The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-12-26

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oval in the air-'' golden hair all down over
her shoulders, great calla lilies in her hand.
She holds them out to me. l scream; l
grow faint. The candle drops from my
hand. It is dark; I feel my way to the
door; fee upstairs. get to my room
how, cannot tell cry to my husband,
Alphonse, save me, and he pets me, kisses
me, anu says, II is dream Oh, am
angry. A dream TALL that But he be-
lieves it. And there must be my candle to
prove. 1t is gonelu
g But dreams are very vivid sometimes, y
I say Every vivid. once dreamed had
received letter, and when / awakened
looked for it everywhere
" But was awake, said the French lady.
" It is sign must die soon, perhaps
spectre Offering me hlies.n
However, nothing happened, and our
foolish nervousness passed very soon, and
we forgot the ghost until one night there
came knocking on the door, and Belle, in
q waterproof, stood there.
My dear, are you ill ~ asked, alarmed.
No." she whispered, {" only frightened.
Do come to me. came very near boiling
straight in, quite forgetful of Henry. Come
to my room"
She was trembling, and her hand was
cold.
Pray don't laugh" she said when the
door was shut upon us. " I've seen the
ghost"
l must laugh, Belle" said. 'The
idea of graduate of Vassar seeing ghost? p,
But did, DEAR size answered. az did,
indeed. / was lying here, reading, and sud
denly ! heard the door open. Some one
pushed it from outside inch by inch, and
began to be frightened before q white face
and long golden hair and big eyes appeared,
and my ghost all in white, with a wreath
of flowers on her head, came in. She stood
and looked at me solemnly, and screamed
out, What is that p and tainted. When l
came to she was gone, and came for you.
could not stay alone"
q am SO sorry, but I think it was n
Dream" said
dream p she sobbed. " 1t is actual
ly cruel, when I've suffered so, to call it a
dream. No, Kitty. this is haunted house"
:" Well. hope I shall be the next one to
see the ghost,n said.
/ had my wish.
A week from that night--a moonlight eve
ning soft and sweet--we fingered late out
of doors. My husband smoked his cigar.
should like once only to make her toilet.
nd Belle was interested in the conversation
of one of the young men who had of late
found her society more interesting than that
of fish or even crabs. We all went into the
house at twelve o'clock, but as | was un-
dressing | discovered that l had lost
breastpin which I valued.
Saying nothing TO my husband slipped
ont of French window in the dining
and hurried back to the cliff where we had
last fingered. The pin was there in creyice
of the rock, and fastened it into my dress
with the little exultation one cannot help
feeling on discovering something she had
believed lost, and turned to hurry back to
the house. As did so | saw, standing in
the tail grass at the foot OF the acelivity, a
figure, white, small and slender, with long,
light hair flowing over its shoulders, and
crowned with flowers.
1t waved light branch of some Towering
plant in its hand, and called to me in n faint,
sweet voice
"Silence! Silencel Kneel down and
let me pass Kneel Kneel!p
Who are you What are you ?" | cried.
81 am a ghost" came back the faint muir
muir. I am dead. died on my wedding
day but will not harm you if you meel
and cover your face"
heard, and sank ON my knees on the
rocks more in terror than obedience. My
head swan, l lost utterance, and in sheer
horror covered my face.
A hand on my shoulder aroused me. Mrs.
Parnell was bending over me.
Gracious mel Why, here you are 7"
she said. " Are you hurt? Are you sick ?
Shall call your husband to help you?'
No." / said. 81 can walk to the house.
have had an optical illusion, or seen q
ghost. don't know which. Mrs. Parnell
have you ever heard of anything
thing"
Ipaused, ashamed of the superstition that
would be expressed if finished the ques-
ton, but she finished it for me.
"Of any one seeing anything? Yes, dear.
But I've lived here fifty years. 1 was born
up chamber there where the awning is, and
whatever has been seen has never hurt any
one. wouldn't take summer boarders,
Mrs. May, if there was anything here could
hurt so much as their little finger. You be-
lieve that, don't your
Yes" said. g only hope Pm not
going out of my mind, for saw something
very strange"
Eff you ever see it again bid God BLISS
it, and let it go. 1t won't hurt YOU" said
Mrs. Parnell. And these words brought us
to the door.
Zelle the French lady, and I compared
notes that day in the locust grove, and de-
fed all mankind to prove us dreamers, but
those men had no more faith than before in
our visions.
We were TO have picnic soon on rock
in the midst of the river. Mrs. Parnell had
made great preparations for it, loading lib
eral baskets with good things. The Indies
took their crochet work the gentlemen
their papers. We were to stay all day.
That morning, at breakfast, Mrs. Parnell
appeared pale, and with tear-swollen eyes.
=" You see, I'm in trouble, ladies, " she said.
4" can't jest tell you what it is, but maybe
'twon't turn out quite so bad, after all. Ell
I'm not home when you come back, why,
tea'll be sot and.Billy will have the kettle
billed. It's dreadful trouble jest now, butt
keep on hoping"
We sympathized, but we could not help
her, when we had no idea what was needed,
and we started in our boats for orr rock in
rather depressed moods.
!" A mortgage foreclosed and her little
place lost, / suppose" said my husband.
=" That's the common story of widows and