Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-01-25
stiff, and he had gold.headed cane be-

my great grand uncle, VINO mas Deeh
dead Tor twenty years"
Jessie began to cry.
:" / shall never keep place" she said.
You will turn me away now"
:" See as many ghosts as you please,
she said, "as long as you don't bring
them before my eyes" and went back TO
her tea, without saying a word to any Of
the family on the subject, although she
was extremely mystifed.
Surely il the girl had never seen her
uncle Hiram-which was not likely,
considering that he had been dead nearly
her whole litetime-she must have seen
Something in the ghost line; and if, in.
deed, 1t were uncle Hiram's spirit, why
should he not come to aid them in their
trouble2 Mrs. Culverton had always had
little superstition hidden in her soul,
and she soon began to believe this YER
sion of the case.
The next morning she went into the
kitchen and, shutting the door, said to
Jessie:
"My good girl, do not intend to dis
miss you, so be quite frank with me.
do not believe that these forms are opti-
cal illusions. | feel sure that they are
actual spirits. What do you think 2"
81 think as you do, ma'am," said the
girl. "0ur folks have always seen ghosts,
and grandfather had the second-sight ten
years before he died.
"If you should see the old gentleman
you told me of again, said Mrs. Culver
ton, "be sure and tell me, I'll keep the
story from the young folks, and Mr.. Cul-
verton would only laugh Mt it; you de-
scribed my dear old grand uncle, and my
belief is you saw him"
The girl promised to mention anything
that might happen to her mistress; and
from that day an interchange Of glances
between them and a subsequent confer.
ence in the kitchen was Of regular occur
ence.
The girl saw her apparition seated on
the sofa, seated at the dinner table, walk
Mg in the garden, and SO life.like was it
that she found it impossible to refrain
from passing plates and cups and saucers
to il, to the infinite amazement of the
people who saw only empty air in the
same spot.
By and by she invariably spoke of her
ghost as the old gentleman, and was no
more affected by his presence than by
that of living being. If it we're an op-
tical illusion, it was the most singular on
record.
But all this whle-ghost or no ghost
the figure never spoke, and never did
anything to help the Culvertons in their
dilemma, and the lawsuit was nearly ter
minated without the shadow OF a doubt
in Jabez Hardy's favor.
Ia three days all will be over; aud the
Culvertons, who had earned their prop
erty, if ever mortals did, by kindness and
attention to their aged re!atives-whor,
they truly loved and honored-would
probably be homeless.
One morning Mrs Cu!verton sat over
her breakfast after the others had left the
room, thinking of this when Jessie came
in.
"Tve something to tell you, ma am"
she said. There's change in the old
gentleman"
"What do you mean2' asked Mrs.
Culverton.f
i've seen him twice at the foot of my
bed in the night" said the girl; land
though always before me he has been
| kind and pleasant looking, now he frowns
and looks ugly. He beckons me to go
somewhere, and | don't dare-in the night
time"
"You must" said Mrs. Culverton. II
| know he come again; and I'll sit with
you all night, and go where you go. 1t
may be of great use to us all, Jessie"
II shan't be afraid a'am, if have
company" said Jessie in the most mat
ter-of-fact manner, and carried out the
breakfast things.
All day they never spoke on the sub
ject; but, on retiring, Jessie found her
mistress in her bedroom wrapped in a
shawl
I'm ready, you see, she said. And
Jessie merely loosened some buttons
and hooks and lay down dressed.
Ten % clock ~passed-eleven-twelve.
Mrs. Culverton began to doubt, when
suddenly she saw Jessie's eyes dilate in
a most peculiar manner, and in an in
stant more the girl said:
"Why here he is, ma a'am.'
"There's no one there, said Mrs. Gull
verton.
"Oh yes, ma'apl l see him." said
the girl He's in great excitement,
ma am, he's taking out his watch to look
at, and the chain is made of such bright
yellow hair, thought at first it was
gold"
His wife's hair" said Mrs. Culver
ton. 1t was buried with him. You
see dear old uncle Hiram. Does he look
at me Z"
"Yes, ma am" said Jessie.
"Uncle, said Mrs. c., :" do you know
me after all these years
"He nods," said the girl.
Have you come to help us-dear un-
cle2" said the lady.
Uncle Hiram was described as nod
ding very kindly and beckoning.
"He wants us to follow him, said the
lady, and took up the light. The moment
she opened the door, Jessie saw the fig-
ure pass through it. Mrs. Culverton still
could see nothing.
0bedieRt to the girls movements, Mrs.
G. descended the stairs and stood in the
library.
The ghost paused before book case.
He wants me to open it, said Jessie.
"Do so, said the lady.
He signs to take down the books,
said the girl.
And Mrs. Culverton's own hands went
10 work. Book after book was taken
down-novels and romances, poems and
plays.
A pile of volumes lay upon the library
carpet, and still the ghost pointed to the
rest till they were all down.
He looks troubled, ms'am. he seems
trying to think" said the girl Oh,
mat am, he's gone TO the other case
Aud so, TO cut long story short, the
four great book cases were emptied with