The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-12-22
ROBINS0N'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 "a journalist
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 to-" 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 remarkable experience with
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 u short pause he went
on, in answer to our inquiring looks:
ut was five years ago just after had
opened my office here and taken young
johnson into partnership. One hot July
morning | received 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 | was leaving
it occurred to me that it might be worth
while to take my camera along-John-
son and were both Kodak fends' in
those days-as my business might not
detain me long, and should probably
have an hour or two TO spare. had
barely time to catch my train, so has
tily picked up the camera from my desk
and rushed off. Just as | expected, |
soon finished the will and started out to
get some views Of the sleepy old town
But B. is rather commonplace vii
lage, and saw nothing | thought worth
swapping my camera at till had
reached the outskirts Of the town, where
found a picturesque old mansion that
caught my fancy
at was quaint, rambling old house
gabled rooted and overgrown with vines
1t 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 uurestrained tan
gle Of weeds and tall grass, to get a
nearer view of the building. ! was Just
about to take 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 Inc to take
as many pictures as ! wished. He turned
out to be the man in charge of the place,
II 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 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 | was glad to do. The
first glimpse Of the interior pleased me
so much that | decided to make view
Of it for my first picture.
"The door opened on broad hall run.
ming clear through the house; there was
o large winding stairway at the back
with landing place half way up, upor
which there opened beautiful oval
window, overgrown with ivy. The light
was good and ! snapped my camera al
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 al
the work fell on me, so it was at least a
month before got the negatives of my
pictures Of the old house. But remem
bered all the incidents well, and wa
much pleased to find my views as goo(
as they were, but you may imagine IN!
astonishment when looked at the mega
tive Of my first picture and saw in it thu
figure of beautiful young girl standing
on the landing place Of the stairway.
1.-THE whole negative was excellent
the girls picture was especially cleal