The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-02-10

would have beenr'
 T heard no wsrds,- Laura sighed. That is. 1 could distinguish none. But if seemed to me as If, far off-oh far, far away there was a cho.r of voices up- lifted in harmony.
 One fellow groaning-- Jack be- gin, but was instantly checked as Laura went on.
 The music preceded the dance of Of deafh'-Laura stopped and tremoled -''noihing more terrible could be con- ceiSed. As the skeletons danced, point ing their long bony fingers at us, they seemed to warn us of the high, of time Their aspect was not forbidding, nor were their gestures angry
 .Grinned at us, said lack, like the very-"
 Could, interrupted Laura. hastily. could such pageant. such a spirtoal apparition. have suggested the 'Danse Mac abre' to Holbein and the medieval painters 7,
 Like hornppe," said lack. Never saw such 2 lively lot: 1oubie-shuffie. hee.-asd-soe. walk-round all complete :,
 ..How long did the dance continue z asked visitor. shuddering.
 We took no count of time" replied Laura. "l do not suppose that. as he clocks went, we were n the room for len minutes: yet what we saw must have taken about day and hail. 3, least. How long. lack, do you think the oelis were ringing
 lack shook his head. and said he thought they were never going to stop.
 Then continued Laura. there were the sighngs and sobblngs. the cold winds. the beating of the drums. the playing ot the music. before the terrible dance. Hour al CT hour passed away ; we were ravished out of ourselves NC were los, in wonder and awe; VIC fei no hunger; our pulses stopped, and the beating of our hearts. We were without any tear, were we not. Jack
 yGsss. Tz 5sssss VI r7sv7s,, more composed in my life
 But there was more. was there ret z asked another visitor. We heard that you slw the spirit of your ancestor him. self"
 Laura sunk her voice 10 a whisper
 You heard arIght. sine said solemnly. The manifestations ended with no less an appearance than that ef my revered ancestor himself. the resioref oi the house even the second founder. She spoke as If Julius Cesar himself or even king Alfred. had been the first ot the Memb- llngs.
 How.-how did he appear :. gasped her audience.
 He was dressed in long dressing gown. such As he usually we:e n hls life lime.
 And yet murmured triumphant spiritualis,. ore of iae audience. they say that clothes have no ghosts. Ab- surd Matter. as has been proved over and over again, can always be repre- sen.ei visibly by spirits. Pray go on. Miss Membling. have never, during interesting experience than this of yours. l. will confocnd every sceptic.'
 Dressed in his long gown, Laura resumed. ''he moved slowly. al most painfully across the room. He ap- peared suffering from the debility of ex- ,reme old age"
 Quite so-qui,e so "' The spri,ualis, rubbed his hands. Il have always man. ralned that they appear as they lett the world. no older and no younger. Pray go on
 As he moved he turned his face to- wards us and smiled. You saw him smile. Jack. as plainly as did =
 Well, said Jack, with hesitation. he ceriainly wagged his head. and l saw his beard wobole. but can't honestly say that saw him smile
 He would no, smile for a stranger, said the spiri,ualist
 The most benlsnant eountensnce the sweetest smile the kindes, ioek ip hi, eyes with long s.ivery locks and white beard. As he disappeared. he raised hls hand as II 10 bestow his oenedetion up- on ss. Nou saw that. lack
 '.Oh. yes. he lifted his had"
 ''l think. but am not sure. that l heard him murmur blessing as he dis appeared '
 Did he. now, asked .he scientific explorer of ghoslland-.did he sink into the ground, or did he ascend into the air
 He disappeared" said Laura. He seemed to touch the wall and to vanish
 He came out of one wall" said lack, and went into the other wall.
 And did you. asked the spiritualist hear the blessing:a
 No, d.d not, replied Jack
 The blessing" explained the scientific specialist. was for the house alone. You heard nothing, then:
 Why" Jack said. considering. he shuffied bit with his feet as if his slip pers were uneasy"
 And so 1t went on. day after day, Laura receiving visitors and telling the story over and over again. Jack Was neither imaginative, nor was he properly impressed. He had seen things and heard things; that was undeniable. Bu, he drew no conclusions. He was thus a foil 10 Laura, and by his very downright ma,ier-oi-fact doggedness he corrobora- led her statements. The story, little by little. improved: the heavenly music was. in few days. provided with heavenly ehoir: the bells wese peal; the dance of death was procession oi skeletons. who danced as they crossed the room, in number about one hundred and fifty ,he