The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-10-01
Almost . Ghost sttry-A R.al Isssikt.
Br eRAcs aaEEswocD.

al CT II - u - II !
On a Christmas night some ffty or
sixty years ago, there was gathered about
the wide fireplace of large New England
kitchen happy family circle, consisting
of a well-te-de farmer, who was exc q
magistrate far and wide as
SQUIRE Perciyal his comely wife,
two fair daughters, niece, and last, but
not least, a son, just home from Yale for
the holidays aA ,eae ga sly
The night without was seasonably cold,
and brilliant with moonlight and starlight
The large stone farmhouse stood ON the
brow of hill, behind protecting line of
tall pine-trees-the only green in the wide
landscape. The steep hillside and wide
valley beneath were heavily blanketed
with snow. haa .ue.l Iss ~ Ed ,..,.
The early part of the evening had passed
nierrily with games, jests, and song. But
for an hour or two the conversation had
taken drift into the realm of the super
natural One ghost story had succeeded
to another, till, as the "witching time of
night" approached, and the fire burned
low, the circle instinctively drew closer to.
gethcr, with thrills and shudders of strange
spiritual dread, which is yet akin to the
keeEest pleasure-an awesome Joy, an ex-
quisite terror. The solemn soughing OF
the winds among the pines, heard in the
pauses of ghostly recitals, added its won
drous, wierd effect to the theme.
Just as young John Perciyal had con-
Guided wild German legend, which he
declared "splendid stuff for dreams" the
outside door was heard to open suddenly.
All looked round, more or less fearfully,
to see standing on the threshold the slight
form of fair young woman, clad all in
white, and looking strangely pure, and
cold, and luminous, like incarnated
moonlight. .,ii,,
with the glide of spirit" she came
forward. Her feet were quite bare, and
her arms were dropping YEARLY. Masses
of fair hair fell over her shoulders, but her
eyes were dark and fixed with melan-
choly stare. Her lips were slightly parted
and. almost colorless She came into the
circle about the hearth, and there paused
standing utterly motionless-a beautiful
appalling figure.
For a moment, all the startled group re-
manned as silent as that strange visitor
then one, young girl caught her breath in
hysterical scream, which was instantly
answered by cry from the pale lips o.
the woman in white" into whose BLANK
eyes rushed a wild, keen light. She gazed
about her in terror and bewilderment,t heT
glanced down upon herself, and sunk
covering upon the floor, covering her fact
with her hands, and giving way to child
ish paroxysm of weeping.
The farmers wife, woman of rart
sense and presence of mind, at ono.
OWNED the truth.
"She is sleep-walkcr !" she said. I" Shs
must be half dead with the cold! Girls
bring some wrappingsT
Immediately all was hustle The farmer
and. his son discreetly vanished from The
scene, and the kind mother, daughters, ani
niece devoted themselves to their be
wildered charge, who still wept and sobbef
under their kind miaistrations, but de
clared that she felt no cold and no pain
though her delicate feet were actually
bleeding from her long walk up the icy
hillside, and over the crusted snow.
After having been tenderly put to bed
however, she became sufficiently composed
to reply to the few questions put to her
She said she was Lucy Ellet, the niece o
the village physician-.that she had lately
been taken from school, on account o
nervousness, and sent to him for medica
treatment, but that homesickness anf
loneliness had made her worse. She hat
occasionally walked in her sleep before
but only about the house and grounds a
home, and on summer moonlight nights
81 think the moon beYitches me" she said
smiling through her tears. That nigh
she had, before going to bed, looked across
the little valley to the pleasant house OF
the hill, watched the cheerful Christina!
lights cleaning through the pine-trees
and longed to be one of the happy party
there, though she was stranger to all.
She had cried herself to sleep, she said
and that was all she knew Of her mysteri
Gus midnight tramp over snow and stones
and ice. Not a memory, not though
could she recall till the moment when sh,
found herself standing on that hearth, il
her nightdress, with 80 many wondering
eyes fixed upon her.
40 dear! what did you think of me
What can you think of me now?" sh'
moaned.
"Never mind what we think of you, my
poor child" said good, motherly Mr.!
Percival, "we lore you already, so jus
drink this nice ginger-tea, and go to sleep.
The "poor child" got little natura
sleep, and in the morning appeared some
what less ghostly than the apparition o
Christmas night. But she was still very
pale, with a playfully shy, grieved look
She was suffering less than was expected
from the exposure, but more from the ner
vous shock of the night before, and by tn
advice of her uncle, who had been sum
moned, consented to remain with her new
friends for few days. .-..-..--.
Young John Percival was -hospitabl,
kind to the invalid guest, not seeming t
perceive that she shrank from his atten
tons in sensitive, disquieted way. Ye
when his eye was not on her, she was oh
served to study his face with peculiar in
curing expression. She could not re
member having seen that face at the fear
full moment of her awakening, and sh
hoped he had not been a witness of tina
walking trance, which she regarded will
absolute horror
Finally, on the last day Of her visit, find
ing herself alone with him for a moment
under a desperate impulse, she asked
"Did you too see me that night, Mr.. Per
cival ?" ~ i..JfHf-ioiH -.
He was touched by the treinble in tn
4 voice and the wistful look in the darl
eyes; but he answered honestly: g can
not deny that did see YOU"
/ u SIR what must you nave tEOngnt!
/ Though? -why, l thought if ghost
i would always come in such shapes,
would never fear them more" fGt1
The shy smile and rosy blush that hi
playful, answer called forth seemed frs
to reveal to the young collegian the pale
sad vision Of the night as a lovely waking
flesh-and- blood reality.
never heard of Lucy Ellet "revisitini
the glimpses of the moon !" as a somnam
bulist after this, but l did hear that Oh
another Christmas night she stood on tn
hearth of the old farm house, dressed al
in white, in the midst of the same famil,
circle, and that she gazed about her, AM
said, " am afraid 1 am walking in m,
sleep again" and that she then put up he
hands in pretty, deprecating way, an,
added: but if am, John, don't wax
mer-HedrM and Home.
Impure Drinking Water.
IT is said that mans palate is like
| roG,ap,an SfotiopaJ of tho DIOR IF hi