The Van Buren press., 1861-07-17
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THE wARNIN

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warnings. which has, in cur day, almost
entirely disappeared, was once SO prevalent
that it was rare thing for death to take
place in a family, without some member of
it being warned of the coming event, in
some supernatural way. My reverend
grandmother was no exception to this en-
cient belief; on the contrary, she could
relate numerous instances of unnatural Wis
itations, aud strange appearances which had
occurred in her own family. But her par
ticular forte lay in warnings. None of her
kith or kin were ever called upon to pass
through the dark valley OF shadows with
out her receiving some supernatural intima
tion, or, she called it, /" being warned 4"
of their decease.
| will here state that my grandmother had
been widow, for many years, and resided
with my mother, as did her two youngest
children, Ralph and Alice Ralph, a spir-
tied lad of seventeen, assisted my father in
his business, and Alice, dear aunt Alice's
time was mostly engrossed by ''us chill
dren"
For several months, she had been trou-
bled with hacking cough, which was, in
Itself, warning enoua h that the time was
soon coming when We should be Obliged to
part with our kind and careful nurse
After while she became unable to sit
up all day, and then my mother move aunt
Alice's bed from her chamber into the par
| lor, as she was no longer able to go up and
down the stairs, and it was more convent
ent to take care of her there. My grand
mother slept in a chamber directly over this
the stovepipe from the parlor passing up
| through the floor into the chimney-thus
making the room warm and comfortable.
The night after Aunt Alice was moved
into the parlor, grandmother received very
decided warning of her death. She said
that after she had been in bed a short time
she was aroused by light shining upon her
face, ami opening her eyes, she beheld the
form OF new moon arise from one corner,
| slowly sail across the room and finally dis
appear behind her bed. She was SO SO sure
she had seen this, and became SO nervous
and excited about it, my mother thought it
best to have some one sleep with her, the
| following night SO my sister Mary, a Girl
of fourteen, shared grandmother's bed. But
strange to say they had hardly retired to
rest, before we were startled by loud
scream from Mary. She, too, had seen the
mysterious appearance, just as it came the
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corner, passing diagonally across the room,
and disappearing behind the bed. The room
was left vacant, everybody in the house
believing it to be haunted.
When this came to the ears of my Uncle
ralph, he expressed his decided contempt
for the whole affair. 1t was second nature
for grandmother to see sights, and Mary
had, no doubt, been SO scared at the thought
of passing the night in room where grand .
mother had seen something, that she had
fancied she saw it too. He would slecp in
the room, himself, and was not at all afraid
OF being troubled by new moons, or old
ones, either; SO he took up his quarters in
the haunted chamber. He made no alarm
during the night but at the breakfast table
he declined answering any questions. The
truth was. he had seen exactly the same
thing that had so alarmed his mother and
Mary but he wrs bold, determined fellow
and had made up his mind to find out the
cause of this singular appearance and, be-
| sides, he did not like to confess that he had
witnessed the same thing that he had scoffed
at as delusion in others.
Six nights in succession he slept in the
haunted room, and every night the same
! thing occurred. On the seventh night he
was lying awake. about midnight, thinking
of this strange circumstance. and trying in
vain to arrive at the solution of the myste
ry. when lie heard Alice begin to cough in
the room below. Immediately he heard nv
mothers footsteps coming into Alice's
room, as was her wont, whenever Alice had
a paroxysm of coughing At the same
time, the supernatural light appeared in the
corner. foated slowly across the room. and
went down behind his bed. A Thought
struch him.
light 9''
Yes," she answered.
Are you standing by Alice's bed ?''
Yes" again.
Well" said he, q walk from her bed
to the door with the light in your hand''
AT once q half moon rose from behind
his bed, and moved steadily across to the
opposite corner.
Now come back again." he said.
She did SO, and. as if following the
sound OF her footsteps. back sailed the mys-
terious light.
He sprang ont of bed with hearty
iangh The mystery WAS solved. The