At the end of a precipitous path , which offered every facility for accidents of all sorts , from a sprained ankle to a broken neck , stood the cottage , a little white building with a pretty woodbine over the porch , gay flowers in the garden , and the blue Atlantic rolling up at the foot of the cliff . `` A regular ` Cottage by the Sea . ' It will suit me exactly if I can have that front upper room . I do n't mind being alone , so have my trunk taken down , please , and I 'll get ready for tea , '' said I , congratulating myself on my good luck . Alas , how little I knew what a night of terror I was to pass in that picturesque abode ! An hour later , refreshed by my tea and invigorated by the delicious coolness , I plunged recklessly into the gayeties of the season , and accepted two invitations for the evening , -- one to a stroll on Sunset Hill , the other to a clam-bake on the beach . The stroll came first , and while my friend paused at one of the fishily-fragrant houses by the way , to interview her washerwoman , I went on to the hill-top , where a nautical old gentleman with a spy-glass , welcomed me with the amiable remark , -- `` Pretty likely place for a prospeck . '' Entering into a conversation with this ancient mariner , I asked if he knew any legend or stories concerning the old houses all about us . `` Sights of 'em ; but it aint allers the old places as has the most stories concernin ' 'em . Why , that cottage down yonder aint more 'n fifty year old , and they say there 's been a lot of ghosts seen there , owin ' to a man 's killin ' of himself in the back bedroom . '' `` What , that house at the end of the lane ? '' I asked , with sudden interest . `` Jes ' so ; nice place , but lonesome and dampish . Ghosts and toadstools is apt to locate in houses of that sort , '' placidly responded the venerable tar . The dampness scared me more than the goblins , for I never saw a ghost yet , but I had been haunted by rheumatism , and found it a hard fiend to exorcise . `` I 've taken a room there , so I 'm rather interested in knowing what company I 'm to have . '' `` Took a room , hev you ? Wal , I dare say you wo n't be troubled . Some folks have a knack of seeing sperrits , and then agin some has n't . My wife is uncommon powerful that way , but I aint ; my sight 's dreadful poor for that sort of critter . ''
There was such a sly twinkle in the starboard eye of the old fellow as he spoke , that I laughed outright , and XXXXX , sociably , -- `` Has she ever seen the ghosts of the cottage ?
Entering Took accepted asked invigorated knew saw say stood suit