Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-07-14
AVEHP0RF'S STORY
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

N good sort of thing for rainy af-
ternooD; and it is a much better time
than after night. If you tell ghost
stories after dark they are apt to make
you nervous, whether you own up to
it or not, and you sneak home and
| dodge upstairs in mortal terror, and
undress with your back to the wall,
so that you can't fancy there Is any
lhing behind you.
We had each told a story, and had
had the usual assortment of myster-
ious noises and death warnings and
sheeted spectres and so on, down
through the whole catalogue of hor-
rors-enough to satisfy any reason
able ghost faster. But Jack, as usual,
was dissatisfied. He said our stories
were all secondhand stuff. There
wasn't a man in the crowd who had
ever seen or heard a ghost; all our
told us by persons who had the story
from other persons who saw the
ghosts.
zone doesn't get any information from
that" said Jack. Il never expect to
get so far along as to see real ghost
myself, but l would like to see and
talk to one who had"
Some persons appear to have the
knack of getting their wishes granted.
Jack is one of that ilk. Just as he
made the remark Davenport sauntered
in, and, finding out what was going
on, volunteered to tell a ghost story
himself-something that had happened
to his grandmother-or maybe it was
his great aunt; / forget which. 1t was
a very good ghost story as ghost
stories so, and Davenport told 1t WELL
Even Jack admitted that, but he said:
''Its only secondhand, too. Did
you ever have a ghostly experience
yourself, old MANI"
Davenport put his finger tips critic
ally together.
would you believe me If 1 said
had?" he asked.
''No," said Jack, unblushingly.
"rhen there would be no use in my
saying it"
"But you don't mean that you ever
/ really had, of course?"
II don't know. Something queer
happened once. I've never been able
to explain it-from a practical point
Of view, that is. Want to hear about
it?"
OF course we did. This was excit-
ing. Nobody would ever have sus-
pected Davenport Of seeing ghosts.
ITS conventional enough" he be-
| gan "Ghosts don't seem to have much
originality. But it's frst-hand, Jack,
If that's what you want. 1 don't sup
pose any of you have ever heard me
| speak of my brother, Charles. He
was my senior by two years, and was
a quiet, reserved sort of fellow-not
at all demonstrative, but with very
strong and deep affections.
when he left college he became en-
gagged to Dorothy Chester. She was
very beautiful and my brother idol
ized her. She died a short time before
the date set for their marriage, and
Charles never recovered from the
blow.
II married Dorothy's sister, Virginia
Virginia did not in the least resemble
her sister, but our eldest daughter was
strikingly like her dead aunt. We
called her Dorothy and Charles was
devoted to her. Dolly, as we called
her, was always Uncle Charley
girl
when Dolly was twelve years ole
Charles went to New Orleans on busi
ness, and while there took yellow
fever and died. He was buried there
and Dolly half broke her childisl
heart over his death.
zone day five years later, when Dolly
was seventeen, l was writing letter.
in my library. That very morning m.
wife and Dolly had gone to New Yorl
en- route for Europe. Dolly was goin;
to school in Paris for a year. Buslnes
prevented my accompanying them evel
as far as New York, but Gilbert Ches
ter, my wlfe's brother, was going witt
them. They were to sail ON the Ara
j gon the next morning.
II had written steadily for about Al
hour. At last, growing tired, threy
down my pen. and, leaning back Il
my chair. was on the point of lightin
a cigar when an unaccountable in
pulse made me turn round. l droppe
my cigar and sprang to my feet /
amaZement. There was only one doc
in the room and l had all along bee
facing it. 1 could have sworn nobod
had entered, yet there, standing bt
tween me and the bookcase, was
man-and that man was my brothe
Charlesl
There was no mistalling him; 1 say
him as plainly as see you. He was
tall, rS-her stout man. with curly hal
and a fair. close-clipped beard. H
wore the same light gray suit whic
he had worn when bidding US good-b