Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-05-18
Helena, Montana, Thursday, May IS, 1876.

"The-old- gentleman?" cried Mrs. Cul-
verton.
eyes, ma'am-behind you in the corner,
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. Culverton
followed her. At first she extort no expla-
nation: but by and blythe girl declared that she
saw the old gentleman sitting in an arm chair
in the corner. who beckoned to her, as she
fancied, in hurry for his tea. ''What did
he look like?' asked Mrs. Culverton.
"He was thin and tall, said the girl. His
hair was white and very long; and noticed
that one of his knees looked stiff, and that he
had a thick gold-hc cane beside
"Uncle Hiram" cried Mrs Culverton.
s'Upon my word you have described my
great grand uncle. who has been dead for
twenty years.
Jessy began to cry.
81 shall never keep a place." she said.
"You'il turn me away now
But Mrs Culverton only laughed.
''See as many ghosts as you please,' she
said $50 long as you don't bring them before
nv eycs:-and she went back to her tea with
out saving a word to any of the family on the
subject, although she was extremely mysti-
fed
Surely if the girl had never seen her Uncle
Hiram-which was not likely considering
that he had been dead nearly her whole life
time-she must have seen something in the
ghost line; and if indeed, it were Uncle Hi
rams spirit, why should he not come to aid
them in their trouble. Mrs. Culverton had
always had little superstition hidden in her
soul, and she soon began to believe this ver-
sion of the case completely.
The next morning she went into the kitchen,
and shutting the door, said to Jessy, ''My
good girl, l do not intend to dismiss you; so
lie frank with me. l do not believe that
these forms you see are optical delusions.
feel sure they are actual spirits. What do
you think =
Il think what you do, ma am" said the
girl. "Our folks have always seen ghosts,
and grandfather had the second sight for ten
years before he died"
IF you should see the old gentleman you
told me Of again., said Mrs Culverton, ''be
sure and tell me-"
The girl promised to mention anyth. ng that
might happen, to her mistress; and from that
day an interchange of glances between
them and subsequent conference in the
kitchen was of regular occarreuce.
The gi irl saw her apparition seated on the
sofa in the parlor, seated at the dining table
walking in the garden, and so life-like was it
that she found it impossible to refrain from
passing plates and cups and saucers to it, to
the infinite amazement of the people who saw
only empty air in the same spot
By-and-by she inevitably spoke OF her ghost
as ''the old gentleman, and was no more at
fected by his presence than that of a living
being If it were All optical delusion, it was
the most singular one on record. But all this
while-ghosl or no ghost-the figure never
spoke, and never did anything to help the
Culvertons in their delusion, and the law
suit was nearly terminated without shadow
of doubt in Jabez Hardy's favor.
In three days all would be over; and the
Culvertons, who had earned their property,
if ever mortals did, by kindness and attention
to their aged relative-whom they had truly
loved would probably be homeless.
One morning Mrs. Culverton sat over her
breakfast, after the others had left the room,
thinking of this, when Jessy came in.
''Tve something to tell you ma am, she
said. ''Theres a change in the old gentle
man.
'.What do you mean:' asked Mrs. Cul-
verton.
in the night said the girl, land though al
wavs before he has been kind and pleasant
looking, now he froWns and looks angry. He
beckons me to go somewhere, and | don't
dare in the night time
sYou must, said Mrs. Culverton. II know
he'll come again; and I'll sit with you all
night, and go where you go. 1t may be for
great good to US all, Jessy."
Il shant be afraid, ma'am, if l have COM
pany," said Jcssy, in the most matter-ot-tact
way, and carried out the breakfast things.
All day they never spoke on the subject;
but on returning, Jessy found her mistress
in her bedroom wrapped in shawl.
I'm ready, you see" she said. And Jessy
merely lOosened some buttons and hooks and
and lay down dressed.
Ten o'clock ed-eleven-tWelve. Mrs
Culverton began to doubt, when suddenly she
saw Jessy's eyes dlate in a most peculiar
manner; and in an instant more the girl said
'Why here he is, ma am
"Theres no one there" said Mrs. Culver
ton.
ooh, yes, ma am; see him." said the girl.
He's in great excitement, ma'am he's taken
out his watch to look at it, and the chain is
made of such bright yellow hair | thought at
first it was gold"
ellis wifc's hair" cried Mrs. Culverton,
cit was buried with him, You see dear old
Uncle Hiram Does he look at me?"
eyes ma'am, said the girl.
"Uncle,' said Mrs. Culverton, ''do you
know me after all these years?"
'He nodded" said the girl.
''Have you come to help us-dear, kind
uncle?' said the lady
Uncle Hiram was described as nodding
very kindly and beckoning.
He wants US to follow him. said the
lady, and took up the light. The moment