Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-17
A, Strange Apparition-Tho Dead, Child's
.HabgeHN Ghost, hHht II
The New York Rresbyteri@lof Of late date

Hlno NeW lOTk lTeSOytCTtOtV hVe uaVS
relates this story; VIZ lALHtH.k ,g n
We were returning from our spring meet
ing of Presbytery--one gentleman and two
young ledies--if aS"rorkaway," and the road
none, of the best Night cold and damp,
overlook us eight or ten miles from home,
but only a short distance from Judge Blanks,
who, after we had arrived at his house, mar
rated the following unique tale. Said the
Judge as follows: Years ago wehad in our
house sweet little child, about four years of
age, and the object, of course, OF. avery tender
affection. But sickness had It's hand upon it.
Remedies, promptly resorted to, all proved
in vain. Day after day the rose faded from
the cheek, and 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 a darkness
follows the ,quenching Of one of those little
lights of life 9A .f
The time rolling sadly on, brought OF length
to the hour. appointed for committing our
treasure to the ordinary sure custody of the
grave. The friends assembled, the customary
services were held, the farewell taken, and
the little form securely shut beneath the we'll
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 a
great, sheltering roof, and then wended our
way back to our desolate home. Evening
came on and wore away. Ny wife had gone
into an adjoining room to give some direc-
tions to a servant and j untitled by the
scene of the day for ought 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 springing upon the
bed behind me, exclaimed: iryI ID =
"See there our child our child u
Raising my head my blood froze within
me, and the hair upon my head stood up as
saw the little thing in grave clothes, witt
open, but manifestly sighfless eyes, and palt
as when we gave it the last kiss, walking
slowly toward usl Had been alone-haC
not the extreme terror Of my wife compelled
me to play the man, should have leapeC
from the window and bed without casting I
look behind. -
But not daring to leave her in such terror
| arose, sat down in a chair and took thu
little creature between my knees--a COLI
sweat covered my body--and gazed will
feelings unutterable upon the object befor
me. The eyes were open. in vacant stare
The flesh was colorless, cold and clammy; no
did the child appear to have the power @
either speech or hearing, as it made no at
tempt to answer any of our questions. Th
horror of our minds was the more intense a
we had watched our child through its sick
ness and death, and had been but few hour
before eye-witnesses Of its interment.
While gazing upon it, and asking in m
thoughts, "What can this extraordinar
Providence mean? For what can it be sent?
the servant girl, having csTept to the he, doc loo
IS child"
Now our neighbor had child of nearl
the same age as ours, and its constant CON
panion. But what could bring it to our hous
at that hour, and in such plight? Still th
suggestion had operated as sedative upo
our excited feelings, and rendered us NOR
capable of calm reflection. And, after
time, we discovered in truth, that the gra,
clothes were night clothes, and the corpse
somnambulist And it became manifest thi
the excitement attending the loss and burii
of its playmate, working upon the child
mind in sleep, was the cause to which "
were indebted for this untimely and startlin
visit. t..u.,, "
Wiping away the perspiration, and talin
few long breaths, prepared to counte
, march the little intruder back to its forsake
bed. Back wewent, it keeping at my sid
though still asleep. 1t had walked quite
distance across the wet grass. found Il
door of its home ajar just as the fugitive he
} left it, and its sleeping parents unconscio'
of its absence. The door creaked as
/ pushed it open, and awakened the child, WI
, looked wildly around a moment, and the
, popped into bed.
Now, if it had not been for my wife, as
: have said, l should, on the appearance .
5 this apparition, have made a leap Of uncor
5 mon agility from that window, and after
l flight Of uncommon velocity for a person
8 my age and dignity, should have been reat
r to take my oath in any court, either in chri
< tendon or heathendom, that had seen
!. ghost.