Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-08-14
LANCASTER. WISCONSIN. THURSDAY. AUGUST a. 1879


.fter midnisn. ! -ssted my-elf ~
po'ite my tp'o 4 or, having as.
viously plserd b lamps - a. m
pietely TO igh up the space before
M
i rather indicrous d fficaitiss iuen
struck M tn dfst place did
no. knew SIX of my unseen vi-
\ itor. Bo4d's story would have led
me 20 supp that man would
haunt the Il war but shers was
nothing masculino in the goal
football, or he seuhd of the trailing
robe.
Secondly knew that mus. K
one idea steady before me-, ",
could hardly go IN repeatng The
same formula. ard ! could MOI
think without words THIS Difficult
~, however. was very elementary
one, and W uld be east over.c me
by pratics. fixad my eyes on ihe
doorway whore the eyes OF figure
of average height would be, and soon
succeeded in making myself think
an almost uninterrupted s'oome"
Unfortunately the night was bois.
ferrous and ) ormy;,hc wind ecreame I'd
past the easement and swept on as if
In hideous fugue, across the gloomy
fens; but as my senses grew more
and more keen, did not doubt but
that | could distinguish the familiar
footsteps. even through al this
storm music
After while the blood moved
faster in my veins. my eyes were an
naturally fixed and hot, aid my
breathing was constrained aud rap
id, as though every muscle was stiff
ened--a sensation quite unlike the
deep full inspirations of severe phys
zeal exertion.
| should not have real zed how
great was the tension OF my will had
not a gust of wind IN lde a gate in
the garden bang suddenly, when the
culver with which my nerves re
sponded to the sound BETRAYED to
what pitch was excited.
1t was close on the hour for the
ghosts visit. | passed my hand
across my forehead and eyes, and at
the same instant, distant through the
waillng of the wind, heard the dis.
taHt football. | grasped the arms of
my chair, and half rose, in the inten.
sity of my wish /; but when the steps
reached the top of the stairs some.
thing seemed to give way in my brain,
the room and lights swan before my
eyes; but as | sprang up, with my
hands to my temples. | saw, or tan
cied | saw, against the bright back
ground, the shadowy outline of
figure.
1t was an instantaneous Impression, and |
sank back as helpless and weak az a child
all power of will entirely gone.
An hour passed before | could shake off nv
lassitlde sufficiently to go to bed but slept
soundy, and to my great satisfaction found
that. instead of being fatigued, was more
active than usual on the following dav. -
To Bonds inquiries merely replied that
was carrying out plan which hoped would
succeed in time, but that could not give him
the details
1t is unnecessary to describe the experi-
ments of each succeeding night soon found
that the power of concentrating my will in,
creased with every effort On three occa-
sions | saw the same shadowy outline: but
on each chance sound disturbed me, or ire
sistibe fatigue deprived me of strength Just
when most needed it. At length | resolved
to take one nights uninterrupted rest, and to
begin my next attempt only few minutes
before me, SO as to have more power in re-
serve when the critical moment should ar
rive. | was glad to find that attained al
most Immediately he required state of con-
centrated volition; but endeavored to make
my condition more natural than it had ever
yet been. gazed more quietly and observ-
antly at the spot where l hoped the spirit
might appear, and made mesmeric passes as
if before figure facing me.
As one O'clock struck, my senses grew
more alert; never before had felt myself
possessed of such subdued and controlled
strength; even my breathing became deep
and regular.
| could not account to myself for these
novel sensations but was filed with buoy.
ant delight which was almost ecstacy. Nv
hands, az continued my passes, seemed to
feel an opposing force, as though / were
drawing weight toward me. There was
none OF the former heat and excitement, bu:
genial warmth pervaded every limb.
Il
could but keep myself steady
At last it was close on the quarter. when
heard the first step in the passage II
stretched out my hands in motionless COM
mand and expectation. As the steps reached
the turn of the stairs. the outline became
visible once more; it grew distinct, ! daure
nearer, and pausing az the doorway, seemed
to tremble and gather itself into the form of
woman in cnging robe, who bent toward
me with a look that shall never forget.
She was very young, and the misery on
her face might have made the hardest heart
pitifuL In her eyes there was that abiding
look of horror that sometimes remains after
great mental shock-a look almost impossible
to describe, but which CONVEYS its meaning
instantaneeusly Her mobile lips were slisht-
ly parted, and her small hands tightly
elinched at her sides. Although every feat1
ure was distinguishable, there was no SEM.
blancc of humanity about her: she was pale,
shadowy figure, and the outline of her head
and dress remained tremulous, as though
ready to melt again into air.
AS she gazed earnestly at me,
felt that she could communicate her
thoughts to certain extent, and
read mine, in this mysterious spirit
contact. / did not speak, but
thought the words, Poor soul, | will
aid you in anything you wish.h A
faint smile quivered over her face,
and she bowed her head and beokon-
ed me with one hand. Taking up a
small lamp, / followed, while she
passed down stairs. Her movement
was exquisite in its floating grace,
and | remarked tina. her steps were
no longer audible the sound of them
was not needed now to plead for her.
She led me along the passage to a
deep window overlooking the moat.
Here she paused, and pointed to
panel in the oak wainscoting. Icould
see nothing peculiar, and glanced to.
ward the spirit for further explana-
ton. Again and again she pointed
imperiously to the same spot. tried
to speak, but my voice refused to
come, so | thought the question l
] wished to ask.
Am | to search here for some
thing?'
Her smile answered me, and she
then signed to me to open the win
dow and come out. Placing my lamp
J on the floor, SO as to be out of the