The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-05-07

somewhat odd shxs { visitor Who oam,
wash no intention Of staying should
3sring : large Gladstone bar With him.
put surprises were common fl fhat
house. and he held his tongue.
Several times during the evening the
hostess casually introduced The name 81
the late curatei; and she recalled after.
ward that her Visitor invariably nolitalv
aSerted any further remarks 81 that
subject. W 'A"'
:, The evening passed very agreeably.
the advent of the entertaining stranger
proving . pleasant break in the me.
notony that had pervaded, Sonerscourt
since Mr.. Hart1eyb death, and the
old lady Jay awake some time evolving
schemes . for prolonging the stay of her
visitor.
AT breakfast next morning Mr. Bar
stead appeared singularly dull and dis:
disposition kindly suggested by his
hostess, but on her pressing the point
he admitted not feeling altogether as
Nc should like.
The fact is, said he, half apologet-
lcally, II had rather a bad night"
Miss Annersleigh looked up over her
spectacles and calculated an interoga-
tive indeed"
YES" he continued diffidently II had
very remarkable dreamer vision.
In fact, it was so vivid that + can hard
ly believe it was dream" '.f
"You don't say So" remarked Miss
Annersleigh, with painful earnestness.
"What was it?"
"Well, if I were a believer in the
supernatural, I should say most en-
phatically that tall, dark man, in the
dress of clergyman, stood by the side
Of my bed and beckoned me to follow
Miss Annersleigh stared with aston
ishment.
"A clergyman, did you s.ys" she
gasped.
Eyes; most decidedly. He was rath.
or pale, and should think about forty
five years of age. He carried in his
hand-why, bless me, yes, it was that
very book!" exclaimed Mr.. Barstead,
indicating vellumbound cash book up
on an adjacent table, which was the
book in which the deprated curate used
to keep record of Miss Annersleigh's
financial dealings with her multifarious
charities.
Now. like most persons sufficiently
strong-mlnded to the eccentric, Miss
Annersleigh was, when she pleased,
very shrewd and calculating, and,
though not indisposed to subscribe
to the theories of the ghost.seers,
she was not so credulous as to be blind
to the chances of deception. A mo-
ment's reflection suggested the hypothe.
sis that Mr.. Barstead had been told by
the servants that.a man had died in his
room, and that the vision was the effect
of morbid cogitations, or even nervous
ness
Have any of the servants told you
what has occurred in this house ?" she
| asked.
"Told me what has occurredl You
surely don't mean to say that the house
has the reputation of being haunted ?"
Certainly not that I am aware of
but there has been q death here" she
added slowly.
"Please don't tell me any more, !"
quickly interrupted Mr.. Barstead. Il
had assumed as much, but I assure you
had no knowledge of the fact. But
| since you have told me this, my cu=iosi-
ty has been aroused, and while dis
claiming any belief in the.supernatural,
am anxious to be afforded an opportu-
nifty of investigating any alleged phe-
nomena, must confess that my dream
has made great impression upon me,
as you have, doubtless, observed. May
ask if the description I gave you bears
any resemblance to that of the person
you say died here?"
1T is exact, said Miss Annersleigh, in
an awesome whisper, "And that Incl
dent of the book is marvellous. He had
it so much in his possession.
Mr.. Barstead appeared thunder
struck and mused a minute before
again speaking. "This is most remark
able" said he. II have been frequently
told that I am q medium"
"A medium" exclaimed Miss Anners-
leigh, excitedly, the revelations having
made deeper impression upon her
than she cared to own.
Eyes, medium, and, as such,
should have the faculty of seeing ghosts
when they are to be seen. Now should
very much like to occupy that room
again, to see if any further manifesta-
tons occur"
Miss Annersleigh entered mild pro-
test on the score of the alarm such q
course might occasion her visitor, but
he assured her most emphatically that
his nerves were equal to the strain.
After short conversation, therefore,
in which the curiosity and interest of
Miss Annersleigh asserted themselves
more than she was aware, Mr.. Bar
stead's proposal was agreed to, he en-
phasizing the necessity of his being kept
in ignorance of any facts affecting the
late Mr.. Hartley that might stimulate
the imagination.
The day turned out stormy and mis-
cradle, and Mr.. Barstead to whom time
seemed of no Importance. agreed to
postpone his intended visit to the vicar,
and the further development of his phil
anthropic scheme. This new distraction
had completely monopolized all the at
tention of his hostess, who abandoned
herself to listening to the numberless
| stories and theories bearing en- the SUBJ
ject of the Occult, with which her guest
seemed surprisingly familiar.
When tete-a-tete in the cosy dining
room after dinner, Miss Annersleigh
grew spiritualisticaly confidential. She
confessed that deceased friend, who
should he nameless, was livery much
inclined to believe in such things" and,
in return for Mr.. Barstead's variations,
she told him of an apparition distinctly
seen and sworn to by friend of her mar
ried sisters cousin.
At an early hour Mr.. Barstead re-
tired to his room, fortified by no secur-
ity against fear beyond the assurance OF
his hostess admiration for his courage
and night-light, which he proposed to
burn oil night.
This spirit of reckless hardihood was