Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-22
ROBINSON'S GHOST.

Ike tnat, ana It's positively absurd for
such men as we area party of three
lawyers, doctor and a journalist-"who
pride ourselves on our common sense, to
discuss such stuff seriously. Modern
science has thrown so strong light on
those illusions that they ought to be rec
ognized everywhere for just what they
are-nothing more than the result Of
mental disorder. What do you say
Robinson; do you believe in ghosts, as
our friend, the doctor, seems tor" The
speaker contemptuously threw away the
stump Of his cigar as if it were the Of
fender he was berating instead of the
doctor, who had just been spinning an
after dinner yarn of supernatural kind
'Do believe in ghosts? Well, really
Brown, ! don't know. But your speak
ing of the sciences reminds me once
had q remarkable experience with a
ghost" Robinson reached for the bot
tie, filed his glass slowly and held it up
to the light with an air of reminiscent
meditation. After short pause he went
on, in answer to our inquiring looks:
1T was five years ago, just after had
opened my Office here and taken young
johnson into partnership. One hot July
morning l received telegram asking
me to go at once to B., little town
out on Long Island, to draw up will
for Q man who had been one of our best
clients. johnson was out Of town, so |
had to attend to the matter myself.
"a glance at the time table showed
me that should have to stay in B.
several hours, and Just as l was leaving
it occurred to me that it might be worth
while to take my camera along-John-
son and were both Kodak fiends' in
those days-as my business might not
detain me long, and should probably
have an hour or two to spare. l had
barely time to catch my train, so has
tily picked up the camera from my desk
and rushed of. Just as expected, ]
soon finished the will and started out to
get some views of the sleepy old town:
But B. is q rather commonplace vii
lage, and I saw nothing l thought worth
swapping my camera at till had
reached the outskirts Of the town, where
I found picturesque old mansion that
caught my fancy.
ut was quaint, rambling old house.
gabled rooted and overgrown with vines
Il seemed to be deserted-in fact, almost
. ruin. 1t stood at some distance back
from the road, and as there appeared to
be no one living there went into its
garden, which was an unrestrained tan
gle Of weeds and tall grass, to get a
nearer view Of the building. l was just
about to take picture Of the porch
when an old man appeared in the door
way. He was very feeble, but o rather
6ne looking old boy. at once began to
apologize for trespassing on his grounds,
but he stopped me and told me to take
- many pictures as wished. He turned
ont to be the man in charge Of the place.
Il soon struck up an acquaintance with
him and was not long in winning his
good graces. he told me the house had
not been used for many years; it be-
kmged to Mr.. s., who lived in Eu-
rope and who had left this place in his
charge, he having been the gardener.
he was very willing to show me around
and invited me to look at the inside Of
the house, which I was glad to do. The
first glimpse Of the interior pleased me
% much that I decided to make view
Of it for my first picture.
"The door opened on broad hall run
ming clear through the house; there was
. large winding stairway at the back
with landing place half way up, upon
which there opened beautiful oval
window, overgrown with ivy. The light
was good ami / snapped my camera at
this fine old stairway and window. l
took number Of views of the house and
grounds and had barely time left to
catch my train back to the city.
'For some time after my return ! was
very busy, as johnson was away and all
the work fell on me, 30 it was at least q
month before I got the negatives Of my
pictures Of the old house. But remem-
bered all the incidents well, and was
much pleased to find my views as good
as they were, but you may imagine my
astonishment when looked at the mega
tive Of my first picture and saw in it the
figure Of beautiful young girl standing
on the landing place Of the stairway.
"The whole negative was excellent;
the girls picture was especially clear
and well marked. How on earth did
she get there? / had certainly never
seem her before, and I was absolutely
certain that there had been no girl on
the stairway when I took the picture.
"But there the stranger was standing,
a If she had paused q moment on her
way down stairs, with one arm slightly
raised and leaning forward trife, as If
looking at some one in the hall below.
It was utterly inexplicable to me. | had
never seen that face, and the gardener
had told me that the house was not in
habited. do not believe that there
could have been such . girl in B.
yet there she was. Az far as one could
judge from SO small photograph, il
was face Of rare beauty. / was com
pletely mystifed.
"As luck would have it was obliged
TO go to B. again the next day, and
took my negative with me, promising
myself to look for the mysterious beauty
OF the stairway, for the face had q
strange faacinatiqn for me. and ! deter.