Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-10-27

Il e.. "a
part never passed 20 restless q night. Some
one in The house, or next door, kept up con-
tinual moaning; and the strange part of it was
/ that when / arose to listen, fearing some one
| was i'll or dying. the sound ceased until once
more placed my head upon the pillow, when
they were resumed more loudly than before
| At one time thought the other fellows were
| trying to frighten me about the hand, but there
was no chance Of that. You remember nv little
pet hand, Greystock? I have it bottled in
spirits in private cupboard, where nv laun-
dress, who once tainted at the sight of q skele-
ton. will never be alarmed by it,
| He spoke merrily, but there was something
about him different from his usual manner,
thought, as We went out to breakfast together
1t was foggy morning, and the streets were
very dreary There were but few people abroad,
but, as We turned q corner, We came face to
| face With woman whose head was bent upon
her bosom, and who was moaning bitterly. She
| wore no bonnet, and was dressed in white, but
the mud and rain had drenched and dabbled
her until she was pitiable object to behold.
| paused and spoke to her.
| What is the matter?" asked. "Can I
do anything to help youf"
As spoke, the woman raised her eyes, and
showed me face the beautiful features of
which were of an ashen pallor; then, without
| speaking, held both her arms towards me.
| Upon the left there was no hand. In my aston
Il
white robed figure glided past me, and van
lsned In the toy. In vain We looked for her
She was gone beyond our sight or hearing.
That Is strange" said, turning to Robert
How miserable the poor creature looked.n
And my poor friend, turning from me q
| cheek of ashy paleness, muttered between his
the left hand"
We breakfasted together, but throughout
the meal Robert Redlaw was utterly unlike
himself. No merry jests passed his lips, no
laugh rang out upon the air, and, every now
and then, his eyes fixed themselves upon
vacancy, as those of one whose thoughts are far
away are prone to do. As for myself, was
also strangely low-spiriied and distracted
For week subsequent to that day saw
nothing OF my friend, but at the end of that
time went to call upon him. Bob was stand
ing by the mantel when entered his room, but
he turned towards me, and came forward with
both hands Outstretched. "My dear Grey
stock, he said, 81 am SO glad to see you. I
should nave come after you to-day if you had
not found your way here, Do you know 1 have
been i'll since We met last?''
81 am sorry to hear that" 1 replied.
yes, extremely ill '" continued Robert "I
| caught cold that night in the damp grave
yard, and have been feverish and delirious. Il
oeheve would not pass such another week,
Greystock. tor all the diamonds of Golcopda >
He paused a moment, and then, drawing
closer to me, placed his hand upon my shoulder,
'Don't mention il to the other fellovsn he
said; "but L absolutely imagined that L saw a
face looking at me from the window yonder,
and that tall woman's figure dressed in white,
and having only one hand-the left one was
gone-stood upon the parspet of the next roof.
and waved her arms towards me. Such a mad
idea, you know, for there is scarcely footboId
upon 1t for a monkey, let alone a woman"
''But these fancies have left you now," I
said.
Eyes, hope they have" replied Robert; "I
nave suffered from no optical delusion for two
days, but do wish that that terrible grooming
could be put stop to. hear j. every night.
and L cannot persuade myself that it is the
work OF my imagination, yet no one in the
house is i'll, and my landlady will not confess
that she has ever heard the slightest noise
Greystock, 1t must be terrible thing to be
insane"
9. Put such fancies out of your mind
Robert" 1 said. 'sThe truth is YOU have been
feyerish, and the remembrance of your
silly piece OF work with that hand has acted
upon your mind and caused these apparitions
lake my advice, my dear fellow, and abstain
from the punch bowl and wine cup; they will
lead any one into committing foolish, if not
criminal actions. Come, let US 20 into the
open % ar, to-day; l will devote myself to you,
and we will see what q country walk will do
towards the exercising of these fsncies
ROBERT assented to my proposition, and we
set Oh together. At first, be was more serious
than usual, but as the day passed on, I saw
with delight that his spirits were once more
resuming their wonted tone. The rich color
came back to his dark cheek, his ewes beamed
with their wonted brightness. The pallid
ghost-seer was gone, and the careless boy stood
once more beside me. I rejoiced in the happy
change, as q mother might in the returnino
smiles Of her ailing infant, and at dusk We re
turned to the city, as happy pair as you
would wish to meet.
Now. Bob" said, when we had dined,
I'VE will finish this evening at the theatre, and
Danish those gloomy fancies even more effec-
| tually amid the lights and music" 10
"Gloomy thoughts" laughed my friend, 81
am in high spirits tonight, and feel utterly
ashamed Of my ghostly stories. Come, if you
We went out into the hall, as he spoke, and
my nand was upon the lock of the door, when
Robert suddenly exclaimed
II had nearly forgotten my gloves and hand.
kerchief, Dinah," and he beckoned to the
LITTLE black waitress. "Dinah, run nm and
bring them to me. My gloves are upon the
table, and you will find handkerchief in one
| OF the bureau drawers, which is unlocked"
The little darkey started with alacrity; but,
while We waited for her return, a terrible
| scream sounded through the house, and She
came running down sgain, without the articles
for which she had been dispatched.
Oh de ghost. de ghost :" she screamed.
Dar's ghost in Redlan's room!'' -
What do you mean?" calculated Robert:
and what do you mean ?' was reiterated by
the landlady and her boarders, as they aocked
| to the scene Of action =
81 went after der han 'kercher to Massa Red
ian's room, gasped Dinah, "and I tell YER de
dressed truf, der was a woman all in de middle
OF the room, holding up jar, and in dat lar
Ger was hand, and de woman she hadn't only
one herself, for seen her jest as plain as day.
light. True as I'm alive Il was ghost.''
snatched the candlestick from Dinab's
trembling fingers and rushed up stairs. The
apartment was empty, and the window upon
the roof closed. I opened the cupboard door
and looked in. There stood the glass lar in
which the hand was preserved, on a remote
| corner OF the shelf. Nothing had been dis
turbed that could discover, and, perplexed
| and disturbed, closed the door. As did so.
10. waiiing moan, distinct, despairing, and
| horrible, broke upon my ear; and, with thr
cended to the hall once more
| Robert sat upon chair, his pale face hidden
in both arms Itouched him upon the shoulder
n