The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-02-14
Shot IN THE HEART.

]
on the subject, | answer that ] do not
know what | do believe.
You will infer from this that my belief
in apparitions has oeeu shaken. Youy
Inference will not be wrcpg one
Let mo tell you my story, and you can
see what CT use have to doubt the cor
rectness Of my GrSt belief on the subject,
John Haynes ard myself we've friends
together at college WeySed to be olll, 8
1.-THE insepa-ables," with seine justice,
admit, for we were always together, and
our studies were the same. We had
taken n great liking to each other from
the earliest moment of our acquaintance
We were nearly of the same age. and our
tastes and habits were very similar, 1t
is not to be wondered at, then, that we
were stanch friends.
We had no secrets from each other.
What knew John knew, and 1 shared
his confidence in the same way. Some.
iimss, when alone ia opr room, we used
to get into conversation on ouch strange
aud mysterious subjects MS mesmerism,
claiyYoyance, and the like; and knew
from Johns manner that these subtle,
weird, unexplainable mysteries had q
fascination and charm ior him. He was
not q believer in them, and yet there was
something about them that haunted him
strangely.
All of us have experienced this feeling,
! presume, when thinking about some
thing whose mystery was past orr COM
prehension.
1t would keep intruding itself upon
our thoughts, and yet b,tflo Us COM
pletely il We tried to solve its secrets.
It was so with John.
One evening We were sitting together
alone. we had been talking on these
things, and from them we got to talking
| on ghosts.
declared my unhelief in strong and
positive terms.
There are no ghosts" I said. mo
person eyer sew one except in magma
ton.
DO You think sof' John said, look
ing in the fire, thoughtfully.
"Yes. I honestly think that ghosts
nre nparations of the imagination.
strorS minded people meyer see them .
I answered.
II am not so sure of that" he replied
ITO tell the truth, Ned, do believe
there are ghosts, spirits, or whatever you
please to call them"
"What are your reasons for this be.
lief" ! asked.
! have no reasons for my belief" he
answered, "But that the splits of the
dead can visit the earth believe; rs
much as I believe in my existence.
may be wrong, but think not"
"Ill tell you what" I said, laughing
at his serious face; ''if I die before you
10 I'll appear to You, if such a thing Is
possible aud if you die FIRST, why, You
do the same thing to ME. What do you
say, Johni"
~ will agree TO your proposition" he
answered seriously. Il will come to You
when die, wherever you may be, should
l chanoet to die frst."
Oar college life ended at length, after
we bad begun to think it was going to
last forever. Aud then John and ! took
different paths and went out into the
world. He went TO Canada, having an
uncle there, and / went to London tc
enter myself at the Temple and study
for the bar.
The years went by. heard from him
very often. He wrote that he was doing
we'll. At first he had been junior psrt,
ner with his uncle, who was merchant,
aud then, for certain reasons. be separ.
ated ilam his relative and ges up for
himself. All Of a Gudden there was a
panic; crash came, and he vas ruined.
Bat still he wrote oheerfully. lie went
70 New York, apd thence he wrote that
he had SECURED Large claim in one of
the richest mining regions and vas 60.
ing out with party of miners to seek
for gold,
SO come Ave years passed. ! had
married and settled down into steady
man. Sometimes when 1 read John
etters thought of the co llege days aud
wondered if he still belieyed in ghosts,
one evening sat in The parIor with
my wife The fro burned redly in the
CRATE, but there was no other light IL the
room. We we're fond Of sitting in the
hall-tTilight made by the glowing Goals
and had not lighted the lamp.
Suddenly thought of John Haynes
We had been talking of some recent
events in the political wogld, aud tie
subject had no more connection with
John than uigbt resembled DAY. But all
at once I thought of him, and it seemed
as if be was near me. You have often
felt that some one was pear you, and
looked up to meet his glance. Such a
feeling camo over me then.
"How slrange!' / said to my wife.
Here we're talking of politics, and like
a fash ! thought of John, heYe often
told you about him. 1t seemed that he
was here, do not recollect Of ever hav.
ing experienced euoh q sensation be-
fore
Katie looked at me wonderiugy.
1T IS strange,' sho said. Such a
feeling came over Inc. Il seemed as il
there was some one else in the room"
J looked around. There was no one
to be seen. The fire burned DINNER
now and the room was full OF shifting.
tremuluus shadows
i feel the Presence Of some one,
Katie said, nesting closer to me. We
don't seem 10 be aloue as before