Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-12-04
M SCELL A N Y.
The Dead Child's Ghost.

see LII AN NY.
The Dead Child's Ghost.
The New York Presbyterian of q late date re-
lates this story e5 r
We were returning from our Spring meeting
of Presbytery-one gentleman and two young
ladies-in ''rockaway," and the road none of
the best. Night, cold and damp, overlook US
distance from Judge Blanks, who, after we had
arrived at his house, narrated the following
unique tale. Said the Judge as follows
''Years ago we had in our house a sweet little
child, about four years of age, and the object OF
course, of very tender affection. But sickness
laid its hand upon it. Remedies, promptly re-
sorted to, all proved in vain. Day after day the
rose faded from the cheek, aud the fire in the
eyes burned low; and at length death closed
! those eyes and sealed those lips forever; and
we learned by trying experience how intense
darkness follows the quenching of one OF those
little lights of life.
'.The time rolling sadly on, brought US at
length to the hour appointed for committing our
treasure to the ordinary custody of the grave
The friends assembled, the customary services
were held, the farewell taken, and the little form
securely shut beneath the wel-screwed coffin
lid, and in due form the grave received its trust.
We looked on and saw the earth thrown IN,
the mound raised above, and the plates OF sod
neatly adjusted into great sheltering roof
We then wended our way back to our desolate
home Evening came on and wore away. My
wife had gone into an adjoining room to give
some directions to servant, and |, unified by
the scene Of the day for aught else had just laid
my head on my pillow in our room upon the
| first floor of the house, when heard q shrek,
and in moment more my wife came flying into
the room, and spriDging upon the bed behind
me, exclaimed
s'See there! our child our child
Raising my head, my blood froze within me,
and the hair upon my head stood up, as | saw
the little thing in grave clothes, with open, but
manifestly sightless eyes, and pale as when we
gave it the last kiss walking slowly towards
US. Had | been alone-had not the extreme
terror of my wife compelled me to play the man,
| | should have l.aped from the window and bed
without casting look behind.
"But, not daring to leave her in such terror,
| arose, sat down in chair, ard took the little
creature between my knees-a cold sweat Gov
cred my body-and gazed with feelings unut-
terable upon the object before me. The eyes
were open in vacant stare. The flesh was
colorless, cold and clammy; nor did the child
appear to have the power of either speech or
|
our questions The horror of our minds was
the more intense as we had watched our child
through it's sickness and death, and had been
| but few hours before eye-witnesses of its In
terment. sa
sWhile gazing upon it, and asking in my ST.
| lent thoughts, what can this extraordinary
providence mean9 for what can it be sents' the
servant girl, having crept to the door, after a
time. suggested, it looks like Mrs. -'s child.
| Snow our neighbors had child about the
sane age as ours, and its constant companion
But what could bring it to our home at that
hour and in such plight9 Still the suggestion
had operated as q sedative upon our excited
feelings, and rendered US more capable of calm
reflection. And, after time, we discovered in
truth. that the graoe clothes were aa0ht clothes,
| and the corpse somnambulist. And it became
manifest that the excitement attending the loss
and burial of its playmate, working upon the
child's mind in sleep, was the cause to which we
were indebted from this untimely and startling
visit.
| "Wiping away the perspiration, and taking q
few long breaths, prepared to countermarch
the little intruder back to its forsaken bed
| Back we went, it keeping at my side, though
still asleep. 1t had walked quite distance
across the wet grass. | found the door of It's
home ajar, just as the fugitive had left it, and
its sleeping parents unconscious OF Its ABSENCE
The door creaked as pushed it open, and the
noise awakened the child, who looked wildly
around moment, and then popped into bed.
| s'Now, if it had not been for my wife, as
have said, should, on the appearance OF this
apparition, have made leap of uncommon
agility from that window; and after flight OF
uncommon velocity for person of my age and
dignity, should have been ready to take an oath
| in any court, either in Christendom or heathen-
dom, that had seen ghOst.'
THE MAN WHO DoN'r PAY THE PRINTER
May he be shod with lightning and compelled to
walk over the plains of gunpowder.
May he have sore eyes and chestnut bur for
an eye stone.
| May every day of his life be more despotic
than the Dey of Algiers.
May he never be permitted to kiss pretty
woman.
May his sheet be sprinkled with cowhedge
and with bed bugs, and feas be the sharer Of his
couch.
May 240 nightmares trot quarter races over
his stomach every night.
May his wife be always cross, and his baby
ever on the squall.
May his demjohn always be full of blue devil
rot gut.
May his boots leak, bis gun hang fire, and his
fishing lines break.
May his coffee be sweetened with flies, and his
soup seasoned with spiders.
May troup of printers devils lean, lank,
gaunt and grim, and regiment of cats, CATER
waul under his chamber window each night.
In short, may his business go to ruin, and he
60 to-the Legislature.
| Much has been said of the Eastern Esc.,fonno,
labors for the sick not one half has vet been
told of the indomitable perseverance, of this sim
gnlar man. Imbued with the conviction that
Scrofula is the parent of disease, he has been
years engaged in searching the boundaries of the
/ earth. for its aptidate. With vast labor hos ha