The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-10-15

| to view again, returning 10 an oppOt itt
direction, With the same slow, gliding
motion. His companion had regained
the opposite sidewalk, and stood gazing
up in silence, seemingly struck speech.
less with horror, and with trembling
steps Mr.. Moerton gained his side and
turned his eyes in the same direction
His CONSERVATION may be imagined when
his gaze fell upon the form Of human
being shrouded from head to foot in .
long white night dress, about which q
mass Of long hair, which CLEANED darkly
10 the moonbeams, fell in wild confusion.
This spectral form paced slowly 10 and
fro on the narrow ridge board which GOV.
cred the apex Of the roof, approaching
in frightful proximity Of the abrupt ter
mination at the ends, and calmly turning
about to retrace the distance, always with
the same uufa''ering step and easy Gid
ing motion. The house was a high one,
and a misstep or u step too far, would
have plunged the night. walker down to
certain destruction--as also would cas-
ual sound, the shout of a midnight rev.
eler, or the crow of y morning cock.
The walker was a woman, and, as she
moved back and forth, she occasionally
raised her hand to her head, as though
engaged in thought or troubled with
pain. The head never moved to the
right or left, up or down, but always
maintained the same position, erect aud
straight as a statue. A chimney stood
directly in the middle of the roof, around
which she passed with ease, placing one
hand upon its top, and walking down the
s'oping roof to get around Once in this
spectral walk she paused at the edge of
the roof, and, before turning, looked
straight out ahead into the black night,
as If peering beyond mortal vision, into
some mysterious realm.
A waving movement Of the right hand
accompanied this act, which lasted but q
moment, when the walk was again re-
newed aud the light shadow passed across
the faces Of the spell bound gazers as she
hid the moon for an instant from tn ir
sight. The same spot was reached again
Il few moments after, when the Fl. urc
again paused, aud again gazed out into
the darkness, and then, with slow mo-
ton, stretched oat a hand, aud with out
spread fingers clutched ut something
which had no existence except in the
fevered mind of the sleeper. The other
hand was then extended in the like man
ner, aud the body went forward in such
4 way that the upper portion hung over
the abyss, while the fingers reached out,
on, until there was no further reaching,
and then clutched again with a quick,
convulsive snatch, and were withdrawn
The form was motionless a moment; aud
then commenced its walk again, contnu-
ing as far as the middle Of the roof. when
it turned toward the rear of the house,
and, moving down the slope of the roof,
was lost to sight.
Mr.. Moreton, while witnessing this
scene, had recognized the features and
form of his servant girl, young female
Of about Is, named Jane Mooney. With
a feeling of Undesirable relief he saw
her disappear, and knew that she had
descended through skylight to the gar
ret and to her room. fastening in, he !
aroused his wife, aud went with her to
the girls room, and found her sitting on
the side # the bed, wide awake, aud in |
a state of mind bordering on distraction. |
She had no knowledge Of the occurrence, |
but had been awakened by the noise of
her employer entering the house, and
found herself standing in the middle of |
her own room in the condition described.
That the results were no worse was a |
matter Of devout thankfu.ness to all !
within that house.
The girl had been suffering from |
brain fever, from which she was gradual
" recovering, which undoubtedly caused
this dangerous freak She has no knowl- |
edge of anything of the kind having oc-
Cured previously, and will be we'll
watched in future, US she is highly es-
teemed. It was thrilling adventure
with happy result.