The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-08
THE GRAY GHOST
OF GILSUM.
BY FLETCHER REEDE.

ASLeS In ghosts. ecnoeu ner lauySnlp.
E&y1s " Do we live in the nineteenth GEN.
tury for nothing, that you should ask me
such question? There may be few fut-
tering rags of superstition still hanging
about me- but nothing quite so worn and
threadbare, let US hope, as a belief in
ghosts"
Nevertheless" continued Chauncy de
Welt, leaning against the mantel and look
irg gravely down at the smodering embers
of the fire, 81 am prepared to affirm that if
any man ever saw ghost, am that man."
"You, of all persons. Perhaps you will
expect us TO believe next that it was your
interview with a ghost which turned your
hair white before You reached the thirties."
Exactly that, madam"
Then you have great deal to thank him
for
ooh, have more Than that TO thank him
for" replied De Wolf, smiling. shall l
tell you the story?"
"Oh, yes, do tell it by all MEANS" and
madam folded her white hands and lifted
her pretty, incredulous face toward her
guest.
lie was an old college friend, and had
come to spend the Christmas holidays with
US in our pretty country home on the Hud-
son. As he stood in front of the fire, his
shreNd, kindly face telling its own story OF
a successful career, he was perhaps, the last
person one would have supposed guilty OF
such an anacm onism as belief in ghosts.
A Roman nose is natures bet on mans
success, and De Wolf had all the benefit OF
The bet. His clearly cut features and fine
dark eyes were rendered the more striking
by the framework of snow-white hair which
was brushed straight back from his forehead,
lylU n
appearance altogether irresistible.
| was not greatly concerned about his APP
pearance, for l knew him to be thoroughly
GOOD fellow. and in spite of his profess on
he was a lawyer-ln The main truthful
one; ! was, therefore. surprised at Inc new
role which lie seemed DESTROYS Of paving.
Are we expected to believe everything
YOU tell us?" asked madam, in q mOcking
tone, as she assumed listening attitude.
" Yes, everything" replied DE Wolf. NO
one who knows ME ever accused me OF hay-
ing that fatal gitt-imagination, and you
may rest assured that l shall contine myself
in the most abject manner to simple facts.
| am incapable of doing otherwise"
AS he spoke, the wind, which had been
working with nervous, uncertain fingers at
loosely fastened blind, finally tore it open,
Slamming it against the window with crash
that startled even the cat from her drowsy
dreams on the hearth rug. 1t was @ wild
night, the snow blowing in great, shapeless
dtiItS about the house, the wind roaring
down the chimney and rattling among the
ire-coaied branches Uf the great helms out
side with a sharp, continuous sound like the
sound of musketry. Within the fire mad
burned low and the long, white curtains at
the windows looking strangely weird and
unfamiliar in the dim light Shiyered and
irembled as if, in some occult way, they were
IN silent sympathy with the spirit Of the
storm.
When we had gathered up the broken
fragments OF glass and had closed the shut
tiers De Wolf. who alone had been unmoved
by this little household disturbance and the
tremendous uproar Of the elements, went on
with his story.
1t was Oh night not unlike this" he
said. " when l left Boston to stay few days
with Earle Russell at Gilsum. You remem-
Der him at Iale-a very good fellow, but
with 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 perhaps his wife saved him from
THAT. However, he had found a mission at
Gisum, and as his wife had gone on to New
\ ok TO spend week with her sister, Rus
sell invited me to keep bachelors hall with
him during her absence. Well, we were
having a cosy time of it together, when, one
night, Just as We had settled ourselves in
front OF the library ire, with our cigars and
newspapers. II boy drove up to the door III
that one of RusselPs pensioners, an old
man, who lived in an outlying district, was
dying, and wanted to see the minister. OF
course Russell prepared to obey the sum-
mons at once, and lie did not return till mid
night. When he came in, his hands were stiff
with the cold and his ears were half frozen,
but there was glow on his face, as he threw
of his oyercoat and came forward to the
fire. which was something mora than simple
satisfaction at being safely housed again. |
actually believe he did not know whether
his hands were cold or not.
We'll he exclaimed with a bright
smile, i have seen one more happy soul
start on its long journey. You've no idea,
DE Wolf lie went on, how it takes away
The fear OF death, if you ever had it, 10 see
good man die. 1t is such simple thing,
after all, and it is wonderful how simply
these PEOPLE look at such matters. When l
entered the house. the old man was lying
with his eyes closed, but he looked up and
smilrd as | took his hand in mine.
- You are ready and willing to go. are
You, deacon o. as his eyes 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 Pm better acquainted.
Yen see, I've got used to things here, an
don't know as l care about making any
change. But the Lord knows best, and Pm
willingness, I'm willing" When the eud
came, his old face frightened into beauti-
full smile
Two days after, went with my friend to
attend the old mans funeral About six
miles out, we drove up to a lonely farm
house and alighted. The short, impressive
service vas soon over, but it was already
growing dark when we turned our horses
head hGmeward.
at had been showing in light, fitful gusts
all the afternoon, but when the sun went
down the wind rose and we found ourselves
nNt lIergn IN haat fnn irwin
The soft, tTeacherouS snow-flakes had
changed TO sleet, that was hurled at us as if
with some fiendsh intent. 1t was impossi-
bic to Keep our eyes open, and Russell, hold
ing the rens 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 would probably have
reached home in safety If, at turn in The
road, we had not encountered party COM
ing in the opposite direction. The two
EOrses. coming thus Unexpectedly upon each
other, became frightened and quite unman-
ageable. What happened TO the occupants
OF the other sleigh ! never had the grace to
inquire, but Russell and l were both thrown
ou,, and before we could regain our feet
our horse had disappeared. Fortunately, or
had occurred in front of The house of one of
Russells friends. The good gentleman has
tened TO our assistance and insisted upon
our coming into the house.
AS we were thoroughly chilled, and COW
cred with snow from head to foot, we
willingly consented. We were ushered into
a brightly lighted parlOr, where a young
lady, who seemed 10 me, in my possibly
somewhat dazed condition, an enchanting
vision of loneliness, came forward to meet
us. i made some ncoherent remark which
/ am thankful to have forgotten, as | have
very definite impression as to its sbsurdity;
the young lady, who wore blue dress, and
had very bright eyes. laughed merrlly, and
then left the room TO order hot lemonade.
The storm continued to increase in violence,
and our host finally persuaded US to accept
his hospitality for the night.
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
pot feel inclined to go &c sleep, threw N.Y.
self on lounge before a blazing wood fire
and gave myself up TO a succession of
pleasant dreams, in which, / am proud to
confess, a young lady in a blue dress played
the most important part.
Z" / 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
cha