The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-24
TRANCE STORY OF A WILL.

Cincinnati Enquirer. Inc result was as
follows:
DO I believe in spiritsa Well, yes,
when they are contained in bottles and
come from a well-known arm. But ghosts
Why! Do you think l am a spiritualistt
NONSENSE
$50 you don't believe in ghosts and
spooks9 You have never had any remark
able experience"
Hold on there! Now, that you seem de-
termined that I shall commit myself, and
probably having heard that | have a ghost
sorry to tell, l will satisfy you; but let me
remark before commencing, that the story
am about to tell is Gods truth, and as
such must he received Scof at it but
once, and | shall stop in the middle OF my
story. Yes / do believe in ghosts, or, at
least, in some strange natural phenomena
mat The world has called ghostly for the
last !, 500 years or more. Now, listen;
1T was i'll the latter part of 1876 that l
undertook a case for young women. 1t
was for divorce. She was the daughter
of my aged client, DR.. Baxter. man
who could have raised $500, 600 in hard cash
irslde of twenty four hours The case was
5 mewhat remarkable. Annie Baxter had
married a stock broker named Thomas
Tnorne against her fathers wishes. Her
husband, she soon discovered, had married
her chiefly for what he could get ont of ner
father. who, he hoped, would soon yet over
ms displeasure and forgive his daughters
dis5nodience; but the old doctor was stub
born and did not reient He refused t. zee
Annie and forbade the mention of her name
by any of his household. Thorne, on find
inc that he could not get hold of any of the
doctors money, soon tired of Annie: and
Annie, who had been a spoiled and petted
child, brought up in the lap of luxury, be-
came miserable and in want But she stood
her SORROWS with herOisn, and not a com
plaint escaped her till ThOrne began to
drink and gamble, at times not returning
for weeks to his homo, and then under the
influence of liquor. She was obliged to
earn her own living, and when her child
was born she had to so to one Of our large
free hospitals Tor care and attention. 1t is
doubtful if her father would have let her
60 had he known her condition, for he still
loved his daughter; but she did not let him
know, ard one day while making his rounds
in the maternity ward of the B. hospital, to
which he was physician, his attention WAS
called to a woman who had tainted He
went to her bedside 1t was Annie, his
daughter, who, not expecting to see him,
had been greatly shocked. She did not
know of his connection with the hospital
The doctors kind heart was softened at
once. ne WIS greatly lllONcUs lie LuQ utl
carried in an ambulance to her own home
under his roof. He had forgiven her. Just
about this time IhOrne was arrested i'll a
bad house, where he was raising a row, and
sent to the island for six weeks. Annie thea
placed her petition for divorce i'll my hands,
and my connection with the case COM
menced. The divorce was obtained with
ease, as Thorne made no answer TO the com
paint, and the case was perfectly clear in
our favor Now begins the ghostly part
DR.. Baxter owned a small yacht, i'll which
he was accustomed to make short excur-
slons about New York bay and Long island
sound. Ga the last excursion of any kind
he ever made the yacht CapsZed in squall
and the doctor was drowned, every one else
being rescued alive. After the funeral the
Doctors will was looked for. 1t was known
that he had made a will at the time of
Annie's marriage, leaving all his property
to his sister on the condition that Annie
could have 5000 year fir m the estate dur
ing her life. After father and daughter be-
came reconciled he told me. he intended to
make a new will and leave his property
chiefly to her, but the only will that could
be found after his death was the former,
and his sister, Mrs. j., refused to waive
her rights under the will in the least.
BY my advice Annie asked her to make
her proper compromise, but She refused
10 do anything more than stand by the
will
Almost year passed away, when one
day | received a note from Annie asking
NE to call on her at the Gilsey house, where
she was staying a few days, on business of
the utmost Importance. On going there
she told me a strange story, so strange that
feared she had lost her mental balance,
but l saw she was perfectly earnest about
It A few nights ago, said she, while l
was sitting with my little boy by the fire in
my room, at about 10 O'Clock in the even
ing, there being no other light than that of
the fire in the room, | heard strange noise.
Then the door opened-and closed. Hooked
around, much surprised at receiving such a
late visitor especially as he came without
knocking. But my first surprise was lost in
the terror and dismay that came over me
as l saw euter and approach my chalr-whO
doyou think2 My father or his ghost AS
knew he had been dead over year, you
may imagine my feelings. He came dire t
toward me. casting his ulster overcoat Off
on chair, as he used to do when he came
home late. ANNIE said he, putting his
hand on my head and stroking my hair. Il
nave come to see you righted. You are
suffering from most unnatural fraud and
crime Your aunt stole my last will. As |
had promised you | made you my heir
ana my only heir-and the will was drawn
by my own hand, and executed three
months before | died. Your aunt, i'll whom
!nrmly believed, was one of the witnesses.
IT, K. who went to China before my death ,
AMI Is there still, was another. / am deter
mined to see YOU have your rights, though
am no longer in the flesh, and he assured
tAal l can see you through. The lost Will
Is III your aunt's bureau drawer in her bed
room, on the second floor of our old house.
Ile ebony bureau. You will find the will
under the paper on the bottom of the
Wawer. And this is the way for you TO
Ootan 1t: Go to your lawyer and tell him
"lat have told you. ASK him to go with
!94 to call on your aunt AS usual she
VIII receive you kindly. She will be in the
AOfary. Gro at about dusk on Wednesday
t'eulnE, the 10th, aud while she is talking
y, you | wall appear and carry out the rest
my plan Then the doctor put on his
al again and kissed my baby and myself
~ tle most atfectionate manner-qulte as
inough he were alive-and started to go,
D!' tetOre he had reached the door his form
melted INTO air and shadow. lie had dis
appearedr
-. On bearing this strange ghost story sat
i1I or few moments aud reflected; then
'''S9iVed TO see 1t through. Accordingly,
y" ednesday, at the time indicated, /
'u"' myself sitting with Annie Ihorne IN
u' hunta library. Horaunt was very KIND
1"N E'ulai, but did not offer to have the gas
'H"'el-perhaps she thought we would stay
''-'F Netaiked about having the $500
annuity caahed; such we pretended was the
!' NIol our visit. At last the Old lady
o.. ia.