The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-09-09
From All the Year Round.l
With a Ghost.

tFrom All the Year Round.l
With a Ghost.
The situation is this: An unimaginative
man of thirty, whose days are spent in bust
ness; new suburban villa, a bright, sun
shiny country; neighbors all round one; and
a new cemetery hundred yards distance
from the house.
To this house and to this man the ghost
came
And in this wise:
1t was in August. was sitting, after din
ner, trying to get sentimental over my APP
preaching marriage, and picturing to myself
Eleanor in the easy chair opposite me. The
light was fading, but as my eyes followed the
lines mechanically, and my thoughts were
elsewhere, that mattered little. Outside the
house there was stiffness extraordnary-no
stirring of the leaves; no breath in the air;
no voices from my own kitchen; no sounds
from the houses on either side, which were
locked Up, their tenants being at the seaside;
not even the distant bark of dog or the dis
tant roll of carriage TO show that there was
another living person in the world beside my
self. Then curious feeling came over NE;
I suddenly realized that life may 60 on in in
visible, intangible forms; looked around
me with a shudder; I expected something
The room became, without warning, distinct
ly darker; the air grew chill; felt cold dews
stand npon my forehead. Remember that up
to this moment there was no reason none
whatever for alarm. Yet became unac-
countabiy afraid. l turned to the window
for relief, and there saw IT for the first time.
1t was standing outside the window, dark
shadow, clearly outlined against the win
dow, dark shadow, clearly outlined against
the sky; colorless, and yet its draperies were
like white grave.clothes; shapeless, and yet,
e0mohOw human N A nd II hod
face. Deep-sunken and lustrous eyes,
bright with phosphoric splendor, showed me
hollow cheeks, lips that trembled as if with
passion, and frowning forehead. When l
turned he raised his hand and shook it at me
beneath its linen folds, and then, with that
singular movement remarked by all who have
conversed and are familiar with ghosts-a
movement in which the shape neither glides
nor walks, but changes place-the spectre
stood within the room facing me. | am
ashamed to say that was frightened.
49," he said, with an angry glance, 81
have found you at last"
made no reply. What was there TO say
81 have found you at last, have 1? Now I
have you what shall do to you?''
could only look hopelessly. He pushed
one arm outside the cerements which covered
tia long, lean arm, marked with tattoo
representing a ship in full sail, surmounted
Wy q ohuu anu SlOSo-UOuCos 11C ouOOh LIS
fist excitedly in my face. I noticed that the
air was not stirred by his movements. 1t
was odd, too, that recovered my courage as
soon as he began to threaten.
His gestures became more threatening. He
repeated twenty times running the question
with which he had first accosted me; snow !
have found you, what shall do with youp'
1t seemed indeed, as if he could say nothing
more.
"Come," I cried at last "this is fooling.
What do you mean by coming TO my house
like mailman? Leave off asking what you
will do with me. If you are ghost out of
his senses say so; II not vary the monotony
by saying something else. Can't you swear,
man? Can't You relieve nature in the usual
manner?
He groaned and wruns his hands.
81 can't" he said. sit isn't allowed. I
wish could. What shall do with you?
What shall do with you?'
"You have asked me that hundred times
already. Bah! you are ghost. Ghosts can
do nothing. used to believe that they did
not exist. Now see that they do. But look
here"
I took the poker from the fireplace and
passed it through him. Then I cut him down
like guardsman at Waterloo. Then sliced
him in two like soldier at an assault of
arms. At each pass of the weapon he ducked
recOleQ, ana crleQ ALOUD.
"See you cannot resist. l do what like
with You. What can you do in return?'
he raised his hand and struck at my face.
1t was as if a cold wind blew upon my cheek.
I could not repress shudder. The old shiy-
er came across me. He saw it at once, and
sprang at my throat. To my surprise, what
was before breath of cold air became tangi-
bic, felt his cold grasp with his long, bony
fingers at my throat. His face close to mine
was filled an eager longing for revenge. His
lurid eyes glared in mine. His teeth glistened
inithe twilight. 1t was but for moment
that was afraid. Then I rallied my cour-
age, sprang upright, and looked my spectral
enemy in the face. As looked the tangi-
bility OF his fingers weakened, the tightness
of his grasp relaxed, and his look changed
fro m one of triumph to that of baf1ed rage.
Then he fell back sullenly and threw himself
into an easy chair, glaring round the room.
81 never allow any one but myself" I
said, ito occupy that chair. 1t is mine.
Please take another"
He changed chairs Immediately.
"Will this do?"
1t was one next to mine. I begged him to
take one on the other side of the fire. place,
which he did at once. Then sat down and
surveyed the situation.
l was alone, save an old woman, my tenn
p0rary factotum, i'll the kitchen. The people
in the houses round were now all away for
their holidays. had ghost, presumably
lunatic of dangerous kind, under my root.
1t was impossible to get rid of him, unless he
chose to 60. You cannot push, kick, or
throw ghost out of window or door; you
can not lock him in one room while you 60 to
sleep in another; you can not shut yourself
up in your bedroom and defy him; above all
You never know what tricks he may be at.
Thinking Of these things, became conscious
OF another access of terror-slghter this
time. My guest however, perceived it, and
In twinkling was on me again, with his
skeleton fingers round my throat. l shook
him off; that is, I regained my presence of
mind, and he covered back to his seat, where
he sat, his head on his arm and his long
white clothes clinging to his limbs, sight
never to be forgotten.
"Pray tell me what it MEANS" said.
SIT means that if you were afraid of me
would throttle you like dog. 1t means
am sitting here waiting for the moment
when you will realize who and what am
the injuries you have done me, the wicked
ness OF your life, the loneliness of your posi-
tlon, and your presence with another world.
Hal hal. see 1t coming! Your nerves
won't stand me another quarter of an hour,
and then shall seize you by the wndpipe
and squeeze, squeeze the life-blood out of
youw
Presently he went on again:
"You will have to 50 to bed soon. You
cannot sit up all night"
"How long can you stay here?"
Gas long as please. Ho! no! no! can
be With you, now have fourd you, morning,
noon and night. When you are quietly in
your bed, shall be sitting by the bedside,
waiting for a moments weakness. When
you are at your Office in the city shall be at
your elbow, waiting to find you off your
guard. At dinner I shall be behind you.
You will not escape me. Sooner or later you
will be afraid. The time will come. l shall
wait. shall wait"
pray EXPLAIN" said blandly. "You will
wait until am afraid ?'
Precisely. We ghosts cannot hurt people
who are not afraid Of us. Our power is only
over the cowaIdly and upersttious-that is,
over nearly all mankind Onca mon hos