The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-04-22
Eroln All.sne- 1tSa COZ sae'e.-s,.
ruE IATEST GHOSTsTALK.

or the starting Of new theories Of explana
tion--give promiseof any profitable result
The object Of this paper is not to advocat,
the doctrine that the revisitings just alluded
to are permitted, but simply to narrate tw,
or three additions to ghostly literature.
Very few years have passed since the oc
currence, in busy thoroughfare of busy
London, Of an incident which will be bette,
to give in the words Of the narrator:
1t was on wild stormy night in til,
spring Of 1857 that / was sitting before tn,
FIRE at my lodgings in -- street, with 81
open book on my knee. The fire had burn
ed very low, and Ishad not replenished it
for the weather, stormy as it was, wa
warm, and one of the windows had remain
ed since dinner partially Enclosed.
My siting-room was on the third floor
one of those queer old rooms that seem ex
pressly adapted to the occupancy of sprite
and bogies. The walls were panelled to thu
height of six feet from the floor, and thu
cornices covered with fantastic mouldings
Heavy articles of furniture, including I
mighty high-backed chair, disposed in diff
ferent parts Of the room, were lighted VI
occasionally by the Pickering gaseous fame
in the crate, which soon abandoned to deeper
darkness as its aliment grew less.
In the centre Of the apartment there stood
o large round table. Between this and thu
fire ! sat, as I have mentioned, with volume
on my knee. was upon the subject of TIT
law of evidence, and, to say truth, showed
small tokens of frequent consultation.
had lapsed into meditation, and then into
state of dreamy Inconsistencies, wher
INV attention was attracted by movement
of the door, of which, from my position,
commanded view. I saw it, through my
half-closed eyes, open slowly and noiseless'
.ly, and the next moment female Inquire
entered the room.
1t was not very alarming apparition
being nothing more than an extremely
pretty woman of about twenty-five, with
light brown hair, gracefully arranged un.
der bonnet of the ordinary fashion of the
the day. Her features were perfectly
strange to me. They were regular, and
she would have been altogether a very at
tractive person but for the circumstance
that her eyes had strange, unearthly ex'
pression-a look as Of one who had gazed on
things neutrality-suspicious., to speak more
Familiarity, 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 hangman had, to all appearance, faith
fully performed his ghostly office. myself
have seen some similar expression in the
faces of men who have endured awful peril
and have been, by some unforeseen circum,
stance, rescued from destruction when the
real bitterness of death hadpassed.
So much was I fascinated by that peculiar
glance that Isat like one entranced, without
power of movement, my heart alone remind
ing me, by its accelerated beat, that lived
and was cognizant Of what was presented tc
my eyes. : - = EF.a 80
My mysterious visitor advanced to the
table, without taking the least notice of me,
and removing her bonnet with an easy, ma
tural manner of one coming home from a
walk, laid it on the table. She then took
from her pocket little book bound in Grim
son velvet, and drawing chair to the fire,
seemed to become absorbed in its perusal.
In sitting down, she turned her side to me
and CLEAN from the dying fire suddenly
revealed to me gaping wound in the right
temple, such as might have been caused by
q fall against some sharp and hard sub
stance.
1t was now that the conviction rushed
upon me that my silent visitor was not Of
this world; yet I do not remember that
experienced any feeling akin to consterna-
ton. Curiosity and interest, at all events
were predominant; and watched her
every movement with almost breathless at
tention.
After I know not what time-probably
some ten minutes-passed in this manner,
the girl seemed to become restless and un-
easy. She glanced from her book to the
door-to the window-to the mantel shelf
(as though a clock stood there -tried to re-
settle to her book, but apparently failed
and at length, laying it down, murmured tc
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 minutes; then with an
audible sigh, resumed her reading. 1t did
not answer, however. 1t was manifest she
could not control some anxious thought
and now, as if taking q sudden resolution
she replaced the volume in her pocket, rose
put on her bonnet, and moved towards the
door. Suddenly she paused, turned, ap'
preached the window, and seeming to raise
it, gazed steadfastly out.
The next moment she gave violent start
and appeared to gasp for breath, hel
clasped. hands and straining eyeballs indi.
Gated that some terrible object was pre-
sented to her view. Then, with one loud
heart-broken cry, she threw her arms
wildly above her head and cast herself from
the window.
That cry seemed to rouse me from my
trance-like condition. Twas on my feet in
q second, and rushed to the window. Had
my senses deceived me? No doubt; for il
was barely open-as had left it. l flung
up the sash, and leaned forth. In the street
all was as usual. The stream of human
life passed uninterruptedly on. A collec-
ton of policemen glanced steadily up at my
opening window, and sauntered by. Two
men were calmly smoking at a window
fronting mine. 1t was plain they had heard
or seen nothing amiss. Much marvelling,
returned to my chair and book but little
enough of the law of evidence found its
way that evening into my disturbed brain.
The next day I took an opportunity Of
speaking confdentially to my landlady.
Had anything of On unusual nature been
seen in the house before The worthy
woman hesitated. Why did / ask that ? |
told her all Z; and moved by sudden i'm
pulse inquired if any calamity had occur
red in those apartments which might, to
some minds, account for the strange ap-
pearance I had Witnessed -
With little pressing the woman in
formed me- that inst wear before tragi-