Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-16

name, if given, would be familiar to most
of the physicians and surgeons of New
England, writes Kate Sanborn in the Bos-
ton Beacon, the subject of conversation
one dull, rainy evening CHANGED to be the
strange, almost preposterous tales of a
learned legal friend of mine, who had
such firm belief in the temperance of
dead friends, or, as he would say, friends
who have "passed over" and not any
more dead than we are, | should consider
him semi-insane on this point, if his head
were not so clear on every other theme, a
lawyer, well known throughout the cOun-
| try for his eloquence, his judicial fairness
and his well-balanced mind. Well, after
we had oh'd and ah'd and pooh-poohed
| (rather shivery, however, at tines, as |
told of his interviews with Charlemagne
and Shakespeare, and his letters from
Webster and other old friends, and his
conversation in the moonlight on the pi-
azza of her old home with the beautiful
daughter of an intimate friend, a girl
who had left this planet two years ago,
my stock of wonder was exhausted, and,
turning to Mary Rogers, pretty, black
eyed woman, full of magnetism whatever
that may be), sympathy, and strength,
with uncommon commonsense and a
d
to whom a really 'bad case" was a de-
light, and on whose GOODNESS and dexteri-
ty the surgeon relied as he performed his
most difficult operations, said:
Mrs. Rogers, you must have been
through a host of tragic experiences.
Have you ever seen ghost? Have you
ever seen the dead appear? Haven't
you some thrilling story that is all true
with which to scare and yet enthrall
us2"
And of course the little circle joined in
an eager chorus, ooh, yes, dear Mrs. Rog-
ers, do give US one. This is just the right
kind of night and just the time" And
one of US rose and turned down the gas,
as was beftting, while the jolly nurse
laughed and said amiably:
Eyes, I have had many a strange and
mysterious experience; one must have,
watching with the sick and dying for
over twenty years; but as to ghosts and
returning spirits, [ do not believe in them
nor would | allow nurse trained by me-
to repeat such nonsense, whatever she
might fancy she saw"
''But Just one, one little bit of ghost
story, just for this one night. See, the
light is just right, and we are depending
on it," [ pleaded.
swell, there is one strange story-one
night in my life which comes back to me
at this moment, SO vivid, SO real, that I
think can give it to you. At any rate, I
will tell it just as it is stamped on my
memory; no exageration or romancing
just the plain facts"
We instinctively drew little nearer
and she began:
| II was called to Salem in the summer
of 1873 to take charge of lady who was
about to undergo serious opera
ton. The following night I was sit
ting on the bed tanning my
patient, as it was extremely warm
and close. About midnight, when all
in the house had retired. [ was startled
by a loud rap thrice repeated, which
seemed to come from the head of the bed,
but naturally suppOsing that some one
had come TO the open door just back of
my chair to inquire how the sufferer was
getting through the night, [ rose at once
| to reply, but no one stood at the door,
| and surprised and puzzled I waited there
moment listening to the heavy snore
of Mr.. ard the gentler accompani-
| ment from his wife coming regularly
| from their chamber. Satisfied that the
raps came from no earthly visitant, and
back to my chair, but had hardly seated
myself when an icy cold draught of air
rushed over me like a breeze from the
north pole, causing me to jump up and
look around. A large Newfoundland dog.
the handsOmest [ ever saw, solemn and
stately, walked slowly by me with meas
ured steps, never looking to right or left,
but went straight to the foot of the bed
an old fashioned sofa bedstead and stood,
looking at the lady. I supposed he was
a pet of hers and had wandered into her
room, perhaps from missing her down
stairs. But fearing he might waken her
In her critical condition. went softly to
him to send him out. I waved my hand,
whispering, go out, 60 down. As I
looked to see him mind he disappeared
instantly-befOre my eyes. Twas thoro-
ughly excited. [ hastily glanced all
over the rOOm-under furniture, out at
the door-nO dog anywhere. What did
1T mean? / bathed my face in cold water,
as is my habit when growing weary, to
rouse my senses. The old clock in the
hall now struck twelve times. How loud
! and yet how sad it sounded. Turaing
again to my patient, who was quietly
sleeping, I saw on the pillow sleeping be-
side her, with her left arm thrown across
her form, the face of an old woman,
| looking directly at me with her dark
piercing eyes, while her struggling gray
hair was floating over the pillow. The
arm was bare l could see the cords and
veins and her shriveled hand. And those
| eyes never left me! I rubbed mine and
laid my hand on the pillow. Nothing I
could touch! Yet there was the old face
with the anxious eyes, and there was the
floating gray hair as plain as ever saw
anything in my life. I looked again at
the hand stretched out as if to pet and
| protect the sleeper. And noticed the
freckles on it! l said to myself:
I have been working too hard and am
! getting crazy.
wanted full light, for [ determined
to know if all this was a waking night
mare, or what it could be. But just as I
moved the gas went out entirely. And
! when | reached it I was obliged to turn
it on and light it again. Some one had
! TUNED it off! looked back, the face and
arm had vanished.
said to myself:
EWhat does oil this p,noDS Those ro,r