The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-10-22
so, Mrs. Culverton started, and in
her confusion could only say:
"Why ?"

you"
1t seemed a fatal thing to Mrs
Cnlycrton, to put the most usual
questions and receive the most salts
factory answers except in references
"Rut | can't employ you without
reference" said Mrs. C., knowing
that Fate had decreed this girl should
take a place in her kitchen.
"If you can't | must out with it,
said the girl. There's my lady's
name, ma'am. She will tell you I'm
honest and capable; but she turned
me off for frightening the family"
How 2" asked Mrs Culverton.
Seeing ghosts !" replied the girl
Every day | saw little child in
white playing about the house and
all said there was no such child,
though there had been once, but he
was dead. Mistress said | pretend
ed to see for the sake ofimpertinence
and she discharged me but | knew
by her trembling that she thought
had seen ghost. | went to the
doctor, and he called it optical delu-
sion, and it would soon pass away
and sure enough / have not seen it
since left the house"
1t was queer story /; but Mrs Cul-
verton believed it, and when she had
left the Office had hired Jesse to fill
Johanna's place, for the space o! one
month from that day. That evening
she came and went to work with a
will.
Dinner time passed comfortably
and tea time came. The Culyerton's
never ate anything but biscuit or
cake ut this meal, and cups were
handed about in the sitting room.
Jesse came in at the appointed hour
with her tray, served every one and
then stood smiling before Mrs. Cul-
verton, as she said:
please ma'am, let me pass you,
the old gentleman has not been help
ell. Yes sir, in a minute
"The old gentleman !" cried Mrs.
Culvcrton.
Yes, ma'am-behind you in the
corner there, please"
There's no gentleman, young or
old, there" said the lady. 81 can't
imagine what YOU took for one.
The girl made no answer, but
turned quite white and left the room.
Mrs c. followed.
At first she could not extort an
explanation, bnt by and by the
girl declared she saw an old gentle
man sitting in the corner, who beck
oncd to her, and she fancied in a
hurry for his tea.
"Wh hat did he look like ?" asked
Mrs. G.
lie was thin and tall" said the
girl, 'his hair was white, and very
long, and | noticed that one of his
knees looked stiff, and thick gold
headed cane beside him." Uncle
Hiram !" cried Mrs. Culverton, "up-
on my word, you've described my
great uncle, who has been dead for
twenty wears"
II shall never keep place." said
she, You will turn me away now
See as many ghosts as you please"
said she, ''as long as you don't bring
them before my eyes" and went
back TO her tea without saving a
word to any Of the family on the
subject, although she was extremely
mystilied.
Surely if the girl had ever seen her
uncle Hiram-which was not likely,
considering timc-shc must have
seen something in the ghost line, and
if, indeed. it were her uncle Hiram's
spirit, why should he not come to
aid them in their trouble ? Mrs. Cul-
verton always hada little superstition
hidden in her soul, and she soon be-
gan to believe this version of the
case
The next morning she went into
the kitchen, and shutting the door
said to Jessie:
My good girl, | do not intend to
dismiss you, SO be quite frank with
me. | do not believe that these
forms are optical Illusions. | feel
sure that they are actual spirits.
What do you think ?"
Il think as you do" she said
"Our folks have always seen
ghosts. and grandfather had the sec
ond sight for ten years before he
died"
IF you should see the old gentle
man you told me of again. said Mrs.
Culverton, "be sure and tell me. Ill |
keep the story for the young folks,
and Mr. Culverton would only laugh |
at it; but you described my dear old
grand uncle, and my belief is you
saw him.
The girl promised not to mention
any thing that might happen to her
and from that day an inter-
change of glances between them, and
a subsequent conference in the kitch-
en- was of regular occurrence.
She saw the apparition seated on
The sofa in the parlor, seated at the
dinner table, walking in the garden,
and so life-like was it, that she found
It impossible to refrain from passing
plates, cups and saucers to it, to the
infinite amazement of people who saw
only the empty air in the same spot.
BY and by she invariably spoke of
ler ghost as the old gentleman, and
was no more affected by his presence
han by that of a living person. If
t were an optical Illusion, it was the
most singular on record.
But all the while-ghost or no
figure never spoke, and
never did anything to help the Cul-
icrtons in their dilemma, and the
awsuit was nearly terminated with
,ut the shadow of doubt in Jabez
|Iardy's favor.
In three days all would be over
md the Culvertons who had earned
heir property, if ever mortals did by
heir kindness and attention to their
lged relatives-whom they truly
owed and honored-would probably
,e homeless.
One morning Mrs. Culverton sat
,ver breakfast after the others had
eft the room, thinking of this when