Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-07-19
SfGsttIIantous.
a Ghost Story.

none the best Night. cold and damp, over
touk US eight or ten miles from home, but
only a short distance from Judge Bank.
Knowing that we should find outside the
Judge door the litch.siriDg, and warm
welcome, warm fire, and warm supper,
besides beds which we could warm fo- our
selves, We unheri'aiing'y consigned our
selves TO iis hOspital ty. Supper being oyer,&
o1r persons sraied according 10 our several
tastes IN a semi.c ircle be ore IN old fash.
oned blazing FIRE. we were Just in the
mood TO enjoy our hosts Conversational gifts
Among other things, he rrsted the follow.
ing unique tale, which we unanimously
agreed tn put in print:
Said the Judge ~ foilows: Years ago we
had 10 our house a sweet little child. about
four years of age, the object. uf course, of a
very tender affection. But sickness had its
baud nprn IT, Remedies promptly resorted
to, all proved in vain. Day, nfter dsv. the
rose faded from the check, and tie FIRE in
The eyes burned loS, and at lrnglh death
closed those eyes and led those lips for.
ever; and we learned by trying experience
how intense dtrknpss follows the quench-
ling OF one Of those little lights Of life.
Tine time rolling sadly on, brought US at
length to the hour appointed for committing
our treasure to the ordinary sure custody Of
the grave. the friends assembled, the Gus
ltomary services were held. the fare we'll ,a-
ken, and the little form securely shut be-
meath the well screwed coffin lid, and in due
flrn i,a l..
ed on ard saw the earth thrown in, the
mound raised above, and the plates Of sod
neatly adjusted into great, sheliering roof
and then wended our way back to our des-
olute home. Evening came on and wore
away. My vile had gone into an adjoining
room to give some directions to a servant
and |, unified by ths scene Of the day for
aught else, had just laid my head On my pill.
low in our room upon the first floor Of the
house. when heard shrek, and in q mo
ment more, my wife came flying into the
room. and springing upon the bed behind me
exclamed:
"See there! our child, our child!''
Raising my head, my blood froze within
me, and the hair upon nv he ID stood up as
ca" VIC "''c t"'"S !" g'H'e Ci"tnes, VIII
oPen, but maniieslly sghtless eyes, md pail
eyes, and pale as when we give it the lns
kiss, walking slowly towards Us! Had
been alone-had not the extreme terror o
my wife compelled me to play the man,
should have leaped from the window and bet
without casting a look bshind. 4
But, not daring to leave her in such ter
ror, arose, sat down in a chair, and tool
the little creature between my knees-a col,
sweat covered my body and gazed will
feeling unutterable upon the object befor
me. The eyes were open in vacant stare
The flesh was colorless, cold and clammy
nor did the child appear TO have The powe
OF either speech or hearing, for i, made NJ
attempt to to answer any of our questions
The horror OF our minds was the more in
tense as we had watched our child througl
its sickness and death, and bad been but
few hours before witnesses ot its inter
ment
While gazing upon it, and asking in m
thoughts, "What can this extraordinar
Providence meant For what can it b
, sent" the servant girl, having crept to th,
4 door, after time. suggested, at looks lik
, Mrs.-'s child"
NowsSyEupeighbaE had a child OF nearl
, the same age ds'ours, aud its constant com
4 paninn: But what could bting it TO ou
, house at that hour, and in sucN@ plight
J.. Sill the suggestion had operated asa seda
/. tive upon our excited feelings and rendere
q US more capable of calm reflection. And
D after time, we discovered in truth, tha
). the grave clothes were night clothes, m
:; '"e ec'pSe So"'"a"' ,oh''! anu 1t oeo''a =.
j. ,"n, ,"e Ae'e'"e". "'''"u'"e ="
IS 'oo. a"u 'u' 'a' VI ~, p'"y "a'e' Wo,S"s Vi
3, =" . :" ''ep' W.. NV ~,
l. 70 wh''h we were 'hdeo'ed 'o' th's un"mei
s"u "''''s '''n =.
G "'p'"s 1""y ,'s p'eNP''a''os, '"" 'aA'"
Is 'ew 'u"e o.ea."s' P,fps'.u ~ 'ou"S
n manu- tne "''e ''''u'er o''h " u. io''a
= ueu. Da.n .n we "e"'' II Ne,p'"E =, "y s'
II t""uS" '.'n a,'e.p' ~ "a" "a'H'u H'',e
f. ''"I a.' '"e wei e'aS' 'Ou"u ~
h avo' VI 'ne "ou,e a!''' Ius' 10 .ne 'uR,'N
." "'anu '"e s'eep,"t patents u"1on'''o'
's .. M' "o'se"s'. "e uool .,e'Stu ".,, as 10,
l. Pusheu " opeh' anu ""hehru VIC c"hu WI