The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-06-22
A Genuine Ghost story.

I
is told in good faith, and with no hoaxing intent.
We give it exactly as it came to us: q
'Ihave reasons for not signing my real name to
| the following statement, and for Withholding it
from every person living, although can pledge
| the word Of an honest man that every word am
| about to relate is, in as far as am capable of
| Judging, as true as truth itself.
son the night of Christmas eve, them as was
returning home after attending divine service
in certain church in the city, on nearing my
residence became suddenly aware that
stranger was walking close behind me and keep
ing step with me in a like manner, which con-
sidered somewhat offensive. Influenced by the
sacredness of the place had Just left and feeling
that 1 should soon be relieved of such undesra-
BILE company, l said nothing but hurried my
pace until reached the steps leading to my own
door. At this point 1 halted for moment with
the intention of scrutinizing the stranger more
closely as he passed on, when became sensible
at once that, although it was showing rather
fast, from the time 1 became cognizant OF the
strangers proximity up to the moment that l
reached my residence, none of the snow fell upon
either OF U.S. we both, rs it were, walking in a
sort OF vacuum. Although l saw this palpably at
the time of its occurrence, and Mesquite aware
that not particle of snow touched either of us
while together, yet strange to say, it never struck
me as being singular until | had mounted the
steps and found the flakes falling on me once
more. At this juncture | became very much
alarmed, and the more SO from the fact that when
l turned round on the upper step of the flight to
endeavor to get peep at the strangers face he
was gone! He had disappeared with the volcci-
ty OF light, and under circumstances the NEST
incomprehensible, leaving strange impression
that | had seen him before; but as to whea or
where | was totally unable to determine. Com
pietely astounded at an adventure so strange, ]
entered my residence, where TO my surprise and
pleasure, found an old friend seated i'll my study
beside a cheerful coal fire that burned in the
CRATE, and whom Ihad not seen for years, although
l was in tie habit OF constantly corresponding
with him. We were mutually delighted at
meeting, and l was happy in making him at
home in my bachelors quarters-I have passed
into the sere and yellow leaf" without being
fortunate or unfortunate enough to make favor
able impression upon any OF the fair sex. In
the novelty OF my position, and the qualification
II afforded me, all remembrance of my adventure
in the street was completely lost sight Of, and
addressed myself to conversation and the meagre
inequalities that could offer him at so late an
hour of the nght-my housekeeper having gone
TO bed.
"After supper and single glass of ale each,
we then retired to our respective sleeping apart
lnents, to renew our conversation at breakfast,
and spend happy Christmas together. Some
how or other, did not sleep very well but, as
am rather abstemious and quite unused to late
suppers, l fancled that my restessness was oc-
casioned by even the single glass of ale; as the
day began to dawn, however, | became drowsv,
and sank into a deep and refreshing slumber,
from which was aroused about s O'Clock by the
well-known voice of my aged domestic, announ-
cling that Breakfast was ready. l was soon up
and dressed, and, as was always my habit, passed
40, L. /.
down stairs.
"Here, to my utter surprise, perceived, stand
ing on the table at when my friend and l had
supper two glasses-one empty and the other
filled with ale, beside plate, the contents of |
which appeared not to have been touched. |
was astonished and confused beyond all measure
at this; for before retiring to rest / locked the
door leading out into the hall at the head of the
stairs, which etfectually cut off both my study
and my bedroom from all intrusion. Unable to
account for this strange condition Of the table,
instantly fastened to the apartment Of my friend,
and knocked at the door Receiving no reply,
entered the room, when 10! and behold it was
empty, and the bed bore all the evidence of its
not having been slept in the night previously. 1 |
ran down stairs in consternation and learned |
from my housekeeper that she had not made up |
any beds that morning, and that not soul had |
lett or entered the house that morning. Utterly
bewildered was about to make some more in
quires when my attention was arrested by a
knock at the hall door. 1t was the tostman.-
He handed me letter l opened it and sank
into chair 1t contained the announcement of
my friends death, which had occurred at WASH
ington a few days previous After having
perused the sad contents, the recollection of my
strange adventure in the street rushed in with
great force and distinitness upon my memory,
while nv subsequent experience in my study
absolutely for the time being paralized all my
reasoning faculties, although 1 am far from being
stranger to mysterious sights and sounds in
the realty of which | have never believed, nor
do ! fully yet. But what conclusion can arrive
at in this instance: As may be presumed, the
subject has been present with me ever since; and
l now give it to the public in the hope that some
explanation may be offered in connection with
it, rather than from any desire to make it notori-
ous."-Butato Ermess.