The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-07-11
ESTABLISHED 1879
shall look for rational explanation of
the phenomena

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 / was thinking about
marrying the man who was afterward
my second--did ever speak of it2"
"A hundred times to my certain
knowledge" said the I'm 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. 1 was sitting In the parlor just
as II 1t might be now, only was alone.
There came three raps-"
Mercy goodnessl what is thatP"
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
the party.
A puff of cold air ran through the
room with such startling rapidity that
the wax candles fared and went out,
leaving only the light of the full moon
through the lace-draped windows,
minRlinR with the Pickering freight
In 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 thisP Had the picture
come to life and stepped out of Its
frame? The startled group at the 6re-
side could see only shadow there that
paled and ficlered, but stepped bodily
and audaciously into the light Was It
the semblance of the portrait, or was 1t
really the beautiful form and face Of
that woman of a century past wear
ing the same clothes which huttered
noiselessly, diffusing cold sweet per-
fume that affected the senses like the
incense of death? Her eyes were 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
| minuet, as If 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 hut-
tered its wings.
Then somebody sore AIMED or tainted,
and In moment the music ceased; the
dancer was gone Somebody lighted
III
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 off impressions
easily, and Helen and Walter and their
friends made such charming Jest and
gayety out Of it that with the help of
warm supper the elders were finally in
duced to throw of the mystery and
solemnity of the astral dance, and
looked upon it as mirage, something
quite explainable by certain laws of hui
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.
ssYou 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.
1t was to signify that she was quite
willing that / should step into her
Shoes
II assure you that no power on earth
would persuade me to ever allow her
clothes to be disturbed in my lifetime"
said Mrs. King with emphasis.
Helen looked at Walter, and her pref
ty mouth made a distinct shaping Of
the letters "P-h-e-wI"
Walter looked at Helen and tele-
graphed the word back again. But
none of those worldly-wise people ever
came near suspecting what might have
been the real truth, not even when they
saw Walters auto-harp, the most dreary
musical instrument that was ever con-
ceived, lying on the hall sofa the next
day. or when they alluded, as they oft
en- did, to Helen's wonderful resem-
blance to her great-grandmother's por
trait.-Detroit Free Press.
ANCIENT DIAMOND MINES.
Traces of Prehistoric Workings In south
Africa.
The ancient diamond mines in South
Africa, which are being discovered from
time to time, are most interesting. The
one at Winburg has been explored and
there is evidence that diamond-mining
al
ner and upon an extensive scale long
before the period of which Europeans
have any record The tools found are
primitive in shape, but made Of very
finely-tempered iron. What puzzles
many persons is the finding of numer-
GUS skeletons in groups in the tunnels,
appearing as if they had been shut up
there purposely or as If they had been
suddenly entombed by fall of earth.
The iron chains found here and there
suggest the possibility of these work
men having been slaves. The skulls
and bones are those of race of which
there is no record. At this place the
shaft is about one hundred yards deep,
and the principal tunnel is one hum
dred and fifty yards long The dia-
mondiferous soil is similar to that of
Kimberley, and the gems found in ex-
cavation are white and of good quality,
though small.
From general appearances it seems
that the mine had been suddenly closed
and that hurried efforts had been made
to hide the mouth of the shaft and the
works at the surface. -Jeweler's Cir
cular.
"A Hard Lick -Fweddy-' didn't
get to say word to that young lady
you intwoduced me to last night"
George-''Gadl You must have made
good impression old fellow. Truth.
rrousis BrewIua
Say, Jimmy" said one small Free
man street boy to his neighbor, in a
sepulchrally pleading tone, please
don't sling all them old chicken heads
over in our front yard.
"Why not9" was the cold reply.
why" said the first, with a suspi-
cious tremble in his tone, 1.-THE preacher
in our church is in the parlor and if he
sees them chicken heads he'll stay to
dinner sure-and there's only one pie,
and it's got sugar on it, tool''
One touch of nature made the whole
world kin, and the chicken heads were
not thrown - Cincinnati Commercial
Gazette.
Across the Rubicon.
He-My dear, 1 have discharged
Bridget as you requested, but she says