The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-22
NO GHOST .

I don't know how people feel who have seen a
ghost perhaps IL would be a relief 10 them 10
find that the white garment shrouded a broom
stick but for myself I once saw a figure in a
sheet which Il would be an infinite relief to me 10
believe a ghost / saw this Ggure man or woman
know not, five years ago, when was lodging in
the second floor Of a house in Bloomsbury street.
and within few doors Of oxford street. There
were at that time uufurnishcd rooms to be LET ON
the second floor OF the opposite house Inc blinds
were not drawn down, so that before the windows
were too dirty could see into TWO fth1se ON pty
rooms. That opposite my own was an inner
room lighted by two Windows, and entered only
from the adjoining small AN chamber aud this,
which also looked into the street. hal one win
] dow. The great bill,
"ro LET, uNrunNrsurp,"
| was there Torso many months that it grew yellow
with age and grey with dirt and 10 WAS hanging
IN a hopeless and inpOtent manner by a single
wafer when the rooms were takcu no least
concluded that they we're taken, for tue bin dis
appeared altogether, and was not replaced In
the course Of few days the windows were
cleaned, aud a bed and two chairs were place in
the inner room. There were no curtains aud no
carpets nor SO far as could see, any other fIrnl-
| turc no these Two rooms. Butther1 was some one
u the bed very il ] imagined, for although 1
saw the figure move from side tI side [ npycr
Jaw 10 sitting up, or saw the bed empty or saw
man or woman.
III hNg Ndrt ~NolIl NOt nave been able 20 see
much OF these opposite naiglDJrs, for / was only
at home in the morning and evening, aud th!y
had Other rooms besides the two l have men
IiOuCd.
About fortnight after the loI ,ers came. was
sit ng near my window 10 the clrIy morning
whtn my attention was attracted by % ii gure at
the window Of the uurC.rODm opposite, wrapped
a. 10 seemed, in white sheet A corner OF the
sheet was drawn up round the head and hung
over the face like cOwl, so that although the
person was looking out of the window no trace
OF form OF feature could be seen and the arms
which were crossed were also tightly covered b0
Tie sheet. For u few seconds it paused at the
window, ana |, sitting partly behind my window
curtain, could steWIthOut being seen. Then il
entered the inner room, nto which could see
very distinctly, as the windows were open.
And here it seems necessary 20 stale that the
effect produced uqon me az the time by this
person lu q sheet has been intensified, and has
received an added horror, from circumstanc,s
WhlNh occurred later. II is diiilCut % describe
that which follows without allowing this bOr-
ror tO creep in, and yet, so far as 1 can rcmem-
Der, l was not sensible of lt nc the time, and
felt only strange attraction aud interest; and
a half surprise that any one should dress up
aud play the fool nc seven J'c OCk in the morning
The figure, as l have said, entered the inner
room, and stood for some time quite mohDnless |
by tue bedside. Then slowly the arIns way
stretched out, pointing at something or soma onA
IN the bed; the head, still covered by the shess,
was bent dOwnwards; the whole attitude was
That OF one speaking with an earnest and oASer
chaugei the figure started, gave wild bound
and commenced eapiug ald dlucing around the |
BED standing with Outstretched arms flr ]
moment at the foot OF 1t, and hen ,prngDr first
20 one sac and then to the other with such won.
ucllul rapldity that it was impossible to follow
every movement
- iength there was a pause; again the hands
and arms were stretched out again they pointed,
and, ss II seems TO me now, in bitter mOCkery, to
the bed, and then the body swayed and bent
d VO " mr. in ana
long fuIst OF uprOariJus laughter. 10 seemed to
me that could hear tue mOckug sounds even
above all the noises in the street l do not know
II turned away for moment, or If the figure
clouched down, but remember my surprise at
finding that it had lett the bedroom, and was
again standing at the window Of the ante-room,
From thence IL passed out into the passage, aud
saw no more OF it.
The be was as usual, occupied but do not
r rmember noticing any movement on the part
Ol the ogcupcr
Early in the summer evening returned from
my d.ily work, and sat at the window TO watch
the sun as, like solitary eye of fire glowing
through mistand smoke with dim angry Light, lt
sank down into the heart OF the great city. The
blinds Of the room opposite were drawn down,
ana the windows we're shut, and they remained
so on the following morning. But in the evening,
as l watched from my window in the dusk, | saw
Two men coming down the street, bearing on
their shoulders Il coffin. They stopped at the
house opposite, and carried the coffin in aud up
stairs, and through the ante room, and Into that
room with the led, which was opposite to mnp
l SAW the shadow OF it cast upon the white win
dow BLINDS, for some one went first carrying a
candle.
And then I knew that there was death in the
room, aud that tho antic which had m0cled and
made sport on the previous day, had mocked at
the dying or the dead.
The following day was Sunday, and l was a.
my window again, when the plain detl c,Gin was
carried down the stairs, and put into a shabby
hcgrsc. This was followed Oy a street cab and
one small person stepped quickly inro IT, closely
muiiied in a black cloak. | could not tell whether
this person was young or Old and could only
guess whether II was man or woman; but some
thing in the rapid resOute movements at once
recalled the sheetcd figure which had 50 startled
me. l could not watch the house again, it was
too terrible; and when ] returned home l saw
that the bed had been removed, the windows
were wide open, and there were new bills an
nouncing that the rooms were "Io Let, Unfur-
uished."