Twas a calm day in the Lehane House when the eldest daughter of Walter and Charlene Lehane, Harriet, first saw the Ghost Child of their home. Harriet was a-walkin' back from the kitchen after stealin' a cookie from the cookie jar. She went on back up them stairs there. You know, the ones in front of the kitchen? Well, she went back up them stairs with a cookie, and she saw her. Lil' Harriet saw that Ghost Child!

Harriet was anything but scered! She gets that from her mama, you know. But Harriet wasn't scered, so she followed that Ghost Child! That bedroom door slammed closed so loud! I thought somethin' bad was goin' on! Harriet went on up them stairs and looked in that bedroom. That room would've been cleaner if a tornado hit! It was ransacked! Lil' Harriet went on to her room, ate her cookie, and told the tale of the Ghost Child at dinner.

Now, Charlene was ablazin'! She made Harriet clean that bedroom top to bottom, twice! And without a slice a' pie. Harriet was ablazin', too, something she also gets from her mama. Harriet never mentioned the Ghost Child again, 'cept to me. She said the Ghost Child was a youn' girl wearin' a nightgown white as snow.

Charlene thought it was all in Harriet's imagination 'til her eldest son, Colin, saw that Ghost Child 'imself. He was a-walkin' out of the kitchen after helping his mama wash an' dry the dishes. Colin said that Ghost Child was at the foot of the steps, standin' above a painted portrait of a young woman. That portrait usually hanged on the wall, but it was on the floor near where all the mice lived. It's a wonder they haven't eaten it yet! Now, Colin never really fancied that paintin', because the world was all smiles back then. That painted girl never smiled. He left it there without a word.

The next day at dinner, Colin said he saw the Ghost Child. Charlene thought Harriet was fillin' Colin's mind with excuses to cause micheif. Turns out, Harriet only ever told her mama, her papa, an' me. He told his mama about the paintin', an' she didn't really mind. Charlene herself never fancied that paintin'. It was decor that came with the house. She just never had time to find a replacement. That day, Charlene gave Harriet an extra piece ah pie.

Today, Harriet's in elemnt'ry school, and Colin's gonna be in kindergarten soon. Charlene wonders when her youngest, two twins she named Ryan and Rachel, would see the Ghost Child. She told me she worries, but I told her not to. That Ghost Child just wants play.