The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-12-25

coming misfortune. Neither death nor
disaster ever followed In their train, and
In due course OF time the family ceased
TO trouble their heads about them-were
not ct all frightened, and scarcely even
annoyed. There were other sounds which
did not myself hear, but that Of which /
was told-stealthy footsteps that paced q
certain corridor at dead OF night; a sharp,
rattling noise like hail dashing against the
window. panes, and one or two other tri-
fling, yet equally unsccountable, occur
FENCES. Once, too, q young lady visiting
the house heard IN the next room TO that
In which she was loud and lamentable
sounds, as Of women weeping bitterly
and In her sore distress. She listened 10
Considerable perpexitysfo for some time,
fearing TO intrude on the sorrows oil some
member oil the family, but at last she re-
solved 10 60 aud profter aid, u not eonso.
lRtion. As she approached the door be.
tween the two rooms the sound suddenly
ceased, and, TO her amazement, she found
the adjoining apartment not-only empty,
but with the door locked and boiled on
the inside. e. =
once knewia young lady who, on 60.
ling to pay a visit to q friend who had re-
Gently moved into new house, was asked
TO walk up stairs, and on complying saw
an old women preceding her up the stair.
case. Supposing her TO be one of the ser.
wants, she. took but little notice of her,
though struck by the peculiarly Of her
gait, o sort OF jerky limp, as though one
leg was shorter than the other. In the
course Of conversation with her friend she
mentioned.the old woman, and asked II
she was the hosekeeper.
Housekeeper 2 no." said the lady 1--WE
haveno such person about our house.
You must have been mistaken"
The visitor then described the person
she had seen, and when she mentioned
the peculiar limp her hostess seemed
startled.
After pause she said, " No such per-
son lives here Hoto, but the woman who
took care of this house before we rented II
was exactly such person Us you de-
scribe, and was lame In such a manner.
But she died here about six weeks ago
I think in this very room-sc your eyes
must certainly have deceived you"
The lady, still persisted that she had
seen the old woman; so the servans
were called and tho house thoroughly
searched, but no intruder was discovered.
! have known several instances OF per-
sons who have seen the "fetch" or appa-
rition of a living person called In Ger
many the Doppelganger;" yet, though
such appearances are usually supposed 10
portend the death or illness Of the person
thus strangely !" doubled" I have never
yet heard Of q case where any unpleasant
consequences followed. For instance, an
old friend Of mine, q gentleman OF un-
doubted veracity, once told me that on one
occasion he entered his house about five
o'clock In the afternoon, and ran up stairs
to his mothef's bed. chamber, where he
saw her standing near the center Of the
room, clad in o. loose white gown; and en-
gagged In combing out her long black hair.
he remained looking at her for some mo.
ments, expecting that she would speak to
him, but she did not take notice in any
way of his presence, and neither spoke nor
looked Of him., he then addressed her,
but, receiving no reply, became indig-
nant, and went down stairs, where, 10 his |
amazement hefound bis mother seated by
the parlor window, dressed and coffee as |
usual II was some years before he |
would trust himself to tell her OF VIII at he |
had seen, fearing that she might consider |
It an omen Of approaching death; and in
deed, though not q supersitious man, he |
was inclined SO to view It himself; but
his mother lived for many years alter the |
appearance Of her wrath.
! also knew young gentleman to
whom the unpleasant experience OF be-
holding his own double was once vouch-
stated. BE had boon spending a quiet |
evening with some young ladies, and re.
turned home about eleven o'clock, let |
himself Into the house with the latchkey |
and proceeded to his own room, where he |
found the gas already lighted, though |
turned down to mere blue spark. BE
turned 1t up, and tho full light Of the Jet |
shone on his bed, which stood just beside
the burner, and there, extended at full |
length, lay-himself His first idea was |
Of burglar, or some such intruder. But
bis second glance dispelled that impress
ion. He stood Tor some moments gazing |
at the rostratefgure with feelings which |
must have been anything but agreeable;
he noticed little peculisrities Of his own |
dress and features, and marked the closed |
eyelids and easy respiration Of slumber.
At length, plucking up courage, he Of.
tempted 10 pass his hand under the pill
low to draw out small revolver which |
be usually kept there, and as he did so he |
felt the pressure Of the pillow as though |
weighed down by reclining head. This
completely unneryed him. lie went out |
Of the room, locked the door on the out
side, and spent the remainder of the night |
on sofa In the parlor. He did not re.
enter his chamber till broad daylight, |
when, to his delight, he found his ghostly |
visitor had vanished.