The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1860-04-11
The Ghost in the Astor Library.


The New York Evening Past tell
the following story Of "A ghost that ap
pcared in the Astor Library. Tn
Post professes to have the tale direc
from DR.. Cogswell himself:
some two weeks ago DIR. Cogsw-l
was at work As usual on the cata
loguc of the Library. 1t was abou
II O'Clock at night, and having occa
sion to refer to some book. in dis
lant part of the Library, he left hi'
de.k, with his candle, and As he had
often done before, pursued his cour,t
among the winding passages toward
the destined spot, But before reach
ing it, while in an alcove in the south.
west part Of the older portion of ,he
building, he was startled BY seeing a
man respectfully dressed in citizen
clothes, surveying a shelf Of books.
The Doctor supposed it to he a
rnbber who had secreted himself for
the purpose of abs'racting some of,he
valuable works in the Library after
stepping back behind partition for a
moment he again moved cautiously
forward to catch a glimpse of the
individuals face, when to bis surprise
he recognized in the supposed robher
the features Of a physician (whose
name we iorbear giving) who had lived
in the immediate vicinity q: the Ii.
brary, and who had died some six
weeks ago! 1t should be remember
ed that this diseased person was n
mere casual acquaintance of DR.
Cogswell, not an intimate friend, and
since his death DR.. Cogswell had not
though, Of him.
But the apparition was in the pre-.
srnce Of man not easily scared
The librarian, so far from fain,ing or
shrieking as might reasonably br
expected, calmly addressed the ghos':
DIR -" said he. you seldom, if
ever, visited this library while living.
Why do you trouble us now when
dead ?"
Perhaps the ghost did not like the
sound Of the human voice ; any way
it gave no answer, but disappeared.
The next day Dr. Cogswell Though,
over the matter, attributed it to some
optical delusion, and in the evening
proceeded with his work as usual -
Again, he wished to refer to some
books, and again visited the south
western alcove. There again As large
as life. was the ghost, very calmly and
placidly surveying the shelves. DR..
Cosswell again spoke to it:
"Dr. -" said he again. aok
you why 'you, who never visited the
library while living, trouble it now
when dead ?"
Again the ghost vanished, and the
undannted librarian pursued bis task
without interruption. The next day
he examined the shelves before which
the ap partition had been standing, and
BY n singular coincidence found that
they were filled with books devoted to
denonology, witchcraft. spirilualism,
etc. II WAS these vol.
umes that appeared to attract the ap
partition.
The third night DR.. Cogswel, again
visited the various books to which be
wished to refer, and when the occa.
sion demanded, did not fail to ap-
proach the mystic alcove. There
again was the appar,ion, dressed
precisely AS before, and with hand
raised, a. if about to take down
book. DR.. C"gswelI again spoke:
"Dr. -" he said boldly, ",his is
the third time ! have met you. Tell
me it any oithis class Of books disturb
you. II they do, will have them re-
But the onngrateful ghost. without
acknowledging this accommodating
spirit on the part OF his interrogation,
disappeared. Nor has it been seen
since, and the librarian has continued
his nightly researches without inter
rupt:on. ...
A few days ago, at a dinner party
at the house of well known wealthy
gentleman, DR.. Cogswell related the
as a hove recorded, as
nearly as we can learn. As some
eighteen or twenty people were pre-
sent, the remarkable story OF course
was soon spread about. a number
of literary men, including an eminent
historian, and Others, heard the reci
'al, and though they attribute DR..
Cogswelfs ghost-seeing to the strain
and tension Of his nerves during his
too protracted labors At the catalogue
they confess that the story has its re.
markable phase. Dr. Cogsw-ll is
now absent on a short trip to Char.
lesion, to recuperat. his energies.
Hao,,.ACesn~nl E