The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-07-14

ghosts" remarked Virginia branch Of
the family; "I'm sure saw one once in
our gallery. 1t was dressed in white
and strode up and down just like real
ghosts do on the stage. Our dog howled
and the lights all burned blue
II sat up with Aunt Polly Williams
the night before she died, and heard
three cracks Of a whip right over the
looking. glass. And they broke the
glass into three pieces" related an
aunt
This had been told so often that the
original number, "one crack of the
whip" had been increased to three, but
no one noticed that-the ghostly fact
remained
"Did you ever account for seeing your
father after his death7" asked one OF the
relatives of her hostess.
mo, neverl lie had been dead year
on that night when went TO the hall
clock to see If IL had been wound up.
You know the clock-onc of those high
ones? 1t has been In the family for
generations. It's up In the nursery
now. As put my hand on the door TO
open 1t saw father standing close by
me with smile on has face, as II some.
thing pleased him. was frightened
and ran from the hall, but afterward i
looked into the clock and found a deed
70 some land we were dispossessed of,
hidden there. I suppose, really, / only
imagined seeing him. You know
don't believe it was really father, but
il was strange il should lead to finding
that paper
Another coincidence" said tho fin
dc steele matron. when my ghost
walks in with its head under one arm
shall look for rational explanation of
the phenomena"
Talking about ghosts" said an
elderly widow relative, speaking In
weird, mysterious voice, did ever
tell you how my first husband appeared
to me when l was thinking about
marrying the man who was afterward
my second-did ever speak of it?'
"A hundred times to my certain
knowledge said the fin de steele ma
tron under her breath.
If never did, it was because don't
believe in ghosts myself, but that was
just one Of the things couldn't under
stand was sitting in the parlor just
as if it might be now, only l was alone
There came three raps-"
Mercy! goodness, what is that?"
No one responded; no one moved, and
for that time, at least, the ghost OF the
widows first husband was laid uncere-
moniously-something ghostly was hap
pening under the very face and eyes Of
"he party.
A puff of cold air ran through the
room with such startling rapidity that
the wax candles tared and went out,
leaving only the light of the full moon
through the lace-draped windows,
with the flickering freight
in a strange, spectral glare, which was
focused upon the square of velvet car
pet in front of the portrait they had
been examining that very evening.
But what was this? Had the picture
come to life and stepped out of its
frame? The startled group at the fro
side could see only shadow there that
paled and fiickered, but stepped bodily
and audaciously into the light. Was ii
the scmblance of the portrait, or was it
really the beautiful form and face of
that woman OF century past, wear
ing the same clothes which futtered
noiselessly, diffusing cold sweet per-
incense of death? Her eyes We're fixed
as in the picture, but the red was on
her lips and cheeks, and her little feet,
peeping from the hounces and laces of
her wide skirts, wore the clocked stock
ings and ribbon-crossed slipperS of long
ago There she stood before them all,
yet never noticing them, and then she
began to dance in stately measure q
minuet, as IL some unseen cavalier
were treading the meature with her,
and all the time that cold wind was
blowing and strange, quaint melody
was being played by invisible hands,
aside from which there was not as much
noise as If hummingbird had fut-
tered its wings
Then somebody sore AIMED or tainted,
and in . moment the music ceased; the
dancer was gone Somebody lighted
all the gas burners, and there was the
portrait Just as 1t had already been,
and when the four young people, hear
ing the hubbub in the library, came
rushing in they were overwhelmed by
what they missed, nor dared they cast
discredit on the evidence of their elders.
But youth throws of Impressions
easily, and Helen and Walter and their
friends made such charming Jest and
gayety out of 1t that with tho help of
warm supper the elders were finally in
duced to throw of the mystery and
solemnity of the astral dance, and
looked upon 1t as mirage. something
quite explainable by certain laws of hu-
man occult development Helen even
declared, saucily, that her great-grand-
mother must have been giddy girl to
come back for brief visit to earth Just
to dance that tiresome old minuet, and
then she looked at Walter and blushed
wildly.
"You see, you dear old stupids, you
had talked ghosts until you were quite
ready TO see one in every corner If
great-grandmamma did appear, then.