New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-03

kind. Tnura spent therefore. n FORTNIGHT III the
prOduc ion OF what WIS called Plain StateIneht
Her intimate friends observed that the written mar
ra'iye did not quite core POND with her torIn'r
statements and Jack owned that he had not nea Il
the choir singing hymns nor seen inc pe>,ihg WIN
both nds. But these things mat cred liitle IN the
face Of SO tremendous aud undOubed series ol ap-
partitions.
The squire gave his consent to have the
2 onT et IS s know GI Of he ghost
be VIII sUcrcd abroad: that could n2t, he SUD
posed, BE- avoided but the actual facts concerned
only the immediate friends OF the House, and not
the general public, whose curiosity he, for one,
WAS not disposed to crafty by relating private
events. and the eXlCreuccs however singular OF
his daughter. The Narrative or Plain statement
was accordingly printed on the finest ld cr'aiQicSt
Of toned paper, wl'h a portrait OF the Ancestor
The dare of his dclth was not stated, but from we
medieval appeg rance o. the face and the cut OF the
beard / Wl.gh the Inner improved on the original
oil painting Hlat of JOSIAH Mcmbllng as common
cnuncilman The venerable Ancestor might nave pc
longcd t. the ihutoenth or fourteenth century a,
this greatly ID to the glory OF The FAMILY, ana
tended to confirm their position as belonging 10 Ih'
county With what face could anyone sheer az
people as nIeN G9ner5 wnosn a anGe5r,
to give brnedlctIOnS 10 the female branches OF their
posterityi Could the Towards, the C0urtrnays, the
MonimOrencles, the Lusgnlns, expect moTef
The Narrative of mr. hands, Laura began 70
de 3ceud slowly from the higher SplTlua Levels an
to talk Of ordinary things Ia her ordinary ma Iner
so tia, Jack Dalmanoy plucked up courage
ancestral spirit had broken il off. lie was by TINS
time grOwnI weary OF the worship or cnit ot me
old ghost aud II bored him t. ne perpe lily recall
ing the dancing skeletons and the ShatOwy hglre
with the long white hair. Then il was annoylng
for plain man be constantly invited - rem IN
Der notv My chorus, benr'ilctlOu,a warning look
or a sweet and gTiCiOuS smile. Therefore he was
anxious 10 get hs cOurtshp over and 70 carry away
his BRIDE. When he mentioned tho desirtbillfY or
naming the day, Laura declared nj first that moth
ing should ever persuade her 10 leave house pos
SpS@pf
argued that II glr gets sed she m ans To nave
her own honsc. Laura replied that she had not, on
entering into the engagement, fOrgS on that she
should receive the benediction OF her Ancestor.
Jack responded mat the bcnedictiOu did not tell
her that she was not to get married, unless, ne
added, with unusual bitterness, you are gong 10
marry your great grandfatleF YOURSELF DON'T be.
heve--' He stopped short here, thinking II wohld
be well not TO say anything ABOUT the heavenly
choir or the gracious smile till atGcr his marriage.
LAURA reflected. sweetly holding her HANDS
casped and ner mead little on one side IN the attl-
tude of reflection. The though crossed her mind
tnat il would he Il pity TO give NJ such good
IA urcd good looking and well-to-dO lover for the
SAKE of ghost wnOm, perhaps, she would never
see again. And presently sne murmurcd softly.
Jack, do you think nv Ancestor would come with
us to our new home and abide with US
oh, Lord cried Jack IN voice or such genuine
CONSERVATION that Laura forgot her atectatOn and
burst int0 hearty laugh, al or when JACK lound
no difficulty in getting her 10 talk about day.
They were to DO married after Lent, that was
agreed upon, and after infinite amount OF discus
be the last day of April. This gave them a clear
five weeks for preparat on, and Jack was ordered
back to his gaIrs work to be out OF the way until
he should be wanted to take ms part III the APP
preaching ceremony.
The excitement Of the time that followed kept
LauGa's thoughts gOOt dead from her ghOst, whose
home was not furtler lntrudet upon. By some
curious current of fe ing, assisted, no DOUBT ~
Laura'S appropriate of the family ghost
to herself, IT was generally considered thae
the ghost might feel offended the departure of the
nlar Ia 4 mil n
descend d TO reveal himself one lady going so lar
rs TO prDphesY disaster. And VIII III 1t came III way
and manner shah be presently set forth she only
SAID It was what she expected and always SAID
would happen. and tina if Laura had not been bent
Oh going aWay,nO doubt evil spirits WOuld not nav
been allowed to work their wicked will, and ali
tins shame would not have fallen upon the family
Among the menb rs OF the DaimahOy family was
first cousin of Jacks, young fellow OF an III
during mind. who was reading at Cambridge for
mathematical hOnOrs, lie was invited to De pest
man to his cousin the joyful OCCASION and Joined
the weddIng party at Me'Ibnng Hal two or three
days before the ausplclOuS morning. Inc mouse
was unite full and the usual excitement OF looking
at the wedding presents. flirting with the brides
maids dancing. and the rest of it, passed the time
more agreeaDly for Mr.. George DalmahOy than II
he had been dung the college hal aud spending
his evenings in an undergraduates room. VI course
almost the first thing which he heard Of was the
gnOSt, and tins Immediately fired his imagination
lie read the Narrative Then he cco5s-eXaIn-
iucd Jack. and elected from hIln that the super
structure so to speak-the heavenly chOr and the
herself ter the event; that Is to say
Jack neither saw nor heard any Of 1t. on the
otler hand, there could be be no manner OF doubt
that the narrative WAS subs antlly true, and
that very strange things bad happened
Mr. George DalmahOy determined that he too
would, If possible, witness these things. why
should not the ghost appear to hlm as wei rs 10 ms
cousiu As for the BenedlCtlOn, he dismissed IL
with contempt. Jack had seen an old man inquire,
bent. with streaming white haIr shulting' as ne
put It, across the door lhat was BY lt'ell quite To-
IL Npt oil "A Dt an V
benedlctIons: cuough 10 DE able to show himself,
lucky old guOsLv He considered himself an expert
III the art Of investigating stones OF ghosts ne
was to begin WITH entirely lncrouuiOus, ana, III lLe
second place, he knew that II Is nonsense 10 deny
phenomena Rap5 for instance, arc certainly
heard ears are boxed IN The dark, noses pulled,
heads banged. lie had once minced uuSpcaAaDle
on q medium By beginning inc lapS
himself before she was ready, ana spelling OUT
dreadful messages winch she did Lot understand !;
and on another occasion, when spirit ldd Deeh
Good enouph 10 'Incarnate' herself, this unirnSt-
worthy person mt match and disclosed no other
than the medium herself dancing ABOUT wrapped
in newspaper. tie had also Written an article on
the uUcCt for a college ma game, adu H~u Il aneit
full of books treating on sJlrtuall'il. 10 was
thus fully prepared Tor an encounter WAL. me An
cestOr OF the MembllngS aud arcentIy lOhsed 10
begin. 90,
Tie first approached the subject with Laura, ask
ing her rcScrenty if one could DO allowed 10 Nlsit
the nauutcd chamuer after dark. SAe lePileo "it
emotion that no one with her consent shouId ne az
lowed to omen the door of !hat room al all Sho
.dereu that disturb It's occupant was pardon
able only when uoue by inadvertCnce and lghO-
rance. AS happened TO herself and Jack As Tor 2
stranger prcsummg TO do 50, That, sue said, would
most likely draw upon his head me most la'al con-
sruucnces She could only compare tine DARING of
such deed with the audacit' o. tne ancient king,
wno drew the lightning down from heaven aud
was killed bY It asa punishment.
Ihus rebuhed George Dalnahoy went 10 head
quarters and sought the Squire IN bis library. MI
llcmbllng was an easy man, ltue touchy about
his ancient oirth. but now III excellent spirits and
ON The best o; term. with everybody. IN conse-
quenco OF the highly crcdlt3oie atch his daughter
Was making. Naturally he WAS disposed 10 receive
all the bnGegrOOmo people with great civihIy.
1t was after lunche II, aud a glass or two
of Burgundy had disposed the Squire to
benevolcnce toward al mankind. lie was
seated before the IRE, his legs crossed, his hands
fod.d pr parcd Tor the sleep which some times over