The Delta independent., 1893-11-29
A GHOSTLY EPISODE.
1t Might Have Bcen Explained by
Helen and Her Lover.

They were n very comfortable party
of ten or a dozen adults visiting in an
cid ancestral house. and all nearly or
remotely connected or related. And il
often happened that the conversation
took turn to include those deceased
ancestors whose portraits hung on the
walls. and whose possessions were un-
der the same roof with themselves.
IL, seems like sacrilcgc," their host
ess was saying, as they sat in the twi-
light glimmcr, between hcarthlight
and daylight. in the old-fashioncd draw
ing room. but Helen has about per-
suadcd me TO let her have her great
grandmothcrs wardrobe. ! could
never think myself of disturbing those
things which my mother gave me rs
sacred bequcst But Helen declares
that the time has come when those old
gowns can be worn without reuivleling,
and fancy she would be rather proud
of them Us heirlooms."
II should be afraid the ghost of the
owner would look over my shoulder"
remarked one of the cousins present, in
an awcsome tone.
"Oh. II it comes TO that, we arc all
piteNAN. SaAlAi 'i'E NC 'aA
our ghosts with US. But us the good
danes cannot, even ns ghosts, wear
their old garments, why should we DC
denied that privilcge?'
~ tell Helen she will only have the
clothes, not the air of one born 10 them.
My grandmother was belle and
beauty. She had-wcll, there she, is;
you can all see her and judge for your
selves" and Mrs. King led the way
down the long room into the vista of
faint darkness To the portrait. A can
dclabrrim was lighted, and in tat pale
glimmcr they saw the beautiful face of
a girl of nineteen, with the shoulders
and waist of an ideal figure. Her fair
.hcelss and rosy lips, her naughty chm
with dimplc set in it, her large, lus-
trous eyes, were framed In mass of
such curls rs were worn in that day.
They hung o7cr her lovely shoulders
down to her small waist
B,-< what was this? Had the picture
come TO life and stepped ou, of its
framcp The startled group ~ the fire.
side could see only n shadow there that
paled and nicl,crcd, but stepped bodily
and audaciously into the light Was il
lAlH III Pfs ~ aaNF - " 80 -
really the hcartiful form and face of
that woman Of "a century past, wear
ing the same clothes which fiu:tcrcd
noisclcssly. diiTrSiug cold sweet per
fumc that affected the senses like the
Incense of death? Her eyes were fixed
rs in the picture, but the red was on
her lips and checks, and her little feet,
pceping from the iiounccs and laccs of
her wide skirts, wore the cloclScd stock
iagB and ribbou-Crosscd slippers of long
ago. There she stood before them all,
yet never noticing them, and then she
began to dance in stately measure n
minuct, rs IL some unseen cavalier
were trcading the mcaturc with her,
and all the time that cold wind was
blowing and n strange, quaint melody
was being played 10y Invisible hands,
abide from which there was not rs much
noise rs IL hummingbird had flut-
tered its wings.
Then somebody scrc amcd or tainted,
and in moment the music ceased; the
dancer was gone Somebody lighted
all the gas burners, and there wns the
portrait just Us /, 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
discrcdit on the evidence of their elders
But youth throws of impressions
easily, and Helen and Walter and their
friends made such charming jest and
gaycty out OF 1t that with the help of n
warm supper the elders were finally in
duccd to throw or the mystery and
Of thn nStrnl lnnpn unl
looked upon IL as n mirage, something
quite cxplainable by certain laws of hui
man occult development. Helen even
declared, saucily, that her grcat-grand-
mother must have been giddy girl tn
come back for brief visit TO earth just
TO dance that tircsome old minuct, and
then she looked ut Walter and blushcd
vividly.
you sec, you dear old stupids, you
had talked ghosts until you were quite
rcndy to see one In every corner. II
grcat-grandmamma did appear, then,
II 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 he disturbed in my lifetime"
said Mrs King with emphasis.
Helen looked at Walter, and her prct-
ty mouth made distinct shaping of
tho letters "P-h-c-w"
Walter looked Mt Helen and tclc.
graphcd tho word back again. but
none Of those worldly-wisc people ever
came near suspccting what might have
been tho real truth, not even when they
saw Walters auto-harp, the most drcary
musical instrument that was evcr con-
ceivcd, lying on the hall sofa the next
day, or whom they alluded, ns they oft
on did, TO Hclen's wonderful rcsem-
blanco to her grcat-grandmothcr's por-
trait. Free Press.