The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-09 00:00:00

THE HABITS OF BUFFALO GHOSTS.

The Buffalo (New York) Express contains the
following extraordinary communication :
" I have reasons for not signing my name to the
following statement, and for withholding it from
every person living, although I can pledge the word
of an honest man that every word 1. am now about
to relate is, as far as I am capable of judging, as
true as truth itself.

" On the night of Christmas-eve, then, as I was
returning home after attending Divine service in a
certain church in this city, on nearing my residence
became suddenly aware that a stranger was walk-
ing close behind me, and keeping step with me
in a manner which I considered to be some-
what familiar and offensive. Influenced by the
sacredness of the place I had just left, feeling
that I should soon be relieved of such unde-
sirable company, I said nothing, but hurried my
pace until 1 reached the steps leading to my
own door. At this point I halted for a moment
with the intention of scrutinising the stranger more
closely as he passed, when I became sensible at once,
that although it was snowing rather fast, from the
time I became cognisant of the stranger's proximity
up to the time that I reached home none of the
snow fell upon either ide of us, but seemed to have
been repelled about two feet all around from each
of us, we both, as it were, walking in a sort of
vacuum. Although I saw this palpably at the same
time of its occurrence, and was quite aware that not a
particle of snow touched either of us while we were
together, yet strange to say, it never struck mess being
singular until I had mounted the steps and found
the flakes falling on me once more. At this junc-
ture 1 became very much alarmed, and the more so
from the fact that, when I turned round, on the
upper step of the flight, to endeavour to get a peep
at the stranger's face, he was gone. Ile had dis-
appeared with the velocity of light, and under cir-
cumstances the most incomprehensible, leaving a
strange impression that I had seen him before, but
as to when or where I was totally unable to deter-
mine.

" Completely astonished at an adventure so
strange, I entered my residence, where to my sur-
prise I found an old frie.nd seated in my study
beside a cheerful coal fire that burned in the grate,
and whom I had not seen for years, although I was
iu the habit of constantly corresponding with him.
We were mutually delighted at the meeting, and I
was happy at making him at home in my bachelor's
quarters-4 having passed into the sere and yellow
leaf without having been fortunate enough to make
a favourable impression upon any one of the fair
sex. At the novelty of my position, and the grati-
fication it afforded me, all remembrance of my ad-
venture in the street was completely lost sight of,
and I addressed myself to conversation and the
meagre hospitalities that I could offer him at so
late an hour of the night—my housekeeper having
gone to bed.

" After supper and a single glass of ale each, we
retired to our respective apartments, to renew our
conversation at breakfast and spend a happy Christ-
mas day together. Somehow or other I did not
sleep very well ; but as I am rather abstemious, and
quite unused to late suppers, I fancied that my
restlessness was occasioned by even the single glass
of ale and the few mouthsful I had eaten. As the
day began to dawn, however, I sank into a deep
refreshing slumber, from which I was aroused about
eight o'clock by the well-known voice of my aged
domestic announcing the breakfast ready. I was
soon up and dressed, and, as was always my wont,
passed into my study before going down stairs.
" Here, to my utter surprise, I perceived stand-
ing on the table at which my friend and I had
supped two glasses—one empty and the other filled
with ale—beside a plate, the contents of which ap-
peared not to have been touched. I was astonished
and confused beyond measure at this, for, before
retiring to rest, I had locked a door leading out
into the hall at the head of the stairs, which effec-
tually cut off both my study and my bedroom
from all intrusion. Unable to account for
this strange condition of the table, I instantly
hastened to the apartment of my friend, and
knocked at the door. Receiving no reply, I entered
the room, when lo and behold ! it was empty, while
his bed bore all the evidence of its not having been
slept in the night previously. I ran down stairs in
great consternation, and learned from my house-
keeper that she had not made up any beds that
morning, and that not a soul had left or entered
the house that morning.
" Utterly bewildered, I was about to make some
inquiries when my attention was arrested by a knock
at the hall-door. It was the postman. He handed me
a letter. I opened it and sank into a chair. It con-
tained the announcement of my friend's death, which
had occurred at Washington a few days previous.
After having perused the sad contents, the recollec-
tion of my strange adventure in the street rushed in
with great force and distinctness upon my memory,
while my subsequent experience in my study abso-
lutely, for the time being, paralysed all my reason-
ing faculties, although I am far from being a stranger
to mysterious sights and sounds, in the reality of
which I never believed, nor do I fully yet. But what
conclusion can I arrive at in this instance ? As
may be presumed the subject has been present with
me ever since, and I now give it to the public in the
hope that sonic explanation may be offered in con-
nection with it, rather than from any desire to make
it notorious."

MILITARY EXPENDITURE ON THE COLONIES.--•
The Army Estimates now before the House of Com-
mons contain charges amounting in the whole to
£3,193,278 for military purposes in the colonies.
This large expenditure is distributed thus :—Canada
(including a small sum for British Columbia),
£635,604 ; Nova Scotia, £218,615 ; Newfoundland,
£21,441 ; Bermuda, £167,819 ; West Indies,
£275,898; Australasia, £170,696; China, £228,749 ;
Ceylon, Straits Settlements, and Labuan, £239,964;
Mauritius, £132,112 ; West Coast of Africa,
£103,820 ; Cape and Natal, £289,379 ; St. Helena,
£41,188; Gibraltar and Malta, £667,973. This
statement is exclusive of the cost of arms, accoutre-
ments, barrack, hospital, and other stores, the
greater portion of which is supplied from this coun-
try ; and it is also exclusive of any portion of re-
cruiting expenses, head-quarter administrative ex-
penses, and non-effective charges. The sums that
will probably be repaid by the colonies amount to
only £34B,7oo:—Ceylon and Straits Settlements,
1220,000 ; Australia, £43,N0 ; Mauritius, £45,000 ;
China, £15,000; Cape and Natal, £19,500; Malta,
£6,200.

A meeting of the Neutrality Laws Commissioners
was held on Wednesday, the 27th ult., at 2,
Victoria-street, Westminster. Present—Lord Cran-
worth, Lord Houghton, Lord Cairns, Right Hon.
Stephen Lushington, Sir William Erie, Sir R. J.
Philhnore, Q.C., Sir Roundell Palmer, M.P., Q.C.,
Travers Twiss, Esq., Q.C., W. V. Vernon Har-
court, Esq., Q.C., Thomas Baring, Esq., M.P.,
W. H. Gregory, Esq., M.P., and W. E. Forster,
Esq., M.P. Mr. C. S. A. Abbott, and'Mr. F. P.
Onslow, secretary to the commission, were also
present.

The Queen's Speech sent by the Atlantic cable
consisted of eleven hundred and sixty words, and
cost the American press $2,900 in gold or $3,973
in currency.