Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-05-12
An EVENING WITH A GHOST.

In the month of July last a reputable
and respectable citizen of this city, ur-
der a solemn pledge on our part that we
would not make public his name nor
any member of his family, unfolded to
us the following strange and marvellous
story. lie said that in company with
his only daughter, young lady of
nineteen years of age, he had been to
see the naval engagement which took
place in the harbor on the evening OF
the third of July, and while on his re-
turn his daughter asked him who the
soldier was that stood near them and
witnessed the engagement. He replied
to her that he did not see any soldier.
She said there was one, and that his
uniform was entirely unlike that worn
by any of our soldiers. While she was
describing his uniform, a figure hurriedly
passed by us, when she suddenly re-
marked, "lhere he goes now." He
looked back in time to see that whoever
it was, he was dressed in uniform,
but could not describe it. He thought
nothing more of the matter until the
next day, when his daughter Informed
him that on her return from a call on
neighbor living only two doors of, she
heard some one playing on the piano,
and on opening the door leading from
the sitting-room to the parlor found the
young soldier. He Immediately arose
from the piano and saluted her with a
very polite bow and vanished from her
presence His daughter was very much
frightened and could not thereafter be
induced to remain in the house alone.
Nothing more was seen or heard OF the
stranger until the next Friday night.
The family, which consists of our infor-
mant, an invalid wife and his daughter,
were having a familiar family talk after
tea, and all of sudden the daughter
remarked that she thought she heard
some one playing on the piano, and i'm
mediately sprang TO the door and open
ed it, and to her surprise there sat the
soldier She gave a scream which
brought her father. The stranger arose
and in a tender and subdued voice re-
marked: "Do not be afraid of me. l
would not injure hair of your head.
NV home is not in this world, but in
another. You will see more of me here
after" When he had said this he van
ished from sight. Our informant des
cribes the stranger as being about five
feet ten inches high, with broad,
cleanly shaven face, rather stoutly built,
and dressed in priyates uniform of
the British army.
On the subsequent Friday night, and
in fact there has not been Friday ev-
ening from that time until now, but
what this family has been visited by this
ghost or whatever it may be. He never
stays but an hour, and without any
timepiece calculates his visit to sec
ond. He makes his appearance with
the rapidity of lightning, and disappears
in the same way without a particle of
noise He converses fluently upon all
subjects, and as a culture and refine
ment abeut him that is rarely found
among mortals. Our informant says
that he is great favorite and a well
come visitor in his family. Previous TO
last Friday night there are but two per-
sons who have -been permitted to be
present besides the family, and they ale
pledged to secrecy not 10 reveal the
names of any of the family, or their
place of residence. As previously an
nounced in the Times, our informant
gave his permission to send reporter
to his house last Friday night and his
ghostship submitted to an interview.
No one but the family were present,
and precisely at eight o'clock a vacant
chair near the daughter was occupied
by the wonderful visitor. Where he
came from so suddenly and unannoun-
ced, astonished our reporter as much as
it always has the family. The daugh-
Ter, without any formality, at once re-
:-"George, this is the reporter
with whom you have an engagement
for this evening" The young soldier
merely nodded in recognition of the
fact aud said: 81 trust that our inter-
view may be agreeable to both, and in
the end of some service to your read
ers."
Reporter-"May I ask your name,
and your place of residence 2"
"My name" quickly replied the ghost,
sis George Fixes. My former resi-
ience was in Oswego; my present home
Is far hence"