Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-02-09
For the Craftsman Journal. +"
A TRUE GHOST STORY.

The following touching incident was related
to the writer by Reverend gentleman, who
was personally acquainted with the parties,
and who youches for the authenticity of the
story =
Some years ago, Col. Patterson, of Steu-
bcnville, n. Y, buried lovely little daugh-
ter of some eight years old. She had been
very delicate for years, and the hearts of the
parents naturally yearned toward her with in
creasing affection. in proportion as she be-
came more pale and feeble, and when at length
the poor, frail earthly tenement could no lon
ger imprison the immortal spirit, the parents
grief was such as only parents can feel under
similar circumstances. Lilly was dead and
ready to be laid in the cold ground. The last
kiss was snatched from the pale lips, and the
| lovely face (lovely even in death) was adorned
with fresh spring flowers. The coffin was
closed, and the sad procession wended its way
to the church-yard, where ssashes to ashes,
dust to DUST" the little flower was consigned
to its kindred earth.
1t was after the funeral that the bereaved
parents felt their loneliness, but they sorrowed
not without hope, for they knew that their
child was "not lost but only gone before. "
They sat up somewhat late that night, talking
OF their beloved Lilly and the JOY of meeting
her where parting is no more. When at length
| they retired to their chamber, and before the
Col. had got into bed, their attention was at
tracted by the opening of their door, and upon
looking in that direction what were their feel
ingS to see their little girl advancing into the
room, dressed in her long white grave clothes !!
! The terrified mother buried herself in the bed
clothes, shuddering from head to foot, while
the Colonel, whose first impulse was to fly,
became SO completely paralyzed that he sank
into chair. 1t was some moments before he
recovered the use of his reasoning faculties,
and when he did so, he believed that his dear
child could never return to do him harm, and
lie instinctively extended his arms toward her,
when she stepped forward and placed herse If
betwiXt his knees. He lifted her upon his
knees and gazed upon ber pale face and the
strange and vacant gaze of those large blue
eyes, till gradually light seemed 10 break in
npon his mind, and the weight of confused
ideas, which had psevented him from speaking
| up to this time, rolling away, he recognized,
not his beloved child returned from the grave,
| but the child of near neighbor. Here he
saw the whole mystery solved. The child had
| been the playmate OF his own daughter, and
| being of the same age and bearing striking
| resemblance TO her, and having in somnam-
| bulic state, left her own bed, had stolen from
| the house and made her way to Col. Patter-
! sons house, where she found an entrance by a
| back door, and proceeded TO the chamber in
/ search of her little playmate. The Col, after
| awaking her out of her sleep, and convincing
| his terrified wife of the facts of the case, took
| the little thing in his arms and carried her 10
| her Lwn home. He found that she had left
| the door ajar, and had passed over deep
ditch, on single plank, in going from her
! fathers house to the Col. s. thus presenting
another instance of sleep tralker passing
| through danger which they could not face in a
| waking state. Woodward.