The Van Buren press., 1893-06-24
glass into thre. pieces related an


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 death?" asked one of the
relatives Of her hostess.
mo, never. He had been dead year
on that night when l went TO the hall
clock to see If it had been wound up.
You know the clock-one 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 it saw father standing close by
me with a smile on his face, as if some
thing pleased him l was frightened
and ran from the hall, but afterward |
looked into the clock and found deed
10 some land we were dispossessed OF,
hidden there. l suppose. really, only
imagined seeing him. You know l
don't believe 1t was really father. but
it was strange it should lead TO finding
that paper
Another coincidence" said the fin
de 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 I 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 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 II it might be now. only 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 husb was laid uncere-
moniously-something ghostly was hap
pening under the very face and eyes OF
the party.
A pun 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,
mingling 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 this? Had the picture
come to life and stepped out Of its
frame? The startled group at the fire.
side could see only a shadow there that
paled and flickered. but stepped bodily
and audaciously into the light. Was it
the semblance of the portrait, or was it
really the beautiful form and face of
that woman of a century past, wear
ing the same clothes which fiuttered
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 founces and laces of
her wide skirts, wore the cloeked 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 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 il hummingbird had fiut-
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 it 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 1t that with the help of
warm supper the elders were finally in
duced to throw off the mystery and
solemnity of the astral dance, and
looked upon it as a mirage. something
quite expiainable 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.
You see. you dear old stupids you
had talked ghosts until you were quite
ready to see one in every corner. II
great-grandmamma did appear. then.
it was to signify that she was quite
willing that l should step into her
shoes"
Il 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 q distinct shaping of
the letters "P-h-e-w.'
Walter looked at Helen and tele-
grabbed the word back again. But
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