie Bean by Barbee Oliver Carleton 32 Teeny-Tiny by Joseph Jacobs 69 The Conjure Wives by Frances G. Wickes 72 Spook's Bones by Louis C. Jones 78 Which Was Witch? by Eleanore M. Jewett 96 The Water Ghost by John Kendrick Bangs 103 To My Own Ghost-Story Enthusiasts— Dinnie and Joan The King o 9 the Cats BYJOSEPH JACOBS V/ne winter's evening the Sexton's wife was sit- ting by the fireside with her big black cat, Old Tom, on the other side, both half asleep and wait- 1 " ARROW BOOK OF GHOST STORIES ing for the master to come home. They waited and they waited, but still he didn't come, till at last he came rushing in, calling out, "Who's Tommy Tildrum?" in such a wild way that both his wife and the cat stared at him to know what was the matter. "Why, what's the matter?" said his wife, "and why do you want to know who Tommy Tildrum is?" "Oh, I've had such an adventure. I was digging away at old Mr. Fordyce's grave when I suppose I must have fallen asleep, and only woke up by hearing a cat's miaou," "Miaou!" said Old Tom in answer. "Yes, just like that! So I looked over the edge of the grave, and what do you think I saw?" "Now, how can I tell?" said the Sexton's wife. "Why, nine black cats all like our friend Old Tom here, all with a white spot on their chests. And what do you think they were carrying? Why, a small coffin covered with a black velvet pall, and on the pall was a small coronet all of gold, and at every third step they took they cried all together, 'Miaou—!' 2 THE KING O' THE CATS "Miaoul" said Old Tom again. "Yes, just like that!" said the Sexton; "and as they came nearer and nearer to me I could see them more distinctly, because their eyes shone with a sort of green light. Well, they all came to- wards me, eight of them carrying the coffin, and the biggest cat of all walking in front for all the world like—but look at Old Tom, how he's looking at me. You'd think he knew all I was saying." "Go on, go on," said his wife, "never mind Old Tom." "Well, as I was a-saying, they came towards me slowly and solemnly, and at every third step cry- " ing all together, 'Miaou—* "Miaou!" said Old Tom again. "Yes, just like that, till they came and stood right opposite Mr. Fordyce's grave, where I was, when they all stood still and looked straight at me. I did feel queer, that I did! But look at Old Tom; he's looking at me just like they did." "Go on, go on," said his wife, "never mind Old Tom." "Where was I? Oh, they all stood still looking at me, when the one that wasn't carrying the 3 ARROW BOOK OF GHOST STORIES coffin came forward and, staring straight at me, said to me, with a squeaky voice, Tell Tom Til- drum that Tim Toldrum's dead,' and that's why I asked you if you know who Tom Tildrum was, for how can I tell Tom Tildrum Tim Toldrum's dead if I don't know who Tom Tildrum is?" "Look at Old Tom, look at Old Tom!" screamed his wife. And well he might look, for Old Tom was swell- ing and Old Tom was staring, and at last Old Tom shrieked out, "What-Old Tim dead! Then I'm the King o' the Cats!" and rushed up the chimney and was never more seen.
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