The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-01-30
$3.50 PER- ANNUM I'm ADVANCE,
The Ghost Way Grandmother Saw.

One lovely summers evening was sitting
with my grandmother on the terrace OF one
those beautiful villas situated on the ''riviers
di Gonova,' overl ooking the blue Mediterran
can. l had been reading Longfeow for her.
for, although an Italian, she was well acqualnt'
ed with English; she bads me read once more
the Footsteps of Angels and it was aftel
these lines:
| Then the forms of the departed
| Enter at the open door:
| The beloved, the true harted,
| Come to visit me once more
that asked her-half in play, half in earnest
whether she had ever seen ghost!
"Altro! fgiia mia" answered she with sigh
"but it is story more than fifty years old, and
l would rather you would not ask me to tell 1t
| to you.
She seemed very reluctant to make me &C
quainted with it; but my curiosity being now
| fairly reused, l grew impurtunate with me en-
treaties. 1t was some time, however, before
could prevail upon her TO satisfy my curiosity;
and whel she did so her tale was SO mixed
up with matters wholly uninteresting to the
general reader that prefer giving in my own
words.
My grandmother was the daughter of Golnt
di Ii. At 10 the young Madeleine was
counted among the fairest maidens OF "Gene-
va la superba:" her hand was sought by num-
berless youths among the nobility OF Italy; but
my grandmother like many other damsels both
of ancient and modern times, had preference.
She had met at church the young and hand
some Count F. and she vowed in her
little heart she would marry none other. Let
tiers were exchanged between the lovers, aud
each evening, when the clock OF the church
of San Lorenzo, struck nine, the young count
might be seen pacing up and down under the
balcony Of his youthful mistress. The Count
di L--was averse to the match-he did not
deem the young noble worthy of his treasure
'She must" he had said, "be the bride OF a
princes" but Maddelena had an Uncle, the
Cardinal Al, whom she dearly loved,
and he was all powerful with her father. 10
him Ohe intended TO impart her little secret;
had long waited for his return from Rome,
whittier the benevolent preate had gone, 20 be
present at a "ConcIstorio.
One morning she received long letter from
him, Informing her of his approaching ARRIVAL
and on the evening of the same day the faml-
y were sitting at supper, for IN those days the
evening meal had not yet taken the name OF
dinner" The were all joyful III the eXpec
iatiOn of the arrival of the kind hearted car
dinal, and Maddeena especially 50, when they
were startled by the entrance Of an acqualn
lance. whose countenance showed he was the
bearer of i'll news. Had they heard" he ask
ed, "what had happened All answering III
the negative, he replied that the young Count
F. had been murdered an hour ago, and
the assassin had fled; more no one knew
Ny grandmother tells me she heard the
news, without u single cry or groan; She
bore ii all. Sick at heart she rose from the
table, crossed the room to the door almost I'M
noticed, for all were eagerly discussing the
evil event; she even curCysied to the one guest
who opened the door for her, but how she
A. he tel
bered locking the door after her, and kneehng
by her bed side, where she relieved her break
ing heart by flood ofpasslonate tears. She was
in that state of faintness which comes with ex-
haustion from extreme weeping, when the Dell
81 San Lo, EMO began the first peal OF nlne-a
+efr,ble seDgatlqn came over, and gel she could
scarcely realize the truth; could 1t be that that
voice she was III the habit OF meaning every
evening at that very hour, call hel b! name
had been seen the evening before, lull OF lie
and hone, was now lying dead-kilIed by the
hand Of an dasa ,sin. Slowly the church clock
finished striking the hour, and the silence
W hch il lett Dehj,li brought al mdlscnDab!e
pain to the heat of poor Madeleine; she was
100 weak to pray, but slowly raised her weary
G YES 10 the image of the Madonna, placed
in the aclove opposite to where she knelt when
suddenly, she heard IL voice calling her every
evening at that same hour. On. the luea was
maddening! She rose, parted with botn her
hands the hair from her fevered brow, and list
ened her heart beating and her feet nailed To
the floor; her limbs stiff with horror. She list
ened, and again the voice called "Manin!" and
the third time again, 'MaIin! but she did not
stir, she sat OIL her bed, listened 1Jr the sound
of that voice, but in vain she waited, Tor the
voice was not heard again that night.
Her nurse came soon after to the d0or,ahu the
noise she made in her efforts TO gam admittance
reused my grandmother who ran 10 the door anu
let her good foster nptber II. lie Ola woman
had heard of the sad eyent,and was full OF sym
pathy foI her young mistress, VINO, she sa" at
glance, was nearly PROSTATE with sorrow, one
entered into the particulars of the ASSASSINATION
of the young Count with the garruity OF her
kind, saying thai never had fairer CAVALIER
fallen victim to jealousy, for, added she, IL must
have been the cause of so foul a crlmt-some
one who loves you too well has ordered this
deed.
Maddalena concealed from every one the
knowledge OF the voice she heard The following
day passed slowly, and with Impotence did she
await the hour Of nine, when she thought she
would hear that voice which at least reminded
her of the dear friend she had lost 1t was INK
though a slight one, thought she, between her
and the unseen world whittier lie had gone
Was it really his voice she had heard, or that
of some one cruel enough to desire to keep up
the delusion? She would judge with her own
ewes. Again did she hear the clock strike Oh
on the following evening the hour OF nine; but
again the sound OF that voice which she heafu
once more cali her by name, trouble her as IL
had done the evening before, 40 that she ga
not dare to 90 the window; cold shudder
came over her he felt as.it about to die
But,cara nona," said to her, why did you
not go TO the window and see who caliedl
L.; ncba ad
in hers mon iii sentivo corraggiO For seven
DAYS folio wing | heard that same voice, and
began to fear that / shonld be haunted all my
hte with the sound OF that voice. prayed fer
vontly tor strength, and on the seventh day l
determined to Judge by myself ii indeed 1t were
an apparition, / shall never, as long as live,
forget that evening. When the clock had com
pleted the last stroke of nine, heard, as had
done on the preceding days, myself called ny
name MANN | took my rosary ana with d
beating heart walked to the window. looked
down and saw hjnt--the young Count F.,
who had been assassnated seven days before,
under my window. He raised his face to me,
and though it was deadly white, L recognized
MIN in an instant. | was afterwards told thai
uttered loud shrek and was found stretched
senseless on the floor OF nay balcony. 1 recoi-
lect nothing further of what passed until found
myself on my bed in my darkened room, with
anxious faces around lle, my hand resting IL
| that of my beloved uncle. saw on my uncle
| face how i'll had been. IL was some days De
fore was allowed 10 ask any questions. theI
! Learned that ] had been long and dangerously
| Ill IrecollecLed all about Count F-s as
sassinatIoH but when l tod by uncle that
had seen hum he smiled aud gently told me Il
was the effect Of trver--uOtbIDg more
Nv as Il 20, DO you think, gtandnamma
EaSked l.