Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-08-14

A GHosT-SToRY A few years ago a lady i'm
quest of summer lodgings for herself, her sister
and her children, Cher husband being absent
was offered a large, old-fAshioned house in the
vicinity of one of our sea-shore resorts, on
highly advantageous terms. Having inspected
the house and found it, though old, IN good re-
pair, she engaged it joyfully, and few weeks
after the date of the first negotiations, she was
settled there with her family For some time
nothing occurred to mar the peace of the house
hold. The children enjoyed the fresh sea-
brcezes, their pleasant sports on the beach, and
the large airy rooms, while the ladies' sewed
aud read, and attended to household matters
and took long walks after the fashion of most
people during the summer season by the sea.
side. One night, when the mother was about
to retire 10 rest, one of her younger children, a
bright-eyed little boy. called to her from his
sleeping room. Fearing that he might be i'll,
she FASTENED tC him.
"Mainlna," he said, very earnestly, 81 wish
you would tell that strange woman to keep ont
Of my room.h
"What woman, dear" asked his mother, COR
WINGED that he must have been dreaming
81 don't know her name, and | cannot see
her face because she wears big sun-bonnet, but
| she comes and stands at the foot of my bed and
irighteus me-"
swell, never mind, dear. Go to sleep, and il
| ever she troubles You again come into my room,
| and sleep with me, answered the mother, still
| thinking that the child had been awakened by
an uneasy dream. The little fellow, thus
| spothci ami consocd, soon fell asleep, and slept
| soundly until idornins. But few nights al.
| tefwdrd the child cam, running into his moth
ers room at the dead Of night, painting and ter
| ritied, and eXclaiming "Mamma mamma she
| has come again" His mother took linn into
| her arms and soon caressed away his fears, but
| thinking that the child's uneasiness was caused
| by his sleeping alone, she had his bed moved into
| hnr own chamber, and httaI ".r ,aUaut
apartment as a guest chamber. Some time
after this the servants began to complain OF
strange sights and sounds for which they could
| mol account; and one burning July day the
sister, who was seated by the parlor window
| happened to say, sob, am so warm !" when Q
voice, seemingly from the cellar made answer
81 am so cold - Struck with amazement, sh,
called, but no one replied, and subsequent in
| yestigation proved that there was no one in til,
cellar at that moment nor could there hay,
been, as its only door was always kept locked
| cannot now recollect the details of various
strange occurrences which afteIward took plac,
but will pass on to the final one which may bt
considered the denouement OF the whole story
The lady of the house, strong-minded prac
teal woman, had always sternly rejected In
| theory that the odd incidents that ANNOYED he
had any supernatural origin so disregardn
them wholly, she sent an invitation to an oil
friend of hers, clergyman. to pay her visit G
| some weeks duration. Her invitation was &C
copied, and in due time her guest arrived, an
, was put in possession of the spare bed room =
Night coming the whole household retired +
i, rest. Early in the morning the active hostes
rose to see that all was In order for the furthe
entertainment of her guest, when, on going in
| to the parlor to unfasten the shutters, what wa
her amazement to find him there extended o
the sofa, and looking very i'll, as though he Ia,
passed Il very wretched night! In answer T.
her anxious qu6s ions he stated that, on retirln
= to rest, he had fallen into a profound slumbe
from which he awoke suddenly, and saw WI
, man wearing large sunbonnet, which con
: pletely concealed her face, standing beside h
= bed, the moonlight which shone into the roor
n rendering every detail of her figure distinct
J., visible. Surprising that she was one of Il
+ | servants who had come to his room to see Ih,
!, h. was perfectly comfortable and wanted noll
S ing he spoke to her. What she replied or no
y he first became convinced that the Thing b.
is fore him was no form of flesh and blood, i cal
Ii not now remember; but rccollect two parti
n ulars of the interview one was that she to
him to look for her in the cellar the other,th
! he asked her why she " ore a sun bonnet al
= sne answered, "Recause the lime has spoilt
l. my face" At this his failing senses torsoC
t him, and when consciousness returned h
d ghostly visitor had gone.-From "GLIMPsEs {
le GHOST LAND" in Lippiucon's Magazine i
T. august.