Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-03-10
my dear. Tn going to tell you s

strange Story.
did not speak.
Invent: years ago my only sister,
then beautiful girl Of eighteen. mar
ried. Just fifteen months after she and
her baby were buried in one coffin.
Before my sister died she discovered
that her bosom friend, Lyddy Baker.
had cared tor her John and had hoped
to marry him. We all knew John had
never shown l,yddy any attention. but
she tried to make Sarah think he had
said her life was wrecked and much
of that kind of talk. Sarah was sick
and nervous and it made her very IN
HAPPY. and have not a doubt that it
fastened her death John was wrap
ped up in Sarah: any one could see
that. He was kindness itself to her.
1t nearly broke his heart when she
died. Bad as l felt myself felt sor-
rier for him It's awful to see strong
man so unstrung. Every one incurred
for Sarah but Lyddy. 1t never seemed
to me she cared much.
We'll, one morning, about year
| after Sarah died John came down to
breakfast looking SO haggard and
white that I was frightened. I asked
him what was the matter. He shook
| his head, but when we were alone he
told me that he could not sleep the
night before, so he got up and lighted
his pipe and sat by the open window
smoking. There was no light in the
room but the moon had just risen
from behind the hills. He felt pres
ence near him, and, turning, saw
Sarah in her grave clothes with the
baby in her arms She came quite
near him and said:
John, dear, l want you to marry
Lyddy,' and then she vanished. - :ss..th
Why said John to me, I can't
marry Lyddy; I never can marry any
one.
That was the beginning OF our
trouble. After that there was scarcely
a night that We did not have some
manifestation OF Sarah's spirit hover
ing about us. We all heard strange
sounds rappings, sud music or a baby
crying. Neighbors passing the house
late ut night would tell Of seeing a
light either in the garnet or in the
cellar. It was more often in the
cellar
Once Sarah herself came to me. :"
Mrs. Blair paused and I drew nearer
to her, but 1 could not speak. She
went on:
lit was just after Sunset one sum-
mer evening. Our well in the back
yard was low, and I had taken my
basket of nne white clothes down to
the spring in the meadow to rinse
them. You know where the spring is
at the foot of the slope, near the
pine grove? 1t was lovely evening.
The sky was bright with the colors of
sunset, but the pines looked dark and
lonesome. remember thinking so as
spread the things on the grass. I
had just finished and was taking up
my empty basket when, just as plain
as l see you this minute. I beheld
Sarah and her baby just in the edge
of the grove. She waved her arm to-
ward the house and said John
Lyddy!' and disappeared.
"Of course, all these things made a
great deal of talk in the village, and
many wild exaggerated stories were
told.
For years this state of things con-
tinued Oh, those terrible years! I
was never left alone an evening that
l did not hear sad music weird laugh
ter, or see Pickering will the wisp
lights. Steps would come up the walk,
but no one come in. The whole town,
of course, was in a state of excitem emit.
Some few believed in the spirit The
minister did. Others believed that
Lydia Baker was at the bottom of the
, whole thing, for every one knew she
was possessed to marry John.
"A party of men from the village
came one night to investigate The
minister was with them so we lei
them in. They began at the garre
and went through the house. The
p minister led the search, and he wa!
, standing on the cellar stairs, half way
down, and little above him, whe1
T in the far corner of the dark cellar
a flashed that curious light Only TO-
t an instant, and though we waited ,
long time it did not come again.
+ The minister came up into the yart
and told the others. While they wer,
a talking of it in hushed whispers stand
r ing in groups about the yard. Saral
appeared, with her baby still hell
a closely in her arms, and glided among
Il the group almost touching them AM
! disappeared as mysteriously as sh
. came.
= This was the last time she eve
( appeared but nearly every one be
lieved after that night Until las
+ night had heard nothing for severa
4 years.
a We sat in silence long while ate
q she had finished. Then l asked:
a Where is John now. and Liddy?
: After that night John went to sea
We did not hear from him till
- year ago he returned. He is now mas
ter of large vessel that carries graz
:. tie from here to New York. We e1
pect him every day. Lyddy neve
married. She has lived right here