The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1851-04-26

HlSHt
" Visitation! What sort of visitation q
She turned visibly cold while she an
swered: at was last Wednesday fort
night that | awoke in the middle of the
night-that is between two and three
in the morning, when it was getting
quite light, and saw"
She choked little, and stopped
"Well!' said Mr.. Gurney, "what
did you see 2"
II saw at the bottom of the bed, a
most hldeous-a most detestable face
gibbering, and making months at me-
"A facew
eyes; | could see only the face fex-
cept, indeed hand upon the bed-post
because Il peeped round the bedpost
! bfaem beifiss.d ne curtain. The curtains
are drawn down to the foot of the bed.n
She stole a look at Mr.. Gurney. He
was rolling his head; and there was a
working about his mouth before he
asked
What time did you sup that night %
Now" she replied, ''you are not
going to say, | hope, that it was night
mare. Most people would; but hoped
that you knew me better than to sup
pose that | eat such suppers as would
occasion nightmare, or that l should
not know nightmare from reality.n
g But my dear Mrs. Wharton, what
else can | sayn
= Perhaps you'd better listen further
before you say anything. have seen
the same appearance on three occasions
| since.v
"Indeedn
Yes, on three several nights, and
about the same hour. And since the
first appearance, my supper has been
merely little bread and butter, with a
glass of water. | chose TO exclude
nightmare, asI would exclude anything
whatever that could possibly cause an
appearance so horrible.n
What sort of face is it ~
"Short and broad-silIy. and vet Sly:
and the features gibber and wofk,-Oh!
fearfullyw
Do you hear ii come aud go!'
No. When | wake land | never
used to wake in the night il is there:
and It dlsappears-to say the truth
while my eyes are covered for | can
not meet its eyes. | hear nothing
w hen venture a glance. sometimes it |
is still there: sometimes it is gone'
Have you missed any propertyw
No: nor found any trace whatever. |
We have LOST nothing: and there is |
really not dnnr or Window that sanra-
ever to have been touched; not an |
opening where any one could get in or
out
And if there were, what could be the
object What does yonr daughter say
TO ii ?7
'.Oh.7 said Wharton, rising |
quickly, s'she does not and indeed she
must not know word of it. ought to |
have said, at first, that what am tell
ing you is entirely in confidence If |
told my daughter, it might then go
further. We could not keep our SER
wants week. if it got out And if / |
should want 10 let my house. | could
not find a tenant The value of the
property would go down to nothing
consider that; for It is to be hers here
after. And we could never have a
guest to stay with us. No one would
sleep in the house single night. In
deed, You must not
"Well, we'll: will not mention it.
But don't see
He paused, and Mrs. Wharton replied
to his thought.
It is difficult to form conlectures.-
to say anything, in such case, which
does not appear too foolish to be uttered.
But one must have some thoughts; and
perhaps-if one can talk of possibilities
lit is possible this appearance may be
meant for me alone; and, therefore, if
| can conceal it from my daughter-tiil
| am convinced whether it is meant
for me alone
"l would soon try that" observed Mr..
Gurney. Seeing Mrs. Wharton look
wisffully at him. he continued
My advice is, that you have your
daughter sleep with you, after hearing
your story. Try whether she can See
this face"
'You do not think she would?D
"I think she would not. My dear
friend, if were medical man. | could
tell you facts which you are little aware
of-anecdotes of the strange tricks that
our nerves play with us;-of delusions
so like reality-v
"Do you think | have not considered
thatan exclaimed the poor lady. ''Mr.
Gurney, I did not think that you would
try to persuade me out of my senses,
when tell you that four times / have
seen in daylight, and when was wide
awake, and in perfect health, what
have saidn
Mr.. Gurney was very gentle; but as
he said, what could he suggest but in
or some such cause of nervous
Yet his heart smote him
when his old friend laid her forehead
against the mantel-piece, and cried
heartily. /;
He did all he could. He tried inde-
fatigably, though in vain, to persuade
her to let her daughter share the spec
Eacle. And be went the same day,
when Miss Wharton was out for her |
walk and the servants were at dinner.
10 examine the house. He made no |
mi Il l.. 4