The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-10-11
What Do You Think of It ?
A SINGULAR GHOST STORY.

the matter with this house, and | could
DO so in two words SO far, am in
your hands. But if | mistake not, you
have made up your mind, ghost or no
ghost, to take the cottage, and | am
tempted to ask your permission to with
hold the information you have right to
require, in order that you may, unpreju-
diced by any previous warning, observe
the disturbing influence, and probably de-
tect its mysterious origin, for yourself.
In doing SO, you would not only confer on
the landlord service for which, / am
sure, he would willingly place the house
at your disposal for term, rent free, but
would also disabuse the rustic mind in
your vicinity of superstitious fancies
which are but too apt to influence it
The shrewd agent had not misudged
Mr.. Gauntrell's disposition. Nothing,
perhaps, except, it may be, the unexpect
ed appearance of vast shoal of perch,
on the feed, could have pleased him more
than such an opportunity. The bargain
was at once struck, and the family con-
ssiing OF Mr.. and Mrs. Gauntrell, two
daughters, a son "a young Cantab read
ing in his vacation, for honors), and four
servants entered into residence.
For about three weeks, all went tran
gully. The locality was charmingly ru-
raj, the perch fed like iamished aldermen,
and the ghost, TO say truth, had been en-
tirely forgotten-when, one night, Mr.
Gauntrell, who had remained up later
than usual, writing letters in his study,
received an unexpected visit from his foot
man-buter. Thomas was cool, intelh-
gent London servant, and had been for
several years in his present situation.
There's something very queer below,
SIR said the man in low and serious
tone.
Queer, said Mr.. Gauntrell, the agents
report suddenly flashing on his mind
'What do you make of it, Thomas?' P
Can't make nothing of it, sir, Or l
shouldn't have troubled you so late as it
IS said Thomas ''Perhaps you would
not mind stepping down, sir :
'Not at all Who's below 2
Emma the lady's maid) and Jane are
sitting on the stairs, sir. Cook SAID her
nerves wouldn't stand it no longer, and
she went TO bed
why had you all sat up sc late p
1T kept a-coming and a-going, sir said
Thomas, and we was waiting till it was
full on, thinking that was tie time for
you to see it,
1T, man! Is it ghost ? asked Mr..
Gauntrell, as they left the room.
Thomas shook his head doubtfully,
and followed his master down stasrs.
NO light p SAID Mr. Gauntrell feeling
his way.
'We thought you'd see better without
one. sir
Emma and Jane were sitting, arm in
arm, nearly at the top of the little flight
OF stairs, within sight, and very easy
reach of the study door. All below SEEM
ep dark as night could make it.
Il think it must be gone for good and
ALL, said Thomas, stretching down eau
tiousy.
Mr.. Gauntrell was becoming impati-
ent
Come, come, he said what is this
all about What have you seen ! What
do you fear ?
Thus urged Thomas delivered the fol-
lowing explanation
1t would seem that one night, about a
week after the arrival of the family, as
Emma was sitting alone at work in the
kitchen, the door standing ajar, she be-
came suddenly sensible of an augmenta-
ton of light in the room. Aware that
no one had entered, she put her hand tc
her cap, under the impression that it had
taken fire. The cap, however, was al
right She looked eagerly round. Meth
er fire nor smoke was visible, nor did any
smell of burning accompany the phenom
enon. Nevertheless, the light dissemina
ted by her solitary candle had increased
,twenty-fold!
Seized with an unaccountablc panic
the girl. catching up her candlestick
darted from the room. The darkness o.
the passage caused her to observe that
the candle had been extinguished in be
rapid movement. She glanced back
The kitchen was filled with a whitIst
luster as bright as day
The cook, who had not yet retired tc
bed, listened with considerable alarm &c
Emmas statement of what was occur
ring in her own domain, but positively
declined TO descend, unaccompanied BY
Thomas. 1t became necessary, there
fore, to apprisc that gentleman OF the cir
cumstance and thus was occasioned ;
delay ot some three or four minuIes, a
the end of which time Thomas, creepin!
gently down, found all as dark, and to al
appearance as secure, as susual
1t happened that Mn. Gauntrell wa
at this time IN somewhat nervous an'
delicate state Of health. The servants
therefore. agreed among Themselves tia
nothing should be sald to her on the sub
ject of the phenomenon at all event
until it should again occur.
1t did occur again within few days
and at moment when the cook, Jane
and Thomas were together in the kitch
en-. On this occasion the increase Of ligh
was so gradual that it for some time rs
capped their observation, until Thomas
whose eyes happened to be directed to
wards small printed paper affixed t