Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-10-28
rHAT WIS Ira
A True Story of a Halloween sight in tho
city of Washington.

A True Story of Halloween sight in tho
city of Washington.
In one of the suburban gravsyards OK
Washington there sleeps to- day young
woman of %, who, two years ago, was
the life and light of large circle of
friends. She was engaged as a clers
in one at the largest stores 10 town and
was as great iarnrite with her en-
poyers and her fellow clerks as she
was with patrons y hp house, says
the Washington star. Her closest
friend was the sister Of yoang fire.
man, whose homo was not far from
lIe Droit park, and this chronicle deals
With occurrences which took place
there. the sistor being her brothers.
hDuseKeeper.
In October, 1875. go two friends de,
tarmined that II ~ would celebrate
Halloween aa it should be celebrated,
by tho ususal weiId and ghostly pro-
ceedings, and they met Mt the young
treman's house to carry out their pur-
posa. By IL O'Clock, when they in
tended to call up the spirits they were
the only occupants Of the house, and
they had begun to get nervous How
ever, they did not propose 10 he fright
ened out Of their design on tho spirits.
50, going to the room which they had
selected for their vaccinations, they
locked the doors and fastened the win
dows anu hogan. just what they did
to call up tina spirits may be left TO the
knowledge Of those whu have tried it
at Ilollowe'en, hut suffice it whatever
they did was productive Of results, and
10 the midst of their work they were
startled by steps on the stairs leading
f.,t l,.. ~ II hz ,..k
they were. AS the whole house below
stairs had been loekell up ana there
was no noise of any kind previous to
the footballs on the stairs, this noise
was the more disturbing to them, hut
they felt safe enough, for their own
doors were locked and neighbors were
near in case the intruder proved to be
a mortal of evil intent.
As it was the young clerks fortuna
which was heing told, of course she
was the centre of attraction, aud, as
the footsteps approached tho door,
though the two girls rather expected
the fireman had come back to Brighten
thum, they continued their call on the
spirits as the manual directed. Then
before they had thought whether the
footsteps had stopped at their door or
not. the door slowly swung omen and
collin of full Hize appeared sitting on
end in the doorway, which Immediately
began swaying in and out, as If how
ing, THE lid was removed, showing
the occupant TO be a dead man, whom
neither Of the young women knew.
Both saw it distinctly, and as sud.
denly as it appeared it went ont again,
leaving the door locked, as it was in
tho beginning.
The effect upon the girl whose for
tune was being told was much more
serious than it was upon her friend,
and, while the latter screamed, the
former fell over in dead faint Some
other Halloween merrymakers, not far
away, heard the screams, and getting
into the house found one girl stretched
on the floor as it dead and tine other in
Mysteries. Explanations wore given
after the young women had sufficiently
recovered TO be coherent, hut from the
night Of the mysterious appearance OF
the coffin with the dead man in it, who
apparently bore no relation whatever TO
either of the girls, the young clerk be-
gan to fade rs a flower might. lie,
merry spirit was subdued, tho sparkle
OF her eye was gone, her stop was
heavy; she never spoke of the vision
of that night, and before another Hal
lowe'en she had gone into the shadows
land, whence had como that which had
darkened her life.