The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-05-31
A Strange Apparitiop.

, The New York Presbyterian, of late
date, relates this story:
/, We we're returning from our sprine
meeting of Presbytery-one gentlem Il
and two you3g ladies-in a 'rockway' and
the road none of the best. Night, cold
and damp, overlook us eight or ten miles
from home, but only short distance from
Judge Banks, who. after we had arrived
at his house, narrated the following uni
que tale. Said the Judge as follows:
"Yesrs 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 up
on 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 ex-
perieuce how intense darkness follows
the quenching of one of those little lights
of life
"The tine rolling sadly on, brought us
at length to the hour appointed for COM
mitting our treasure to the ordinarily
sure custody of the grave. The friends
assembled. the customary services we're
held, the farewell taken, and the little
form securely shut beneath the we'll screw
ed cofin-lid, and in due form the grave
reserved Its trust. We looked on and
saw the earth thrown ip, the mound rails
ed above, and the plates of sod neatly ad-
justed into great, sheltering roof. and
then weuded our way back to our desc
late home. Evening came on and wore
away. My wife had gone into an ad.
joining room to give some directions to
servant, and |, untitled by the scene of
the day for aught else, had just laid my
head on my pillow 10 our room upon the
first floor of the house. when | heard
sbriek, snd iu a moment more, my wife
came flying into the room, aud, springipg
upon the bed behind me, exclaimed
"'See there! our childl our childl'
Kissing my head, my blood froze
within ne, and the hair upon my head
stood up as | saw the little thing in grave
clothes, with open, but mauifestly slight
less eyes, aud pale as when we gave it
the last kiss, walking slowly towards Us!
Had been sloue-had not the extreme
terror Of ny wife compelled me to play
the man. | should have lesped from the
window and bed without casting look
behind.
But, not daring to leave her in such
terror, [ arose, sat down in a chair, and
took the little creature between my knees
"a cold sweat covered my body-and
gazed with feelings unuttersble upon the
object before ne. The eyes were open in
a vacant stare The flesh vas colorless,
cold, and clammy; nor did the child ap-
pear to have the power of either speech
or bearing, as it made no attempt to an
swer any OF our questions. The terror of
our minds was the more intense as We had
watched our child through its sickness
and death, and had been, but few hours
before, eye witnesses of its interDent.
While gazing upon it, and asking in
m thoughts What can this extraordina-
ry Providence Ueanl For what can it
be sent!' the servant girl having crept to
the door, after time suggested, 1t looks
like Mrs.-'s child
Nov, our neighbor bad child of
nesrly the same age as ours, and its con
slant companion. But what could bring
it to our house at this hour, aud in such
a plight Still the suggestion bad opera
TED as a sedatiVe upon our excited feel
ings, aud rendered US more capable of
cain reflection. And, after time We
discovered in truth, that the grave clothes
were night clothes, apd the corpse SOM
nambulist. And it became manifest that
the excitement attending the loss and bu-
rial of its playmate, working upon the
cbild's mind in sleep, was the cause to
which We we're indebted for this untimely
and startling visit.
"WipiDg away the perspiration, and
taking few long breaths, prepared to
counter % srch the little intruder back to
its forsaken bed. Back ne went, it keep.
ing at my side, though still asleep. 1t
had walked quite distance across the
vet grass. found the door OF its home
ajsr, just as the fugiti1e had left it, aud
its sleeping parents unconscious Of its ab.
seuce. The door creaked as | pushed it |
open, and awakened the child, who look /
ed wildly around moment, and then
popped into bed.
Nov, if it bad not been for my wife.
as have said, | should, on the appear
ance of this appsrition. have made leap
Al -
and, after fight of uncommon velocity
for person of my age and dignity, |
should bave been ready to take my oath
10 any court, either in christepdom or
he athe ndou, that had seen a ghost"