Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-01-14
THE SUPERNATURAL.
A Remarkable Personal Experience r.
lated by 7. n. Nicholas.

A Remarkable Personal Experience Re-
lated by I. N. Nicholas.
II want some proofs revised of a book |
have In the press"
looked up from the reports was read
ing in my office in the British Museum,
and found standing before me tall lady
dressed in black. She held in her hand a
packet of rough printers proofs. The
lady s accent at once bespoke her person
allty. She was an American.
Il will let you see our list OF applicants
for such work.
80, pray don't" she said; 1T is some-
thing | want done right away"
what is yeur subject. MADAME
She began to unband the packet, where
upon | begged her not TO proGced-"l
know nothing about mathematics or sta
tistics, madam, and it would be of no
use." | felt sure this large-brained wom-
an must live on solutions of the quadrature
of the circle,
found this American lady charming,
anything but an agglomeration of figures,
and undertook to revise "The Pearl of
Poland of course gratuitously. The
poetass and myself in time became great
friends, and | must confess to genuine
admiration of Stelld's brilliant mind and
piquent conversation.
Well, Stella called to see me every DAY
she was in the big reading room, which
was very often; wrote me little note in
hef bold, clear hand, such as: Dear Ton ::
am all alone this evening, pray come to
tea. Faithfully, Stella"-notes that Of
ten got me into hot water after the hot
tea, madam at home not being believer
in pure friendship, and probably pictur-
ing 'SteiIa" as something very tender In
years from her Bohemian sprightiness in
words.
Stella's daily visits to busy public Of
fee were disiked and resented by our at
tendant, George Deacon. One morning
had seen her in the reading-room, talking
with Swineburn, the poet, but she had not
paid me her usual visit. AS | passed out
at o'clock asked Deacon whether Mrs
Lewis had called.
Eyes, sir, she came in, and I told her
you were too busy to see her. Don't yon
think, sir, she comes little too often
and you are so much empioyed?"
"No!"-and left feeling vexed that
had been denied to see anybody. That
night most remarkable thing occurred.
| was then residing in Cheyenne Row,
Chelsea, near the forlorn house, with its
long walled-in garden, inhabited by
Thomas Carlyle.
The house, which must have been built
in Chelsea's historic times, was then own
ed by the brothers Sylves ter, who were
ivan proprietors ON large scale. slept
in lofty wainscoted room On the draw
ing room" or second floor. There was
''bcx-room" attached, in which | after
wards ! learned mad woman haG been
confined, but what had become of her no
body knew.
1t was in the dead of night. l awoke
with start and found myself sitting bolt
upright in bed-a small light in the di-
rninutive spirit lamp Pickering as if it
would go out. Then | s4w-my heart
beat SO violently that is throbs we're dis
tinctly painful-one of the panels-a
panel on which had pinned some pages
from "Bopp's Comparative Grammar
for memorjzing while dressing and I'M
dressiD g-began steadily to open. There
before me, pale and hageard, stood Stella,
attlred in the same black DIR, IS she had al
ways worn She had packet in her left
hand. Sac raised the packet, then she
approached the ped and | thought must
die. Then she put the packet on small
able, some clothes that had been thrown
over the back of a chair falling to the
floor. She pointed to the packet with the
of the right hand | looked
at it. A deep mourning border ran around
the edge read: ITO Tom Nichols,
from Stella and down in the left-hand
There are no mathematics In
this chapter; it is the last" Her lips
formed speech but uttered none.
tried to speak, bat couldn't articuiate !
a word. she turned towards the wa1ns- |
coating, then came back to the table and
took mp the packet, glided to the panel
nd-dIsappaared! Then saw the pages
Of .Bopp's Comparative Grammar" in
heir place
sprang ont of bed, turned up the lamp,
looked at the wainscoat nud-fell down on
The floor in faint, the first case of sue
cumbing that ever happened to me.
felt sick, unhinged that morning-I
inst as Lazarus must nave felt when raised
from his tomb At 8 O'Clock | climbed to
the top of Chelsea omnibus. road to Pic
,adily circus, walked through the Seven
Dials to Great Russell street, but all along