Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-03-15
SPIRIT FOOTPRINTS.
MARKS LEFT ON THE WET SAND BY
AN INVISIBLE CHILD.


the result C. an Overheated Imagination or
of being produced by fear, but l am here
to say that it is no such thing, and that
they do exist" Thus spoke one of group
| of gentlemen yesterday while waiting at
the depot for train, and on the rest clam
oring for the story the speaker went on:
1T was in the early seventies that l was
summering at quiet little place on the
Mississippi coast in an endeaN or to regain
my health after spell of typhoid fever,
and in the house with me was u fellow
from New York. who was sick too. This
sort of drew us together, and we would
take our constitutionals in company. /
never could quite make out what Asbcrry's
complaint was, and he did not seem to
know himself, but would often get blue
about himself. and say he was being killed
by inches. And he looked awfully bad,
too, with big, dreary looking eyes that
seemed as if they did not know what sleep
was and checks so hollow that they showed
his teeth through them. He was well off,
even rich but he appeared to get as little
good out of his money as any ono ever
saw and had a way of speaking as if it
was rather n curse than not. We have all
met rich people that affected to feel that
way, but in this case it was genuine. l
had only a few more days to pass at the
seaside when learned what was the mat
ter with Asbcrry and got shock that
nearly upset me.
I'VE were walking along the shore one
day just after the tide had gone cut, lcav-
ing the sand moist, and as we went along
/ amused myself punching holes in it,
when all at once / noticed that side by
side with Asbcrry's tracks ran those of a
little bare foot. There they were as plain
as our own. | started back with CRY, for
the foot that made those tracks was not to
be seen, and yet they went on falling by
the side of Asberry's as if the person that
made them was walking close beside him.
Asbcrry turned at my exclamation, and,
glanCing down at the tracks, smiled in q
Slow bitter way, but showed no astonish-
mcnt
3" So you see them, tool? he said. We'll,
what do you think Of my having seen
those marks running side by side witA
mine for over five years"
Good God, l exclaimed, man, you
do not mean to say that this thing has
happened bcfore?'
Yes, do, said he. 1T happens every
day of my life It's that that's killing
me-
But it is tho most extraordinary
thing l ever came across, / persisted.
Is there no natural explanation of tho
thing?'
"'Wcll, ask yourself the question
What explanation could there be? No,
am fully aware what it is that walks with
me-.
1T seems easy enough to tell all this,
but there was something horrible and, as
the Scotch say, 'uncanny, in watching
those falling footmarks dropping down on
the sand from an invisible walker beside
us, and at last | could stand it no longer
but proposed our going back to the hotel
When we reached the place, AsbGrry held
out his hand. Goodby, he said, smiling
that bitter smile of his.
why, are you leaving?' 1 asked feel
ing relieved at the idea
mo, no said, but this is the end of
our companionship. ! We seen friend
after friend fall away from me after seeing
what you have this morning protested
awhile, but l was conscious of decided
shrinking from him as one accursed, still
plying the fellow l hated to hurt his
feelings.
The next day and tho next, however,
could not bring myself to ask him to join
me in my daily walk on tho beach, for
felt that to SEQ those silent, mysterious
steps beside mino again would be the death
of me. On the night of the third day
noticed that Asberry did not come to the
table and did not see him on the beach,
and later on heard that he was very low.
Still shrinking from him, and with the
selfish nervousness of a semi-invalid, did
not go to inquire after him that day. but
during the night was awakened by knock
at my door, and, opening it, saw the bell
boy, whom poor Asberry had sent to ask
me to come to him, as he was dying. At
this summons l could not help but go,
and, hustling on my clothes, was beside
him in few minutes. l found him lying
half unconscious at times, rambling at
others, and at first he did not know me-
When he did, he said, smiling as before:
do you know that, slight as has been
our acquaintance, you are the nearest APP
proach to a friend l have on earthf' l as
sured him that anything L could do for
him l would gladly, but he only asked of
me to stay by him.
~ am afraid to stay alone with Ben
ME, he said, and thought him wander
ing again, but his eyes met mine with
perfectly rational look, and he said: That |
is my nephew l speak OF. His father was
my only brother, and dying left me his |
son to watch over. And l killed him. |
After this Asberry lay silent for nearly an
hour, when the stiffness of the room was
broken by muffled sob. This sounded so
near that l thought it uttered by Asberry, |
but he, too, had started at the sound; So
glancng about me- looked for tho person |
that had made it,
What in Gods name is that| whis- !
pered, leaning over him, and without I'M
covering his face he answered, That is
sound that have heard night and day for
the last five years Then, raising himself |
in bed, he said to some one beside him |
whom | could not see: Will you not let |
me die in peacef l have given you my life
in turn for yours, and is not that worth |
the purchase of an hours rest in which to
dief
LAS he talked 1 saw the room grow |
darker, the lamps Pickering as if cold |
wind swept the apartment, and as the |
gloom gathered about the bed l SAVIOR
was it only my imagination2-the figure Of |
a child standing beside the couch. Asberry |
turned to this figure and held out his arms |
to it, then, with a groan, fell hack on his |
pillow dead And that is why believe in
ghosts, gentlemen. Ugh, let's have glass
r,tl