Connecticut western news., 1892-05-26
ROBINSON'S GHOST.

"Boshl don't take any stock in yarns like that, and it's positively absurd for such men as we area party of three lawyers, a doctor and 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 toY' 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 a supernatural kind.
 Do believe in ghosts? Well, really, Brown, don't know. But. your speak ing of the sciences reminds me once had remarkable experience with a ghost" Robinson reached for the bot tie, filled 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:
 Tt was five years ago, just after had opened my office here and taken young Johnson into partnership. One hot July morning l received a telegram asking me to go at once to B",a little town out on Long Island. to draw up a will for 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 1 was leaving it occurred to me that it might be worth while to take my camera along-John- son and l 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. Il had barely time to catch my train, SO has tily picked up the camera from my desk and rushed off. Just as 1 expected, soon finished the will and started out to get some views of the sleepy old town. But B. is a rather commonplace vil- lage, and l saw nothing thought worth snapping my camera at till l had reached the outskirts of the town, where 1 found picturesque old mansion that caught my fancy.
 ''It was quaint, rambling old house. gabled roofed and overgrown with vines. It seemed to be deserted-in fact. almost ruin. It stood at some distance back from the road, and as there appeared to be no one living there 1 went into its garden, which was an unrestrained tan gle of weeds and tall grass. to get a nearer view of the building. 1 was just about to take a picture of the porch when an old man. appeared in the door, way. He was very feeble, but rather fine looking old boy. at once began to apologize for trespassing on his grounds. but he stopped me and told me to take as many pictures as wished. He turned out to be the man in charge of the place. 'I 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- longed to Mir. S-, who lived in Flu 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 ot the house, which was glad to do. The first glimpse of the interior pleased me so much that decided to make 8 view of it for my first picture.
 1.-The door opened on broad hall run ming clear through the house; there was a 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 and l snapped my camera at this fine old stairway and window. took number of views of the house and grounds and had barely time left tc 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, so it was at least a month before got the negatives of my | pictures of the old house. But 1 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 tbe figure of beautiful young girl standing on the landing place of the stairway.
 "The whole negative was excellent the girls picture was especially cleal and we'll marked. How on earth die she get there? l had certainly never seen her before, and l was absolutel, certain that there had been no girl or the stairway when took the picture.
 "But there the stranger was standing as if she had paused a moment on hel way down stairs, with one arm slightly raised and leaning forward trife, as i
 looking at some one in the hall below It was utterly inexplicable to me. hat never seen that face, and the gardene
 had told me that the house was not in habited. l do not believe that ther
 could have been such girl in B. vet there she was. AS far as one coult judge from so small photograph, i was face of rare beauty. l was com pletely mystifed.
 ..As luck would have it was oblige' to go to B. again the next day, and
 took my negative with me, promlsinl myself to look for the mysterious beaut
 of the stairway, for the face had
 strange fascination for me, and l deter
 mined to find the girl whose picture
 had so unaccountably taken, if coul
 possibly do so.
 "l hurried through my business an
 rushed OK tu seek my friend the gal ] Asnnx. t kutsH2 LAssa nsHd n nnos nlIsaypn =