The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-03-19
LATEST GaosT TALK.

! SlOndi IetuiH 10 luS SUBJECT, whenever Inc
occurrence of some incident of novel fea-
ture,-or the starting of new theories OF
| explanatlon,- give promise Of any profit
table result. The object of this paper is
! not to advocate the doctrine that the revis-
things just alluded TO are permitted, bit
simply TO narrate two or three additions to
| Ghostly Liter lture.
Very few years have passed since the
occurrence, IN a busy thoroughfare Of
busy London, of an incident which it will
be better to give in the words of the mar
rator.
''It was on a wild stormy night in tlre
! spring of 1857, that L was sitting before
the fire at my lodgings in --- street,
with an open book my knee. The
fire had burned very low and | had not
! replenished it fer the weather, stormy as
| IL was, was warm, and one Of the win
dows had renamed, since dinner, partially
unclosed.
My sitting groom was on the third
! door,-one OF those queer old rooms that
seem expressly adapted TO the occupancy
of spritea and bogies. The walls were
| panelled to height of six feet from the
tastic mouldinss. Heavy articles Of furni-
ture, including q mighty high backed chair,
/ disposed III different parts Of the room,
were lighted up occasionally by the flick
erlng gaseous flame in the CRATE, which
! soon abandoned them TO deeper and deeper
darkness as Its aliment grew less.
''In the centre OF the apartment there
stood large round table Between this
and the fire L sat, as | have mentioned,
with II volume ON my knee. Il WAS upon
the subject of the law of evidence, and In
say truth showed small tokens OF frequent
consultation. l had Iapsed into meditation,
and thence into Il state Of dreamy semi
| consciousness, when my attention was
attracted by movement of the door, of
winch, from my position, l commanded a
view. saw It, thr, ugh my half closed
eyes, open slowly and noiseiessly, and the
next moment female figure entered the
room.
''lt was not a very alarming apparition,
being nothing more than an extremely
pretty woman of about twenty-five, with
light brown hair, gracefully arranged uu-
der d bonnet of the ordinary fashion of the
10 me. They were regular, and she would
have been altogether very attractive
person but for the circumstances that her
eyes had strange unearthly expression-
a look as of one who had gazed on things
immortai-Perhaps, TO speak more fami-
liariy, look such as medical science has
described as appearing IN the eyes OF
criminals who have been, by some strange
accident, torn from the jaws of death after
the hansman had, 10 ali appearance, faith
fully performed his ghastly office | my
self have seen some similar expression in
the faces Of men who have endured awful
peril, and have been, by some unforeseen
circumstance, rescued from destruction
when the real bitterness of death had
passed.
$50 much was l fascinated by that
peculiar glance, that l sat, like one en-
tranced, without power of movement, my
heart alone reminding me, by its acceler.
ated beat, that lived, and was cognizant
ofwhat was presented to my eyes
Only mysterious visitor advanced to the
table, without taking the least notice of
me, and removing her bonnet with the easy
natural manner of one coming home from
a walk, laid il on the table. She then
took from her pocket little book bound in
crimson velvet, and, drawing chair to
the fire, seemed to become absorbed in It's
Perusal. In sitting down, she turned her
side to me and CLEAN from the dying
fire suddenly revealed to me ghastly
gaping wound in the right temple, such as
might have been caused by fall against
some oharp'and hard substance.
''it was now that the conviction rushed
upon me that my silent visitor was not of
this world yet L DO not remember that |
experienced any feeling akin to consterna-
tion. Curiosity and interest, at all events,
were predominant and l watched her
every movement with almost breathless
attention.
''Atter l know not what time-preba-
bly, some ten minutes-passed in this man
ner, the girl seemed to become restless and
uneasy. She glanced from her book to
the door,-to the win1ow,-t the mantle>
shelf (as though clock stood there -
tried 10 resettle to her book, but, appa-
realty failed and, at length, laying it
down, murmured to herself: what in
the world can detain him ? 1t is long past
his time
''She remained, as it were, buried in
thought for a few moments then, with
an audible sigh, resumed her reading. 1t
did not answer, however. 1t was manifest
that she could not control some anxious
thought; and now, as if taking sudden
resolution, she replaced the volume in her
pocket, rose, put on her bonnet, and moved
towards the door Suddenly she paused,
turned, approached the window, and SEEM
ing to raise it, gazed steadfastly out.
''The next moment she gave violent
start, and appeared to gasp for breath, her
clasped hands and straining eyeballs indi-
eating that some terrible object was pre-
sented to her view. Then, with one loud