New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-12-14
THE GHOST OF RUSSIAN HALL.

THE GHOST OF RUSSIAN HALL.
A great deal has been written about the
large tree the magnificent scenery, aud the
vast gold fields of California. Even its nam
moth vegetables and delicious mutton have had
their honorable mention. In short, do no,
know much connected with the country that
we are unacquainted with. There's one thing,
however, that has not been told of within my
knowledge-and that is a Californian ghost
The subject has at least the recommendation
of rarity; and perhaps it may be found to pos.
sess some interest. For myself give no opin
ion upon the point could not at the time,
but will truthfully and faithfully relate the
story as it was said to happen, and was related
to me by the poor woman whose belief at least
could not be shaken in it, and over portion OF
whose life II has exercised so strange an inhu-
ence.
1t was in the year 1854, and was living at
San Francisco. CHANGING to need some one to
assist me in doing some plain sewing, Mr..
Evans, one of the merchants of the town, and
a man whose character for benevolence was
known far and wide, gave me the address of a
Mrs. Adds. She was superior person, quite
a lady. he said, who had come to California
from the Eastern States, and was reduced to
live by her own exertions. He added that she
had been recently very ill from nervous fever,
was hardly strong enough yet for the harder
work of washing-which she had before been
taking in-and no doubt she would be glad of
the lighter employment of sewing.
"Washing" l exclaimed. "A superior
person, quite a lady, and reduced to take in
washing
"Ay," replied Mr.. Evans, "and thankful to
get it,
So, one morning, away i started for Mrs.
Adds, climbing over the Intervening sandhills
that lay between ST. Annis Valley and my
more centrally situated home. The streets
were not then cut through or paved as they are
now, so the expedition was quite a pilgrimage,
and was tired before reached the cottage of
Mrs. Adds. | recognized it by the descrip-
tion MIR. Evans had given-a pretty white
dwelling with green blinds, standing in gar
den surrounded by picket fence, with an
ornamental porch, over which green vine was
beginning to trail. All looked fresh and new !;
and it appeared she had not long got into it.
A little girl of nine was playing outside with
boy of three another child, girl of six or
so, sat wrapped in shawl watching them. She
looked i'll and. indeed. there was a delicacy
about them all. The moment they caught
sight of ME all three evinced considerable
alarm and ran indoors. In minute the eld-
est came out again, sent by her mother. Blush
ing very much, she said i must please excuse
sister and brother were shy and not used to
visitors. She was a gentle, pleasant looking
child, but in her face there fingered an express
sion as of some sudden fright, and thought il
must have been at me.
Mrs. Adds came to the door then. A pale,
delicate locking woman, with a sweet face of
suffering, and q refinement of manner that sur
prised me. Ii was next to impossible to be.
lieve that she could be doing the work of
plain washerwoman. Alas, / had not then
the experience l have acquired since Of what
well-reared women may be reduced to by dis
tress, when exiles in foreign country.
The porch-dOor opened into the parlor, and
we went in. 1t was tidily, nay, Hastily, fur
nished with such articles as sojoorners in San
Francisco would most readily procure. A
fresh mating covered the floor. Some cane
seated chairs and round table stood about the
room. Besides, there was a set of hanging
shelves trimmed with fringe, and plenty of lit
tie ornaments and souvenirs, bespeaking home
friendships and loving parting gifts from the
other side of the continent. All this, and the
woman's gentle~manner and really pretty face,
seemed more and more at variance with her
hard calling; but as one sees these anomalies
in a new country, as California was then,
came at last to the conclusion that, whatever
had rendered il necessary for
Mrs. Adds to work in the way she did, they
had no power to destroy her natural refinement
Of mind with its solid associations.
lyon must excuse my little people, if you
please, she went on TO say. "They are like
hares, and fly for shelter at the sight
of "A strange face indeed, we are none of us
strong just now, though we are gaining health
daily. All, except Nancy. my eldest, have had
, long, weakening fever
Panama ~ suggested.
"No," she said, and shuddered little, speak
ng slowly sit was a nervous fever" l am |
ust recovering from il myself, having had the |
most heightened attack Of the three"
And then l remembered that Mr.. Evans had |
nentioned it-s nervous fever.
"What caused Pr asked.
But to this question Mrs. Adds made no an
wer. An unmstakablc sbiver passed over her
rame and for the moment thought she was
DING to faint.
Il beg your pardon" she said, 81 have been
auch shaken in the nerves; Jared and wor-
led. do hope-I do trust-that we shall all
ct well ia time, now we are in this pleasant
nd peaceful house."
Perhaps the house you lived in before was
amp"
mo, don't think it was damp; it was not
nat" she said. 1T was on Russian Hill"
Unhealthy, perhaps, in other ways?'
YES. Unhealtby-for us''-and there en-
HSo iuc shfCf uSaius AoOut tue HOEh,
la'am what is il you wish me to do p
i sat and told her. partook of some re
,esbment that they offered me-a m0uthful of
inch and some tea. And | came away strange
interested in Mrs. Adds and her gentle
lildren, and quite determined that that visit
lould not be the last.
"Wbat is the mystery connected with her
mess p l asked Mr.. Ev ans when next saw
i'm. There seems 10 be one"
lit certainly does seem to be mystery one,
believe, that no one can explain or account
r." was the reply of Mr.. Evans. Il dare
y she will give you the history IL you request
And in due time l obtained the history and
anscribe as il was told to me, neither adding
it or taking from it.
In early times the means of transit across
lie continent were so very dangerous and CON-
rtiess that travellers were sure to wish they
I'd taken the contrary one. The heightened
'rrors OF Cape Horo, the Indian perils on the {
aims, and the fearful fever on the Isthmus,
I'VE ample themes for sympathy, curiosity,
ID surmise. Mrs. Adds had come by the
thmus, and hey voyage was marked by an ALL a
sorbing sorrow, that swallowed up every '
laller consideration Of discomfort and annoy- q
ce-the death of her husband. =
Mr.. Adds had been q teacher all his life. i
eaking down in health and spirits, as those q
o have much to do with the young sometimes t