Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1888-06-28
The Mansfield Ghost.

''DO you bclleye IN ghosts, sad to
my friend Fenton, as we sat on the
porch one evening, enjoying quiet
smoke in the cool night air.
eyes. have seen one
"You haye! When Where -
Don't ask 50 many questions at a
time and Will tell you.
"Well, 80 on, I'm all inpatient to
hear it,
swell, one summer aboct ten years
ago, having no business that needed my
particular attention, | thought I would
run down to -shirc, and see my
old college friend, Mansfield, and his
wife.
When I got to his place, I found that
neither bimscllnor his wife was at home
but as the housckeeper expected them
to return in few days, | concluded TO
stay TIL they came.
Mansfield Grange was u large, ram
bling, old fashioned house, about two
centuries old, and had been in the 20.
session of the family for over hundred
years it abounded in the Qucerest nook9
and passages you ever saw; the floors
and walls were Of oak, blackenel by
age the walls were pannclcd, and hung
with pictures Of dead and gone Mans
fields. In short, it was just such a
place as YOU would naturally expect to
find ghosts in.
The first day after my arrival spent
IN rambling through the grounds about
the ancient place the next day WAS Il
rainy one, and | had to stay in the
house. My room WAS on the third floor
over looking the court yard. After
dinner | We 1t up to it, and, stirring up
the fire took a book and sat down to
read. | read short time, and then
letting the book drop on my knee, lis
tened to the steady drip-drip of the
rain on the flags in the court, yard.
Soon | fell into a reverie, and then into
a state Of dreamy semi consciousness.
| was aroused from my dreaming bv
seeing through my half closed eyes the
door noiselcssIy open and q young wo.
man enter She WAS an cXtrcmel y pref
ty girl, with light hair FALLING in long
curls over her shoulders. Her dress
was of an old lashion-just us | suppos
Cd my grandmother dressed when she
was young. Her tiny feet were encascd
in high-heeled, red morocco slippers.
she advanced to the table and laid of
her scarf and drew up q chair to the
fire without as much as a "how-d'ye
do p or even taking the slightest no.
tice of me whatever. She then drew
from her pocket mineature portrait Of
a very handsome young man. From
my position | could see it as it lay in
her hand. Ills countenanco was open
and manly, and his dark hair was clus'
tered in short curls around his forehead,
He was dressed in a fashion antlquated
as that of the lady; delicate ruflles
We're around his throat and at his wrists
and in his hands he carried a riding
whip.
She gazed at the picturt long and
tenderly, With loving smile Oh her
lips. One Of her curls fell back and
disclosed to my view a CHASTITY wound
on the temple. Till then | had been
too amazed to think but now the con-
vlction rushed upan me that my visl-
tor was not Of this world. I was frigh-
tened, and sat like one in dream.
She replaced the picture in her pock-
ct, and, going to a corner, drew out a
harp. l had never seen it before, tho
| had been in the room dozen times.
Drawing it to her side. she ran her fin.
gers over the strings and began to sing
in a low voice. Her song was in for
eign language. She had a sweet voice,
and it hoated through the room, ming
led with the lingering so,rds Of the
harp, they had an unearthly sound that
filled me with dread.
Suddenly she stopped in her song,