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

stones plainly discefnib1e In the moon.

For moment / stood still, awed by
the silent majesty of the scene.
"Above me rose the sky, like the dome
of some spacious temple, its sapphire
roof supported on every side by pillars of
cloud, white like marble, or purple in
the distance like porphyry.
"Just opposite the house was gap in
the fence which surrounded the deserted
burial place, and my ghostly visitor at
once showed his familiarity with his
surroundings by turning his steps toward
the only place where one could gain ad-
mittance.
81 hurried after him, but he was feet
of foot, and as the tall figure of the old
man glided in and out amongst the
broken grave stones he seemed of no
more substantial essence than slim,
gray shadow driven by the wind.
"Once l came so close to him that |
put my hand to lay hold of his robe, but
my foot slipped upon piece of ice, and
fell PROSTATE across grave.
"A strange, discordant laugh fell upon
my ear. l rose to my feet. The tall
gray figure was just beyond still beck
oning with its weird white hand, through
which the pale light of the moon seemed
to shine.
81 made one more effort and dashed
forward recklessly, conscious of nothing
but that dim, shadowy figure, forever
eluding, forever mocking me.
Suddenly the ground beneath my feet
gave way. 1 felt myself falling through
space. All around me was darkness-a
darkness so absolute, SO dense that I
tried to grasp it as fell in an unreason-
ing effort to lay hold of something solid
and substantial.
BY a quick instinct perceived that
had fallen through the top of some ruin
GUS old tomb. l groped wildly in the
darkness, felt the damp brick walls that
shut me in, the stone steps Shiny with
mold, and saw far above me, through
the opening in the roof, white face,
distorted with laughter, peering down
at me. In vain l tried to scale the wall;
then felt blindly for the door, every
faculty absorbed in one wild idea of
escape. The melting snow oozed through
the broken walls and fell upon my head.
was knee deep in water, and plunging
about in fruitless effort to find the
door, vaguely conscious all the while
that L was not the only occupant of that
loathsome place.
''At last my hands came in contact
with cold iron.
Il had found the door, but could 1
open it! With the desperation of de-
spair threw myself against it. 1t yield
ed, and 1 found myself outside in the
snow.
GLOW 1 ever got back to the house and
TO bed cannot tell. Three weeks after,
woke as from some fearful dream, and
found myself in the same room where
had fallen asleep after that eventful
night. A gentleman whom recognized
as the village physician, and a young
lady in blue dress, sat in front of the
fire, conversing in low tones.
"'Why am 1 heres l asked, and was
astonished to find my voice SO weak and
thread like. For an instant had an i'm
preston that l, too, had become ghost,
in which case should probably frighten
the young lady who sat by the fire.
'But she looked up and answered,
quietly: DO not talk, or you will be ill
again. You have been very sick, but
you are better now. You must get WE'LL
Il will get WELL remarked, idiot
ically, if you will go on sitting there by
the fire.
Then fell asleep, and when / woke
again was strong enough to recount the
incidents of the night preceding my i'll
ness, and to listen to an explanation of
my remarkable experience.
"Ah! then there was an explanation,
after all. 1t was an hallucination,-sim-
ply brain fever in an incipient state?"
''Not at ALL" said De Wolf. my
friends followed my footsteps through
the snow, found the broken tomb ana,
well-yes, captured the ghost"
"Ah, the ghost!"
Yes. 1t happened that the man who
had died had twin brother who was a
deaf mute and harmlessly insane. He
had wandered away from his home, and
but for kindly hands who found and res
cued him would no doubt have become
veritable ghost on that eventful night"
"And the young lady in the blue
dress?"
'De Wolf ran his fingers through his
white hair and laughed.
Are you acquainted with Miss Clara
Wright"
CLARA Wright! My own cousin, and
she spent last winter in Gilsum. l see it
all now. She wrote me only last week
that she had just become engaged. And
you are the mani" she added, with a sud
den flash of inspiration.
Il believe l am," replied De Wolf,
bowipg; land can assure you, madam,
that | am not insensible of the HONOR
Fletcher Reede in Harper's Bazaar.