Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-01-09
up with you all night and go. 1t
may be OF great use to US all Jes-


sie.'
Il shan't bo afraid, ma'am, if /
have company said Jessie, In the
most matter OF fact manner, and car.
ried ont the breakfast things.
All day they never spoke ON the
subject; but on retiring Jessie found
her mistress in her bed. room wrapped
in a shawl. M
I'm ready, you see,' she said.-
And Jessie merely loosened some
buttons and hooks, and lay down
dressed.
Ten O'Clock passed - eleven =
twelve. Mrs. Culyerton began to
doubt, when she saw Jessie's eyes
dilate in most peculiar manner, and
in an instant more the girl said:
why, here he is, ma'am.'
There's no one there said Mrs
Culverton. 9e
oh, yes, ma'am! / see him. said
the girl. Hes in great excitement,
ma'am; he's taking out his watch to
look at, and the chain is made of
such bright yellowhair, i thought at
first it was gold
His wife's hair said Mrs. Cul-
verton. 1T was buried with him.
You see dear old Uncle Hiram
Does he look at mep' e
Yes, ma'am,' said Jessie.
'Uncle,' said Mrs. c., do you know
me after all these years?'
He mods, said the girl.
Have you come to help us-dear
uncle?' said the lazy. 9
uncle Hiram was described as
noddlng very kindly, and beckoning.
He wants US to fellow him. said
the girl, and took up the light. The
moment she opened the door Jessie
saw the figure pass through it. Mrs.
Culverton still could see nothing.
Obedient to the girls movement,
Mrs. c. descended the stairs and
stood in the library.
The ghost paused before q book
case.
He wants me to open it, said Jes-
sic.
DO so,' said the lady.
'He signs to take down the books,
said the girl.
And Mrs Culverton's own hands
went to 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 locks troubled ma'am. He
seems trying to think said the girl.
'Oh. ma'am, he's gone to the other
easel
And so to cut long story short,
the four great book cases were emp
tied without apparent result.
Suddenly Jessie screamed:
Hes in the chair He's risen,
ma'am to the top of the case. He
wants me to climb up
Get tue steps. Jessie, said her
mistress-and Jessie obeyed.
On the very top of one of the
cases, covered by cobwebs, she found
an old German book and brought it
down.
This was there she said. Mrs.
Culverton took it out of her hand;
from between the leaves dropped a
folded paper, fastened with red tape
and sealed
The lady picked it up, and read on
the outside these words:
The last will and testament of Hi
ram Hardy
For a little while she could only
weep and tremble; soon she found
words:
Uncle she said, in the name of
my poor husband, and my dear chill
dren, l thank you from my soul
Does he hear me, Jessie?'
Yes; he mods and smiles, said the
girl.
will you let me see you, uncle2'
said Mrs. CulYerton.
He has gone said the girl. He
has kissed his hand and gone
And SO he had--for good; for from
that moment he was never seen again
by mortal eyes.
Nobody believed the story of his
appearance, but the will had been
discovered without doubt, and the
Culverton's were no longer in dan
ger from expulsion from their old
home. There they lived and died,
and Jessie remained until she mar
ried, and all her life received every
kindness from the family, who were
indebted to her singular popularity
for their comfort and happiness.
Whether uncle Hiram's spirit
really came back to earth or not, is a
question; but the Culverton's al
ways assert that it did, and quarrel
with every one who ventures to doubt
the assertion.