Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1823-12-17

Reaching the house in this frame o
} thought, closed the library window
shutters as | passed, and entering the
room by glass door, seated myself il
a chair that fronted the garden Scarce
ly minute had elapsed, when wa.
J thrilled by the strange wayful howl o.
my favorite spaniel, who had followed
me into the apartment, and came trem
bling and crouching to my feet, occasion.
ally turning his eyes to the back of the
chamber, and again instantly revertine
them with every demonstration of ter
ror and agony. Mine instinctively took
the same direction, when, notwithstand.
ing the dimness of the light, plainly and
indlsputahly recognized the apparitiou
OF my friend sitting molionless 10 the
great arm chair Its easy TO be cour-
ageous in theory, not difficult to be bold
IN practice, when the mind has time to
collect its energies but uaken as was
by surprise, confess, that establishment
and terror so far mastered all my facul-
ties, that, without daring to cast a single
glance towards the vision, walk ed rap
idly back into the garden, followed by
the, deg, who still testified the same agi-
tation and alarm.
Here | had leisure to recover from
my first perturbation; and as my thoughts
rallied, ! endeavored TO persuade myself
that had been deluded by some con-
Duration of the mind, or some spectral
deception of the visual organ. But in
either case how account for the terror
of the dog? He could neither be innu-
enced by superstition, nor could his un-
erring sight be,ray him into groundless
alarm, yet it was incontestible that we
had both been appalled, by the same OBJ
Ject. Soon recovering my natural forth
tude ofspirit, Iresolved, whatever might
be the consequences, to return and adj
dress the appariton. even began to
fear it'mighl have vanished; for Clan
vile, who has written largely on ghosts,
expressly says, "That it is very hard
and painful thing for them to force their
thin and tedrous bodies into visible con-
sistence that their bodies must needs
be exceedingly compressed, and that
therefore they must be in haste to be de-
livered from their unnatural pressure"
| returned therefore with some rapidly
towards the library; and although the
dog stood immoveably still at some dis
lance, in spite of my solicitations, and
kept earnestly gazing upon me, as if in
apprehension Of an approaching catas-
troPhe, proceeded onward, and turned
back the shutters which i had closed,
determined not to be imposed upon by
any dubiousness of The light. Thus for
titled against deception, | rc-entefed the
room with firm step, and there in the
full glare OF day did / again clearly and
wildly behold the identical apparition,
sitting in the same posture as before, and
having its eyes closed
My heart somewhat failed me under
this sensible confirmation of the vision,
but, summoning all my courage, walk
ed up to the chair, exclaiming with a
desperate, energy" In the name OF
heaven and of all its angels, what dost
thou seek here !''-whenthe figure slow
ly rising up, opening its eyes, and stretch.
ing out lis arms, replied" A leg Of
mutton and caper sauce, with bottle Of
prime old port, for such is the dinner
4 you promised me-" Good God! -
i calculated, ''what can this mean? Are
you not really dead?'' ."No more than
you are" replied the figure. "Some
open mouthed fool told my clerk that
was, and he instantly wrote to tell you
OF it; but it was my namesake, George
Staples, of Castle street, not me, nor e.
ven one of my relations, so let US have
dinner as soon as you please, for ar
as hungry as hunter"
The promised dinner being soonu por
the table, my friend informed me, in the
intervals OF his ever ready laughter
that as soon as he had undeceived hi,
clerk, he walked over to Star Cross t.
| do me the same favor; that he had fall
len asleep in the arm chair, while wait
=, ing my return from the grounds; and a
, to the dog, he reminded me that he ha'
severely punished him at his last visi
, for killing chicken, which explained
5 his terror, and his crouching TO me 70
r protection, when he recognized his chas
r tiser. a.
! q. From the Boston Daily advertiser.
REVIVAL OF LIBERTY IN GREECE.