The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-05-31
THE GRAY GHOST.

II was a wild night, the snow blowing
In great, shapeless drifts about the house,
the wind roaring down the chimney and
rattling among the ice coated branches
of the great elms outside with sharp,
continuous sound like the noise of
mnsketry. Within, the fire had burned
low, and the long, white curtains at the
windows, looking strangely weird and
unfamiliar in the dim light, shivered and
trembled as If, in some occult way, they
were in silent sympathy with the spirit
OF the storm.
De Wolf, who had been unmoved by
the tremendous uproar of the elements,
went on with his story.
at was on a night not unlike this
he said, "when l left Boston to stay
few days with Earle Russell at Gilsum.
You remember him at Yale-a very
good fellow, but with a penchant for
missions. He had married and settled
down as pastor of little country church.
The wonder Is that he did not go to
Nova Zembla or Central Africa, but per-
haps his wife saved him from that.
However, he had found mission at
Gilsum, and as his wife had gone on to
New York to spend week with her
sister, Russell invited me to keep bach
elor's hall with him during her absence.
Well, we were having cozy time of It
together, when, one night Just as we
had settled ourselves in front of the
library fire, with our cigars and news
papers, boy drove up to the door in an
old, unpainted sleigh, and announced
that one Of Russell's parishioners an
old man who lived in an outlying dis
trict, was dying, and wanted to see the
minister. Of course, Russell prepared
to obey the summons at once, and he
did not return till midnight. When he
came in, his hands were stiff with the
cold and his ears were half frozen. but
there was a glow on his face, as he
threw off his overcoat and came forward
to the fire, which was something more
than simple satisfaction at being safely
housed again. / actually believe he did
not know whether his hands were cold
or not.
"'Well, he exclaimed, with a bright
smile, L have seen one more happy soul
start on its long journey. You've no
idea, De Wolf, he went on, how it takes
away the fear of death, if you ever had
it, to see a good man die. 1t is such q
simple thing, after all, and it is wonder
ful how simply these people look at such
matters. When | entered the house the
old man was lying with his eyes closed,
but he looked up and smiled as took his
hand in mine.
You are ready and willing to go,
are you, deacon?" / asked, as his ewes met
mine.
1.-the old man half raised himself on
his elbow and replied in a low whisper:
"'"Wal, to tell the raal truth, elder,
I'd rather stay where I'm better ac-
quainted. You see, I've got used to things
here, an don't know as i care about
making any change. But the Lord knows
best, and I'm Willingness, I'm willing"
When the end came his old face bright
ened into beautiful smile
1.-TWO days after went with my friend
to attend the old mans funeral. About
six miles out, we drove up to lonely
farm house and alighted. The short, inn
pressive service was soon over, but it was
our horses head homeward.
1T had been showing in light, fitful
gusts all the afternoon, but when the sun
went down the wind rose, and we found
ourselves obliged to face a beating, driv-
ing storm. The soft, treacherous snow
flakes had changed to sleet, that was
hurled at us as if with some fiendish in
tent. 1t was impossible to keep our eyes
open, and RUSSELL holding the reins in
his hand from force of habit, trusted to
Providence and the horse and hid his
face in his coat collar In spite of the
storm, however, we should probably
have reached home safely if, at turn in
the road, we had not encountered a party
coming in the opposite direction. The
two horses, coming thus unexpectedly
upon each other, became frightened and
quite unmanageable. What happened
to the occupants of the other sleigh |
never had the grace to inquire, but Rus
sell and l We're both thrown out, and be-
fore we could regain our feet our horse
had disappeared. Fortunately or unfor-
tunately, as it may appear, the accident
had occurred in front of the house of one
of Russell5 friends. The good gentle
man hastened to our assistance and in
sisted upon our coming into the house.
'As we We're thoroughly chilled, and
covered with snow from head to foot,
we willingly consented. We were ush-
cred into brightly lighted parlor,
where young lady, who seemed to me,
in my possibly somewhat dazed condi-
tion an ancbnntin,r vision Of I,ual,no,s
came forward to meet u.s. made some
incoherent remark which | am thankful
to have forgotten, as | have a very def
mite impression as to its absurdity; the
young lady, who wore blue dress, and
had very bright eyes, laughed merrily,
and then left the room TO order hot lem-
onade, The storm continued to increase
i'll violence, and our host finally per-
suaded us to accept his hospitality for
the night.
Il have no very distinct recollection
of how the evening passed, but at 10
o'clock we were shown to our respective
rooms. Mine was on the ground floor,
and as did not feel inclined tn go to
sleep, threw myself Oh Il lounge before
blazing wood fire and gave myself
up to a succession Of pleasant dreams,
in which, am proud to confess, a young
lady in blue dress played the most i'm
portant part.
Il had lain there ABOUT two hours, so
that it must have been near midnight,
when noticed, for the first time, that
the storm was over, and that few
struggling rays Of moonlight were
streaming in through the window, max
ing strange, fantastic shadows on the
wall and floor.
81 had neglected TO draw the curtain,
and as looked up was confronted by
u face pressed close against the window,
and staring in at me with eIpressionless,
pale blue eyes,
1T was the fate of the man that had
seen but few hours before in his coffin.
There was the same softly curling gray
hair, the same closely cut gray beard,
and even the same odd scar over the
left eyebrow. Features and expression
were alike identical. Inexpressibly
shocked, rose to my feet, but as I ap-
preached the window, the figure re-
treated step by step. He was dressed In
long, gray garment that fiuttered in
the wind and took on strange shapes as
the shifting light of the moon fell upon