The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-11-17
THE VAN SOUTHLAND GHOST
Washington Capital. !

son, thcre was, untll the last year or so, verltable ghost of little old woman, who appeared in season and out of season, ir- respective of the fact whether or not there should chance to be company stay ing al ;he mansion or only members of the household 10 be awed into strange feeling of fear from the spirit visitant. Long years agone, when old Judge Van Cour,land was light-hearted young bachelor, there lived at his house one Rachael Ten Eyck, whose inseparable complement, large bunch of juggling keys hung at the belt, proclaimed the brisk ll,lle one for what she was, house keeper and caretaker of the judge and his company generally. Time heS by and the judge, now waxing old, began to think |, high time he should be looking about for an heir, and, since toward mat slmony he seemed not inclined, con- uded at length to adopt two favor tc nephews, one lad bearing the name of Van Wyck, the other being the father of the present Colonel Pierre Van Gourland.
 Attended to the last by the faithful Rachael, the old judge fay waiting the great summons. when with noiseless tread he lourneyed forth into the silen, land, and others reigned in his stead.
 The funeral being over the heirs came 3lek D the homestead and gathered ,poui to hear the reading of the will, in whlfh particular mention was made of several valuable pieces of family plate herloems in the family from time imme- moral. Great was the consternation on All sides when the startling fact was made known that. search as they might neither There was no help for il, :; they had to he gwen up finally, while the thief, whoever he might be, was free to laugh fn his sleeve al the discontinue he had ncCaSIoned.
 Not many years after the death of the lldge. Rachael Ten Eyok. being aged and well stricken in years, lay down u dle and after the first feeling ot .o>s fc, the despotic old dame. the family gradually began to forget her altogether
 euch a state of things was by no means ,a ;he former housekeepers liking, as ,ah,e4uen, facts fdlly developed. ltsoon Anc to be pretty generally understood tnH any one occupying the judge htmer apartment was certain to behold ,he apparation of busy little body busting about and putting the place in order. One person told another. and so Inc story grew until all the countryside came to know that Rachael Ten Eyck in anquei mood roamed abou, the place where m life she had held such undis- puted sway.
 From tune to time guests burdened sah nquirlng minds begged leave to in habit for the night the haunted chamber affecting generally to possess small be- lief in the existence ofsuch an appartion lovlally suggesting a too-hearty indulg- enee Tn the famous Van Courtland hospi- ;allty, easily pursuadea imagina,ions and such like. It was. however, noticeable fact that in the morning the faces of even the most skeptical were wont to be pretty sober and the owners in no mood for testing upon the subject.
 The person to whose account we are indebted for our present knowledge oi inc case was no less one than the grand daughter of one of the nephews and ad- opted sons of the old judge, who. at her own urgent request, passed nigh; in her great srand-uncles room.
 Before retiring careful search was made Tn every nook and cranny of the old place to insure herself against being made the victim of a trick Satisfied ,hat all was as it should be. she locked the door carefully, turned down the light glimpse of Rachaels ghost. Nor was there long time to wait. for gradually as the house settled into its nightly quiet an invisible something began to make it's presence felt. Try as she would. oul brave seeker alter ghosts found it i'm possible to shake of the feeling. and be. gan heartily to wish herself anywhere bu, .n her present quarters. Hush! Listen Surely there is sound of footsteps along inc passageway outside.
 Of certainty ssmething-and a mosi aucanny something at that-is turning the heavy. old-time door handle. Nc nip-hammer of heart, beat it ever SC wildly. can deceive the eyesight, though may undoubtedly serve to deaden tho hearing. Slowly, carefully the grea door, creaking with its own weight, i. opened to admit a brisk little figure ir trim garb, with white cap and s,arche, muslin kerchief crossed upon her bosom while at her side hangs the veritabl, bunch of keys worn in her lifetime ans pngling as she walks. With the mea sured movements of one entering ar apartment where someone is sleeping the old housekeeper glided into the room closing the door behind her and carefull, shielding the light of the lamp which shi carried from the supposed sleeper's eyes .he old dame placed it on table in { far corner of the room, after first brush of with her apron any possible speck o dust resting thereon. This done, th, phantom turned in the same weird man ner, approaching the bed. Imagine, i one can. who has not actually passet through such an experience, the paralyz ing sensation of fear which for the mo ment seemed to seine upon the lonel, occupant of the room in which, shut ir together by close locked door, she and this phantom, this awful presence, re. mained together. Being a brave wo man the first overmastering sensation Q freight having subsided, gave place to