Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1897-01-30
AN ASTRAL DOUBLE.

mousse WITHOUT ODJeCtlOn.
"Who cares" laughed l. "Ghosts can't
trouble us. They always como at 12
o'clock, and / am always sound nslCCp
then. Ii you over chance to be awake at
that unsoemly hour, begin practicing and
that will drive even ghosts away
Our friends called, and oil were charmed
with our delightful little home Walter
practiced steadily and patiently and was
getting pale and nervous. We attributed
Il to his persevering work and decided to
spend the holidays in the little country vii
lagc, which was our real home, leaving the
piano and every note I'm the city. We re-
turned refreshed and ready for a II weeks
siege Of constant sound-musical and 9TH
erwise.
We had been in town two weeks, not
long enough to overcome the effect of our
visit, nor yet to be tired of the praoticinR,
yet Walter was evidently getting thin and
pale again. ] suggested mild tonic, but
he did not take kindly to the idea, and l
did not insist. Then, one night, was
awakened from sound sleep by Walter
standing by my bedside, wide awake,
shaking from head to foot.
"Mothcr," he said, Il cannot endure
this another night"
oughly aroused by his excited tones.
"Come into my room and listen. My
telling will never convince you.
arose, threw on my wrapper and fol
lowed him into his room. He turned on
the light, and we sat down and waited.
Nothing unusual was heard. Walter re-
fused to tell me what he had seen or heard,
saying he preferred to see If 1 could eEpe-
rionce the same thing he did. For tlrca
|Oights this was repeated; then I told Wal
ter that l would exchange rooms with
him, as he was getting haggard from want
Of sleep or anxiety. a week passed by, and
l had heard nothing, had not been aroused
or awakened once, and Walter was nearly
convinced that his NERVOUSNESS had been
caused by the electric light shining in his
window, producing disturbing dreams, We
decided to change rooms entirely and car
ried all of his furniture into my room
and mine into his, which apparently set
tied tho matter. began to joke Walter
upon his ghost hcing o!c on u vacation,
but l SAW this voxCd him and dropped the
subject.
IN March Il friend came 70 visit me, and
l shared my room with her. We had not
seen each other for several years and lay
talking together till the clock struck l.
"Thorc," l said, "not another word, or
You will not be able to do the city tomor-
row. Good night"
The house was silent.
whats that" softly said my friend.
1 listened. Bump, step, stcpl Bump,
step, stepl A heavy stick was set upon
stair; then one foot, then another. Over
and over till the top of tho stairs was
reached-through tho short hall into our
room. Oh, heavens!
My friend shrickcd, and flew out upon
the floor and turned on the gas as Walter,
white rs DEATH came into the room.
"You have heard 1t at lastS"
No strange person was In the room.
Nothing was disturbed. l told Walter
rather sharply to go back to bed and not
frighten us again in such II manner. After
ho had gone, however, looked carefully
under the bed and into every corner, but
discovered nothing. / returned to my
couch a little nervous and a great deal
veIed with myself or course my friend
and told ghost stories the rest Of the
night, and the ghost always proved to be a
cat or rat. We lid not fall asleep till
nearly daylight. We awoke at 10 o'clock
Then we laugheo at our fright-knew II
was not burglnr, for it made too much
noise, and ghosC would not need cane.
1t was plainly wholly Imagination.
We tramped and rode ana shopped all
the next day and attended the opera in tho
evening, returning at IL o'clock used up
entirely" left the light burning brightly.
At /, precisely-bump, step, step; bump,
step, step-it came again, like an old man
climbing the stairs with "A heavy cane. My
friend was sound asleep, and l was glad of
It, Down the hall 1t came and in ut the door.
was sitting up staring straight Mt it, but
saw nothing. Bump, step, stcp-aoross
the room to u window where stood a large
armchair. 1 stared and stared and did
not even wink, but there was nothing in
the chair-simply nothing l heard no
more sounds. Breathless and frightened,
I sat there till either / tainted or fell
asleep, never shall know which. The
next thing l realized it was morning.
Walter and my friend were upand dressed.
They had heard nothing, and kept quiet
about what had dreamed G).
Every night for two weeks this same
ching happened. My friend went home,
and 1 went house hunting. 1t only took
me short half day to finds just what l
wanted. Then l said to Walter: "Ihis
house Is too small, too dark, too cold too
everything. l have taken u house ON Will
lett place"
"All right" he replied, but noticed he
looked a little curiOusly at me, though he
said nothing; neither did |.
When / informed my landlord Of my IN.
tended removal, he said, Tho house you
have taken Is much smaller and darker
and colder than this one"
81 don't think so, replied shortly.
"By the way, MIR. b., did anybody ever
die in this house Of yours"