, 1886-10-14
A MIDNIGHT SPECTRE.

FfAfifflflDn. MY lhlHtAf - "' NN'J
mpo.ed upon by every unprincipled me
linn, and clairvoyant whom he met, sol
,mnly believed that he was In direct com
municntion with several individuals who
for many years had been in the place
II departed spirits. My mother dreamed
one night that her soul left her DO iy AMI
wandered through heaven an | earth and
space without physical incumbrance.
She was positive that this was not a
dream, but an actual rea ity. and h
never wearied OF describing the peculiar
sensations she experienced while she was
a disembodied spirit. My nurse was n
woman who impartially bell eyed in the
existence of every horrible and superna-
tural conception. She had a mind that
was rife with stories Of imp, ghosts,
witches and hobgoolins. and she had a
passion for pouring these unwholesome
fables into my ears. Certainly my train
irg was an unfortunate one. but until l
was 20 years old l was never aware that
1t had made any impression upon my
mind.
At the age ! have mentioned | went to
live in a graveyard. and / offer this cir
cumstance as proof that | was not a ner-
vous or superstitious person. Had been
either, | would have selected a less grue-
some dwelling place.
knew the sexton of the village church.
This man and his good wife lived in n
cottage in the cemetery. and they sug-
gested that | should nave my board and
lodgings under their roof. | was a young
barrister then. without much practice or
income, and | was Obliged to economic.
/ owned n very large library and require
more room than the hall bedroom that Is
the usual habitation OF the single gentle
man In lodging-houses. The sexton Of
fered me two roomy apartments and my
board mt SO low n figure that / was glad to
accept his terms.
had an almost overwhelming desire to
save money. Not that / was naturally
penuriou., but | had a strong incentive in
Miss Ethel Hartley. had been engaged
TO Miss Hartley for many months, but
had not yet been able to offer her a home.
All my energies were devoted to one OBJ
ject-i G., to earn a home for the woman
that was 10 be my wife. i reflected that
my cheap lodgings would help me accom-
plish tins object. and l would cheerfully
have consented 10 live in a charnel-house
II by so doing I could have hastened my
wedding-day.
l had a suspicion that Ethel would
%dlsnpprove OF my removal TO
the sections cottage, so did not
mention the matter TO her until al my mr.
ranGement had been made. / did not wish
TO he persuaded to abandon it.
The sexton had assured me that / would
nnd his IA nice, quiet place" where l
could read md study without being dis
turbed by any noise or any visits from my
neighbors. He made an effort to be 10
cose, aud assured me that l would find
'em a heap less troublesome han any
other neighbors."
l was iudispossd TO be critical of my
new quarters. My rooms were large,
clean and airy; my food was abundant
and wholesome, and min host and host
ess were thoroughly respectable. But
there was one thing about the cottage
that | seriously disllked, and that was its
name. l do not mean Its reputat on. for
that was above reproach; but 1t had been
named Deaths lodge" | cannot imag-
Inc why this name had been given to the
only place in the cemetery where death
was not present and where living Great
ures existed.
AS | had feared, Miss Hartley disap-
proved of the change | had made In my
lodgings. | recited all the advantages to
be derived from IL, but she could not be
convinced OF the advisability OF such u
move.
Your sexton Is not the only respectable
person who takes dodgers" she insisted,
when | gave his goo character as one OF
the reasons why l had entered his house.
"There are other landlords us reputable
as he"
Il do not dispute that" I answered.
But are there other landlords whose
houses are MS well kept an whose terms
are so moderator This man lives in a
graveyard, Ethel. and he knows there is a
nnnutur nrp fuIira unuiusf Anrh "a hth I l.
ton ms his. He realizes that his rooms
must consequently bring low prices. |
not afraid of graves or ghosts, and |
mean 10 profit by the unpopulurity OF his
house"
Are You quite sure you are not afraid
OF ehostsf' she asked with n true femi-
nine persistency. at is quito easy, In this
cheerful room and in Il mouse filed with
living people, to believe we are without
superstition. But will 1t be so easy, Her
bert. in an almost deserted dwelling tn It
is apart from all other human hub t%ationS,
that Is surrounded by gravesi There are
dismal stories told OF that cemetery, and
OF the spir Is lowering about 1t. We
don't believe In them. AMI we laugh ut
them here. But will they appear so
%id.culous to you when you are In that
placer May they not occur TO you
lhOoN unPAta-halAA1 mutu 1Ou ult hloIt
some night, and have nothing to look ut
but those melancholy grtves'"
laughed ut her questions.
For II time she said no more about
Lodge" bu. / noticed that she
was nervous, aud wanted me to leave her
at an early hour. When | asked her ban
teringly II she was already tired OF my
society, she confessed that she dreaded
me enter the cemetery after dark.
There was nothing heroic about my little
girl. Nothing less thar a miracle wAul
have induced her 10 enter the cemetery ut
night.
Occasionally she had entered it by day
ilht, AMI had been interested In one por-
ton OF it tnat was owned by the Hollanl-
ers In our town. When they buriei a
child there they laid his toys upon his
sFar.. and 1T was supposed that he oc-
,Asclt!lT left his melancholy resting
!, A. al -erns upon earth aud amused
A.iisa Wa thss piAythines. that were
,ilrss Ks a-srazs neiore a shrine. One
~ " - "a D.-ts .ftlers had asserted
>atfss auG a. 1.t1izat on moonlight
49, tJs..t - aEt. Holland ghosts
Ts-fefe- ~ - t.sf xrsrss and indu ged
IL a. ".-S - 'osz p-stnss T. bel
rsisff.! ~ t-4t t.~f.G5.4D1z D-i4si father
sthm~fatst.r
i don't susi<s. inst JDpu ever ses a
ghost. Hsr~Ff.' sts sald. IN, you fnay
imagine hat you zee one. and that viii -
quite A. VAC II you ne a white dog Ia
the dis ance. you may imagine that IL Is
some Hoilinner sitting upon his grave
and playing at mumblety-prg"
She was smiling low. but | could SEQ
III at her eyes looked troubled | fnncied
that she wished | was safely at home.
.
Months rolled by. and | took %considera-
BILE credit to myself because | had not
been rendered uncomfortable by my
drenry kurrouudinUs NV aun.tIta wa