Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-04-05
From the New York Post.1
NEW FOOTBALLS FROM AN0TH.
ER WORLD


For several days past there has been a
bit of personal gossip afoat uptown which,
as in similar instances, has been highly ex-
agSerated. Yet even allowing for these
exaggerations, the facts OF the suppositions
whichever they he--as related by one
Of the principal actors, are Of themselves
strange enough to satisfy the most inveter-
ate admirer Of the marvellous and as the
story has been solemnly asseverated before
mixed company Of some twenty persons,
and afterwards rctailed and repeated SO
much as to be almost town talk, we are
committing no impropriety, we trust, in
stating the circumstances. as far as We have
been abe 20 discover them.
The numerous literary persons and 9th
crs who frequent the spacious halls Of the
Astor library will be interested therefore,
in learning that their iayorite retreat is
haunted. OF course, on seeing the com
Portable, wellligLted rooms in the day time,
when filed with careful readers, and en-
lyened often by the presence Of gaily dres-
sed ladies and other visitors, nothing seems
more preposterous than the idea Of ghosts.
But let the reader imagine these wide halls
as they arc atnight, swathed in darkness, the
gloomy alcoves casting yet deeper and
gloomicr shadOws-whcn football rever-
berates through the wide cxpanse with mys-
terious echoes, and when the lamp borne
by the startled explorer along tortuous pas
sages and among musty tombs send but a
feeble ray, that scarccl y serves to make the
darkness visible, and the aspect is very diff
iereut. At this time the Astor library
and for that matter, all large libraries at
such time-is rather dismal place, and
suggests, unpleasantly enough, to ans one
who may be there alone, HOOD lines
"O'er all there hung a shadow and a fear,
A sense OF mystery the spirit daunted,
Which said. plain as whisper in the ear,
The place Is haunted"
It was at such time, in such a place,
and to one lonely explorer, that the
ghost Of the Astor Library appeared.
To understand the circumstances of this
remarkable apparition the more fully,
the reader should remember that Dr. Cogs-
well, the efficient librarian, has been for
some time engaged in the compilation of
complete catalogue Of the library. Al
though over year since 1t was commenc-
ed, the work has only reached to the letter
Z. DIR. Cogswellis an unmarried man,
and occupies a sleeping apartment in the
upper part Of the library, the janitor resid-
ing in the basement It is the rule of the
library to dismiss visitors at sunset, and
during the evening and night no individ-
ual besides DR.. Cogswell and the ianitor
and his family remain in the building.
Against the advice of his friends, DR..
Cogswell devotes hours of night that should
be given to repose, to the pursuance of his
work on the catalogue. Naturally anxious
to hasten forward its completion and fired
with all the enthusiasm of a professed BIZ
bliopole, his labors in this tedious and diff
ticult task are almost incredible. At the
same time the work is Of that dry, statisti-
Cal character which is by nc means sug-
gestive of fanciful apparations, nor is the
interchangeable compiler a man easily swayed
by the passing delusions of the eye or
brain.
Some two weeks ago DR. Cogswell was
at work as usual on the catalogue 1t was
"oo"' OiCfCh y CIoCh dG ulSHG, anu naNlHS
occasion to refer to some books in distant
part of the library, he left his desk, took
his candle, and, as he had often done be-
fore, pursued his course among the wind
ing passages toward the desired spot. But
on reaching it, while in an alcove in the
southwestern part of the older portion of
the building he was startled by seeing
man, respectfully dressed in citizen clothes,
surveying shelf of books The doc
tor supposed it to be robber who had Sc
ereted himself for the purpose of abstract
ing some of the valuable works in the H.
brary; after stepping back behind the par
tition for moment, he again moved eau
tiously forward, to catch glimpse of the
individuals face, when to his surprise he
recognized in the supposed robbcr the fea-
lures of physician, (whose name we for
bear giving who had lived in the imme-
date vicinity of the library, and who had
died some six years ago! 1t should be
borne IN mind that this deceased person
was mere actual acquaintance of Doctor
Cogsweil, not an intimate friend, and since