Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-10
A Canadian Ghost Story.

Al incident of u rather peculiar ma
ture occurred in this city on last Hal
lowe EN-, which has given rise to con-
siderable conjecture and surmise. The
facts, rs obtained from one of the par
Elephants by a representative Of The
Gazette, briefly stated are to the effect
that seven young ladies, all or Montreal
at a Halloween gathered ten years ago
agreed to meet again on the same even
ing ten years after; the stipulation was
dead or alive" the young lady who
made use of that expression reminding
the other six of their agreement short
time after by sending them each an in
Vitation for Oct. 81, 1888. This lady
was evidently the originator of the little
reunion, and laughingly promised to be
present, even if dead, and it were at all
possible for her to do so. About four
years ago this young lady died very
suddenly. She is described as having
been of a quiet, religious disposition
and very tall.
The remainder of the ten years rolled
by, and the time for the reunion came.
Accordingly, on All-Haliow eve the six
met at the house of two of their num-
Der, who were sisters, for tea; but &C
cOrding to the original agreement,
chair was left vacant for the missing
one. This chair was draped in black,
while in front of it on the table were
some Withered flowers, gathered from
the grave of the deceased. Nothing re-
markable occurred during the repast,
save that the young lady next to the
empty chair spoke of q strange nervous
sensation, but this was not thought of
at the time. After tea they started to
move to the parlor, Immediately ad-
joining, the young lady last mentioned
leading the way, and carrying in her
hand the bunch of withered flowers.
The parlor was quite dark, saving the
light which streamed in from the din
ing-room as she opened the door. At
that moment she cried: ''Look! lOokr'
and pointed into the parlor where
three or four of them saw distinctly a
tall white figure standing at the door
leading from the parlor to the hall
She who had first seen it retreated
quickly, and was Just leaving the din
ing-room by the door from that room to
the hall when she again saw the figure,
and her cry brought three of the others
to the door, and ali sawit glide quickly
along the hall from the parlor door to
the door leading to the street, which
seemed to open OF itself and close after
the figure had passed through.
Only one of the six failed to see the
figure at all, she having in both cases
| been too late, consequently she was
very dubious, and believed the appari-
! ton to be merely some kind of practi-
cal Joke, and at once went and inspect
ed the door of exit, but this was always
kept locked and Iatchcd from within,
and was found to be still secure, so the
| trick theory was apparently out of the
question rs solution of the mystery.
Our informant saw the figure twice,
and describes it rs being ''iust the
right height is to say, very tall,
and wholly draped in white; no hands
nor feet were to be seen, and the face
was concealed; it seemed to glide rather
than walk, and moved very quickly; it
did not touch the door at all and did
not appear to pass through it, but the
door seemed to open itself and close
behind the figure. The sensation pro-
duced by the figure was ii it were
chuckling to itself on having kept the
promise to be present, and laughing at
the scare produced least our young
lady informant states such to have
been her sensations in so far as she had
any apart from the dominant sense of
fear.
Such is the story, and we give it for
what it is worth without attempting to
offer either explanation or COMMENT
| Montreal Gazette