The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-04-11
Number 16.
Jared upon their intellect or affections, onl,
made the fact more horrible.

Jared upon their intellect or affections, only
made the fact more horrible.
For time, long or ,hort cannot tell, my
wife and sat witnessing, like people bound
in q nightmare dream, this mockery OF mock
cries, the attempt at restoring the sweet "a.
miliar relations of the living with the liv.
ing, between the living and the dead. How
many days or months II had lasted, or what
result was expected from it, We never inquir.
ed, nor did we attempt to join 1t We merely
looked on.
"will papa ever speak7" intrcatcd one Of
the daughters, but therewas no reply. The
Figure sat passive In its chair-unable or
unwilling to break the silent barrier which
divides the two worlds, maintaining still
that benign and tender smile, but keeping
its mystery unbroken, its problem unsolyed.
And now my wife whose dear little face
was, I saw, growing white and convulsed
minute by minute, whispered to me:
"Charles, can bear this no longer
Make some excuse to them-we will not hurt
their feelings. Don't lot them think we are
frightened. or disgusted, or the like; but
we must go-I shall 60 mad II ] do not"
And tho half.inane look which ! have
seen in more than one Of the pscudo-spirit-
ualists of the present day-people who. 20
years ago, would have been sent to Bedlam,
but now are only set down as "rather pecu.
liar'-rose in those dear, soft, sensible eyes,
which have warmed and calmed my restless
heart and unquiet brain for moro than fifteen
years.
! took advantage of the next pause in the
communications" or whatever the family
called them, to suggest that my wife and |
was very weary, and anxious to retire to
rest.
"Certainly." politely said the eldest
daughter-'Papa, Mr.. and Mis-,
naming our names, shave hada long railway
journey, and wish to bid us all good night"
The appearance bent upon us-my vile
and me-its most benevolent, gentle aspect,
apparently acquiescing in our retiring; and
Howly rose Us Il to bid good night-likc any
other courteous host.
| Now, in his lifetime, no ono had had o
warmer, more devoted admiration for this
learned and loyable man than |. More than
once I had travelled many miles Tor the
merest chance of seeing him, and when he
died, my regret ut never having known him
personally, never having even beheld his face
was mingled with the grief which l, in COM
mon with all ITS compatriots. felt at losing
him so suddenly, with bis fame at Its zenith,
his labors apparently only half done.
But hero, set face to face with this image
or phantasln, OF whatever 1t was, Of the man
whom living had 50 honorcd-l felt no de-
light; nay, the cold clcarncss OF that gaze
seemed to shoot through mo with chill Of
horror.
When, going round the circle, shook
hands with the widow and daughters, one af-
ter tho other, paused before that chair; ]
attempted to pass itby. Resolutely ! looked
another way, us II trying to make believe /
saw nothing there, but II was in vain.
For the Figure advanced noiselessly, with
that air Of irrcsistibly charming. dgniied
courtesy of the old school, for which, every
body said, the Doctor had been 30 remark.
able. II extended its hand, hand which q
year ngo. | would have travelled five hundred
miles to grasp. Now | shrank from i'll
loathcd it. :.
In vain. It cnmc nearer. It touched
mine with soft, uncarthly touch. could
endure no longer. shrieked out and my
wife woke me from what was, thank Heaven
only dream.
eyes, II was indeed Dreadful Ghost"
said that excellent woman, when she had
heard my whole story, and VIC had again
composed ourselves as sole occupants Of the
railway carriage which was conveying us
through the dead Of night to visit that iden.
tcal family whom had been dreaming Of
whom, rs stated, We has never seen.
"I.et us be thankful. Charles, that II was
mere phantasy of your ovcr-excited imog.
ination-that tho dear old Doctor sleeps
peacefully in his quiet grave and that his
aflectionate family have never summoned
him, soul OF body to sit up nights by their
uncanny fireside as you 50 horribly describe.
What blessing that such things cannot bc.
"Ay." replied l-"though, D lmlac says
in 'Rassclas, that the dead cannot return, |
will not undertake to prove, still, ! think it
in the highest degree improbable. Their
work here is done. they are translated to q
higher sphere Of being they belong to us
no more. Mary, when leave you, remem-
Der don't wish ever to be brought back
again to come rapping on tables and knock
ing about chairs; delivering ridiculous mos
ages to deludcd enquirers, and altogether
COMFORTING myself in u manner that proves.
great fool as may have been in the body, i
must be a still greater fool out of it,"
"And, Charles" said the little woman:
creeping up to inc with tears in her eyes, "if
must lose you-dearly as love you,
would rather bury you under the daisies ana
in my heart, bury you, and never sec you
again till wc meet in the world to come than
I would h2ve you revisiting your old fircside
after the fashion Of this Dreadful Ghost"
Man will not endure to bc happy accord.
ing to nature: and hence not only the por-
ter mt the gate, but the sparrow on the pal
ace.t top, and the martin under the cave, have
all Of them more pleasure than the prince
has withinside.
Happiness is where the kingdom OF Heav-
en- is, Ii il within us. and, again, like the
Kingdom of Heaven, II is TO be found by
seeking and that to any extent, It Is to be
gained very much through contentment. peace
and willingness. For the enjoyment Of life,
mans mind ought TO bc open, pure from
dissatisfaction, clear and fresh like dew
drop, which, small globule Ms It is, does yet
receive into and reflect from itseli all the
flowers around, and the trees with Ill their
leaves, together with the new armament, the
sun and the clouds. Happiness Is like man.
mn 1t is to be gathered in grains. and en-
joyed every day; II will not keep, 1t cannot
bc accumulated; nor have we to 60 out OF
ourselves. or into remote places TO gather it,
since IL is raincd down from Heaven, ut our
very doors. or rather withinside them.