Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-02-14
The Two Sisters.

faVoraoiy known IN the literary world,
was residing in country house in Ha-
milton county, Ohio, He had just COM
pleted a nav residence, about seventy
or eighty yards from that in which he
was then living, intending to remove in
to it in few days. The new house was
in plain sight of the old one, no tree or
shrub intervening, but they were sepa-
rated, about halfway by small, some
what abrupt ravne. A garden stretch
cd from the old house to tho hither edge
Of this ravine, and the further extremi-
ty Of this garden was about forty yards
from the newly erected building. Both
buildings frontcd west, toward a public
road, the south side of the old dwelling
being directly opposite to the rth side
of the new. Attached to the rear Of the
new dwelling was spacious kitchen, of
which door opened to the north.
The family at the time consisted of
father mother uncle, and nine children.
One of the elder daughters, then be-
tween Is and 1G years old. was named
Rhoda; and another, the youngest but
one, Lucy, was between 3 and 4 years
of age,
One afternoon in the month OF Octo-
Der, after heavy rain, the weather had
cleared up, and between four and five
o'clock the sun shone out About 5 o.
clock Mrs. C--stepped out into a yard
on the south side of the dwelling they
were occupying, whence, in the evening
sun, the new house, including the kitch-
en- already referred to, was distinctly Wis
ible. Suddenly she called daughter,
A.. saying to her, what can Rhoda
possibly be doing there, with the child
in her arms. She ought to know better
this damp weather. A, looking in |
the direction in which her mother poin-
ted, saw plainly aud Enthusiastically, sea-
led, in rocking-chair just within the
kitchen door of tho new residence. Rho |
da. with Lucy in her arms. What
strange thing" she exclaimed; it is but
a few minutes since left them up stair
And, with that, going in search of them, |
she fonnd both IN one of the upper rooms,
and brought them down. Mr.. c.
and other members Of the family soon
joined them. Their amazemcnt, that Of
Rhoda especially, may be imagined -
The figures seated at the hall door, and
the two children now actually in their
midst, were absolutely identical in ap-
pearancc, even to each minute particu-
lar of dress.
Five minutes more ELAPSED in breath
less expectation, aud there still sal the
figures; that of Rhoda appearing to rock
with the motion Of the chair on which it
seemed seated. All the family congre-
gated, and every member OF it-tweve
persons in all saw the figures, noticed the
rocking motion, and became convinced.
past all possible boubt, that it was the
appearance Of Rhoda and Lucy.
When the father, Mr.. C, resolv-
ed to cross over and endcavor to obtain
some solution of their mystery, but,
having lost sight of the figures in descer-
ding the rayinc, when he assembled the
opposite bank they were gone.
Meanwhile the daughter A-had
walked down to the lower end Of the gar
den, so as to get close view; and the
rest remained gazing from the spot
whence they had first witnessed this I'M
accountable phenomenon.
Soon after Mr. G. had left the house.
they all saw the appearance of Rhoda
rise from the chair with the child in i.s
arms, then lie down across the thresh-
hold of the kitchen door; and after it
had remained in that recumbent position
for minute or two, still embracing the
child, the figures were seen gradually to
sink down out of sight
When Mr. G. reached the entrance,
there was no: q trace nor appearance Of
human being. The rocking chair which
had been conveyed across to the kitchen
some time before, still stood there. just
inside the door, but it was still empty.
lie searched the house earthly from gar
ret to cellar, but nothing, whatever was
to be seen. He inspected the clay, soft
from the rain. at the rear exit of the
kitchen, and all around the house, but
not foot-step could he discover d
There was not tree or bush anywhere
near, behind which any one could se-
crete himself, the dwelling behind erec-
ted on bare hillside.
The father returned from his fruitless
search, to learn, with a shudder, what
the family, meanwhile, had witnessed
The circumstances, as may be supposed
made upon them profound impression.
stamping itself, in indelible characters,
or the minds Of all. But any mention
of it was usually avoided as something
too serious to form the topic Of ordinary !,
conversation.
| received i: directly from two Of the
with esscs, in New York, February 22d. |
1860, Miss A - and her sister, Miss
P, They Doth stated to me that their F!
rocoilcctions Of it were rs vivid as If it
had occurred only few weeks since.
No clue, or explanation of any kind,
was ever ob'anel; unless we are to ac-
cept as such the fact that Rhoda, very
beautiful and cultivated girl, az the time
in blooming health, died very unexpcc-
tedly, on the 11th of the November of
the year following; and that Lucy, then
also perfectly well, followed her sister
on the 10th Of December, the same year;
both deaths occurring, it will be observ-
ed, within little more than u year Of
that day on which the family saw the ap-
partition Of the sisters.
Color OF TUE EYEs.-That the color Of