Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-07-22
The Lady in White.

Ipswich, and once had occasion to go to
London upon business. 1t was during
q period of great popular cOmmotion,
and the city being very full, he ha4
some trouble in finding lodging. The
master of the house observed that it
was good large room-for he could
| get but one-and very comfortable. if
he did not mind-but there he stopped,
for his wife gave him nudge.
Then my father suspected something
was not quite right.
1T isn't over slaughter-hOuse, or a
battle-ground, or Il dissecting-roOm, is
it?' says he.
oh, dear, no. says the landlord, but
some people say the next house is
haunted, and that anybody who sleeps
in this room can see lady in white cry
ing at that window that you can see
there
'Oh, is that alp says my father.
Perhaps there's some poor maniac con-
fined there. Whether or no, however,
that's no objection, for | don't care a
rush for all the ghosts that ever were
inventedl'
Well, he took possession of the room,
opportunity of taking an accurate sur
vey of the neighboring premises.
A lead roof, apparently over work.
shop, lay between his window and that
one where the ghost was said TO appear;
only there was this difference-that he
could easily step out of his upon the
leads, where as the neighbOr's was
about nine OF ten feet higher. My faith
er always vowed that he was perfectly
sober when he went to bed. He couldn't
tell how long he had been asleep, when
he was suddenly awakened by loud
screams; and when he opened his eyes
he saw the opposite house was on fire.
He was out ON the leads IN moment.
The haunted room was filed with
bright flames, and at the window stood
a lovely young woman, clasping a baby
in her arms, and screaming for help.
oh, save my ehildl' save my child!'
she kept on crying in tones of such an
guish that they went to my fathers
very heart.
Give 1t to me- he said, and then
jump out into my arms. The distance
is nothing; you cannot be hurt Take
cOuragel Now, give me the baby!'
She leaned forward. and dropped the
baby, wrapped up in shawl. into my
fathers arms. Just as he got 1t safe, it
seemed to him that the roof fell in
There was a crashing noise, but not very
loud; the flames disappeared, and so did
the young lady.
In at his window he rushed again and
through the house, shouting. Fire,
lreP with all his might, and with the
baby still in his arms,
Out rushed the landlord as pale as a
ghost, and his wife after him in such a
monument of nlght-cap that it quite
OveT-awed my father even in the midst
Of his agitation.
The maid was Shrleking 'Murderr
down in the kitchen, and the apprenti-
ees had tumbled out from under the
counter in the shop, and were poking
their noses cautiously out, and kindly
inquiIing who was killing her; and on
every landing up the stairs the lodgers
were calling out to know what was the
matter. There was altogether terrific
row in the place.
The next house is on irer said my
father.
IT'S only the old story, said the land
lord. Run upstairs, my dear, and tell
them it's false alarm
But it is not false alarm says my
father, for | saw the flames and | saw
the roof fall in, and | fear that lady is
buried under the ruins. Why don't
you come and help her? She had Just
dropped her child into my arms when
the roof fell
The landlady then first set eyes onthe
bundle, for her husband at that mo-
ment lighted candle from the rush.
light, which had very imperfectly illu.
minated the scene before.
A babyl' says she.
Yes, says my father, and think ia
better leave it with you, ma'am, while
go and endeavor to rescue the moth
err
The woman did not speak, nor utter
sound, but she Just lifted up the
shawl from the chIld's face and dropped |
down Ike a lump Of lead upon the
floor.
Instead of attending to her, both my
father and the landlord looked into the |
shawl. II contained the skeleton of an |
infant, wrapped up IN the rags of what !
had once been very costly garments.
Ny father felt very sick, ana the |
landlord staggered back against the |
wall and dropped the candlestick out Of /
his hand.
When the landlady fell (she was tall /,
heavy woman, and gave the house a /,
good shake) the maid screamed muir I
der' louder than ever, and the dodgers /,
called out yet more energetically TO !
know what was the matter
That frightened the landlord back !
into his senses; for he thought if they !
came Down and saw what my father !
had got ( would frighten them all out |
of the house. So he caught up the can /
die, which luckily was not extinguished |
by the fall, and pushed my father; with |
his bundle, into the BEDROOM Then he |
called out that it was only the strange |
gentleman had had the nightmare, md |
his wife had been frightened int ! |
fainting fit.
The little skeleton was quietly bur II /
the next day by an Old sexton, WHD |
asked no questions, as he knew ji'r |
landlord was a respectable household; !
and so they all concluded that the gh |
was satisfied, and that that was the T, IL
son why she never appeared again.
When my father examined the place
closely by daylight, he saw evidru,
marks of fire that had happened the;
great many years before. In shOr,
the whole affair. of the apparition seem
ed to shroud some fearful mystery !.
which was perfectly inexplicable.
Some years after, when he was in
London again, my father endeavOred 10
ind out the house in the hope of obtain !
ing clew to the mystery, bGt he could |
discover nothing but mass of ruins.
The street and some others were demOl- !
ished, to make way for that which IS
now Regent street.
"YEs, stranger, said passenger |
from Texas, 81 am goin' down East Oh
an important errand. Don't mind tell