Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-10-23


to the side door and up the stairs to
Edwards room. He did not 60 for
his supper and ! wondered little,
but I heard him moving aboutin his
room.
sit was a bright, moonlight night
and didn't wonder that there was
no ligh. under my door, as there
would be ii he had lit the candle. |
thought he was undressing in the
moonlight, till ] heard him cross
the room and go out again.
Hes for his supper, now, |
thought, but he went down stairs
and straight out the door, down the
path and out the gate. | jumped
out Of bed then and looked out of
the window, and on the road | could
see him walking back TO the sta
ton.
aThere was no more sleep for me,
and fretted till morning, wonder
ing what could have come over him.
But, Miss, 10 the morning, Tom Den
mis-, told you of, came to the farm.
There had been an accident on the
midnight train just before she reach
ed Northam Station. A many a
one was killed, and my Edward was
lying dead by the roadside, when bis
spirit came to his room. For he
died before one o'clock.
"Tom was good and kind, and
{ took his last words to NE down in
writing, and brought him home to
US. But I've never done blaming
myself | didn't see him or speak to
him, when he came to say goodbye
to bis mother"
1t was strange story told by the
mothers quivering lips. fearful eyes
and perfect faith it made q strong
impression upon me, the more so
that she told me many little incl
dents that proved Talbot's love for
his mother to have been unusually
strong ard child.like for a man so
much away from his home.
For twenty years the story of Ed
ward Talbot's ghost was the one SUI
pernatural visitation that I believed
to be well authenticated and true.
But many changes had come into
my life, and I found myself one
night with party Of friends and
strangers sitting round cracking
wood fire On Christmas night, at the
village Of Silver Greek, Mississippi.
The negroes were all away merry.
making, and my hostess had a large
party relatives and friends, many
of whom, as / said, were strangers
to me.
BY the freight we told ghost
stories, and | gave my one account
S-athe only one / ever told-of
ghostly visitation. l had told it
many times before and always undis-
puted. But on that evening a mid.
die aged man sitting near me said:
Excuse me, madam, for seeming
to be inquisitiye, but was the young
mans name Talbot ~
had purposely ommitted names,
but l answered
"Yes," for thought so far away,
SO long after the event, it was no be.
trayal of confidence. eyes," l said,
"his name was Edward Talbot"
Sand the farm was at Northam ?n
"You have heard the story before,
l see,' 1 said.
"No, never heard the story, but
suppose I tell you one. Edward
Talbot was my most intimate friend.
We shared one room in a Lowell
boarding house, one desk in the
counting house of great Lowell
factory, and whenever ] could make
holiday, Edwards mother made
me welcome at the Northam farm.n
''Your name is Dennis" I asked.
"Yes, madam, my name is Tom
Dennis. was young man about
twenty-five when Edward told me
his love story.
"He was engaged to the only
daughter of q rich Lowell manufac.
turer, secretly. | did not like that,
but Edward said he would soon tell
her father, and in the meantime he
corresponded with-I'Il call her
Meta, and she wrote to him very of.
ten and very lovingly. Too much
so, | thought for a youDg girl, but
Edward saw no fault.
eve were Ike brothers, as / said,
and he often let me see letter. One
day, without any warning, he saw
her marriage in the newspapers. She
married her fathers partner.
''The blow nearly killed poor Ed
ward. Fer weeks he was like a man
in dream, and even when / coaxed
him home for a day or two, be was
only himself before his mother and
sank back into downright illness as
we returned TO Lowell.
'sIt was slow fever the doctor said,
and Edward would not let me write
to his mother. But when be was
better he proposed himself to 90 to
the farm for visit.
"We started On Saturday, and at
midniobt moor Edward lay diving in