Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-03
A MIDNIGHT SPECTRE.

might properly be called superstitious
education. My father, who was easily
imposed upon by every unprincipled me
dunn and clairvoyant whom he met, sol
emnly believed that he WAS in direct com
munication with several individuals who
for many years had been in the place
of departed spirits My mother dreamed
one night that her soul left her boiy and
wandered through heaven and earth and
space without physical incumbrance.
She was positive that this was not a
dream, but an actual reality, and she
never wearied of describing the peculiar
sensations she experienced while she was
a disemboded spirit. My nurse was a
woman who impartially bell eyed in the
existence of every horrible and superna-
tural conception. She had mind that
was rife with stories of imps, ghosts,
witches and hobgoblins, and she had a
passion for pouring these unwholesome
ia bles into my ears. Certainly my train
ing was an unfortunate one, but until
was 26 years old was never aware that
il had made any impression upon my
mind
At the age | have mentioned l went TO
live in graveyard and / offer this cir
cumstance as proof that l was not ner-
vous or superstitious person Had been
either, would have selected less grue-
some dwelling place.
knew the sexton of the village church
This man and his good wife lived in
cottage in the cemetery. and they sug-
gested that should have my board and
lodgings under their roof. was young
barrister then, without much practice or
income and was obliged to economlze.
owned a very large library and required
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 at so low a figure that was glad TO
accept his terms.
| had an almost overwhelming desire to
save money Not that l was naturally
penurious but had a strong incentive in
Miss Ethel Hartley. had been engaged
to Miss Hartley for many months, but
had not vet been able to offer her home.
All my energies were devoted to one OBJ
ject-L e., TO earn. a home for the woman
that was to be my wife l reflected that
my cheap lodgings would help me accom-
plish this object, and | would cheerfully
have consented to live in a charnel-house
if by SO doing could have hastened my
wedding-day
had a suspicion that Ethel would
disapprove of my removal TO
the sections cottage, so did not
mention the matter to her until all my ar
rangement had been made. ! did not wish
to be persuaded to abandon it.
The sexton had assured me that would
find his "a nice, quiet place." where
could read and study without being dis
turbed by any noise or any visits from my
neighbors He made an effort to be jo-
cose, and assured me that / would find
'sm heap less troublesome than any
other neighbors.
was indispossd to be critical Of my
new quarters. Ny rooms were large,
clean and airy; my food was abundant
and wholesome, and mine host and host
ess were thoroughly respectable. But
there was one thing about the cottage
that seriously disliked, and that was its
name. do not mean its reputato on, for
that was above reproach; but it 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 djsap-
proved of the change had made in my
lodgings | recited all the advantages TO
be derived from it, but she could not be
convinced of the sdcaea bility of such a
move
your sexton ia not the only respectable
person who takes dodgers" she insisted,
when gave his COOL character as one OF
the reasons why had entered his house.
There are other landlords as reputable
as he"
Il do not dispute that,"I answered.
But are there other landlords whose
houses are as well kept and whose terms
are SO moderate, This man lives in a
graveyard, Ethel, and he knows there is q
popular prejudice against such a habita-
ton as his. He realizes that his room
must consequently bring low prices.
am not afraid of graves or ghosts, and
mean to profit by the unpopularity Of his
house"
Are you quite ure you are not afraid
of ghostss" she asked with a true femi-
nine persistency at is quite easy, in this
cheerful room and in a house filled with
living people, to believe we are without
superstition. But will it be so easy, Her
bert, in an almost deserted dwelling that
that is surrounded by graves? There are
dismal stories told OF that GENE terry, ard
of the spirits lowering about it. We
don't believe in them, and we laugh at
them here. But will they appear sc
ridiculous to you when you are in that
dreary placer May they not occur to you
most unpleasaDtly when you are alone
some night, and have nothing to look at
-. Il Il,
laughed at her questions.
For time she said no more about
Deaths Lodge" but noticed that she
was nervous, and wanted me to leave her
at an early hour. When asked her ban
teringly If she was already tired Of my
society, she confessed that she dreaded
having me enter the cemetery after dark.
There was nothing heroic about my little
girl Nothing less than miracle would
have induced her to enter the cemetery at
night.
Occasionally she had entered it by day.
light, and had been interested In one por-
tion of 1t that was owned by the Holland
ers in our town. When they buried q
child there they laid his toys upon his
grave, and it was supposed that he oc-
casionally left his melancholy resting
place and came upon earth and amused
himself with these playthings, that were
placed like offerings before a shrine. One
or tSo of the Dutch settlers had asserted
positively that at midnight, on moonlight
nights, a group of little Holland ghost
ventured out of their graves and indulge
in all sorts of pleasing pastimes. Ethel
referred to this superstitious belief rather
shamefacedly.
81 don't suppose that you'll ever see a
ghost, Herbert" she said; but you may
imagine that you see one, and that will be
ouite as bad II YOU see a white dog In