The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-02-04
From the Boston LEADER
NIGHT WITH A GHOST,
Or "a Strong Case of Imagination.
BY CHARLES EDWIN HURD.

Some years ago there stood, and, l be-
heve, still stands, at the corner of Salem
street and the Stoneman road in Medford,
all old two-story house, half the lower
front of which was occupied as q cOnfec-
tionerv and fancy bread store, and at
ia he'd to the rear of which was a ba-
kerry 1t was then occupied by a young
man, intelligent and energetic, who had
recently gone into business, and whose
every moment was devoted to its adj
vancement Certain circumstances,
which il concerns not my readers to
know, throw me into connection with
this gentleman, and l became an inmate
of his family for several months. For my
own reasons | sought to make no ac-
quaintance outside. preferred solitude.
/ rarely attended church, for at that
time | entertained peculiar theological
ideas. My Sabbaths were in fair weather
spent up hill mile back from the vii
lage, where / read, wrote, and wandered
from early morning until sunset Ny
opinions have somewhat changed since
then, but | still believe 1 might have
done worse.
Between the owner of the establish
ment and myself there sprang up, or
rather always existed, an habitual re-
serve Not from any habitual dislike,
for he had my full respect, and deserved
it, but the cares of his business demanded
his whole attention, and he was. besides,
too much the gentleman to evince Gu
riosity to know more of my affairs than
| chose to reveal.
At that time / contributed somewhat
to a literary journal and occasionally
visited the city to carry in Ms. and pur-
chase books | seldom saw my friends
while there, and few of them knew my
whereabouts So my life passed Oh with
nothing to vary its every day monotony,
Oh excite feeling above the common rOu-
tine of daily still life.
have written thus much; though it
has no particular bearing on my subject,
because the reader can perhaps better
understand my habits and situation, and
more easily account in his own mind for
what | am about to relate.
One night-a wild, rainy, windy night
in April, not cold, but with wetness in
the air that seemed to penetrate to the
bOnes-I had been into the city to visit
family, with whom | had formerly
boarded, and Notwithstanding their invi-
tations to stop, set out at n late hour on
my return. | repented as | stepped
from the brilliantly lighted hall into the
outside darkness, and would have turned
back had not my refusal been SO per-
emptorily given. Had done so might
have escaped what in the whole year
since then has been slowly wearing away
my life.
From Green street passed down Couch
into Merrimac, and from its then danger
Gus precincts, into Haymarket Square
1t was very dark, and the wind, as l
turned the corner, blew the chill rain in
TO my face, and tugged violently at my
raglan, which l had thrown OH loosely,
and was now obliged to grasp tightly to
prevent its being carried away.
As entered the square, in sudden
lull of the wind heard voice or some
thing resembling voice, in so close a
proximity to me that started, and flung
out my arm on that side whence it seem
ed to proceed There was nothing. |
stood for moment, the cold sweat start
ing from every pore. Then, rs lifted
my foot, it came again-a hollow, un-
natural, crying sound, not loud, but dis
tinct, as if the lips of the utterer had
been AZ my ear, and had striven to break
into words the silence il might have
kept. God knows how long. NOtanother
sound-no voice-no splashing of foot
steps on the wet pavement-nothing but
the rushing of the wind and the gurgling
of the rain-swollen CUTTERS in the dark
ness. Overcome with terror / plunged
forward. until reaching Causeway stree t.
the long line of lights across the bridge
partially dispelled my fears, and slack
ened my pace.
When about half way across the bridge
became conscious of a presence-nothing
humane-no thing that I could hear, or
see, or feel-hut it was there-I knew it!
knew it was walking beside me, its
face turned to mine, as truly as if its
hand had palpably grasped my own.
felt that there was no escape from it even
should / plunge into the current below
And went on. Idared not think of the
long road which stretched before me in
the darkness, and dread to leave the dim