The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-07-31

Whon l was a'ort fourteen. my
mother. whose hea'.h laa eeu Cociin-
Ing FOR some yclr. determined to leave
Tie city and try ca-..rF uf, for a
change. She purcl sd sn OH estate
some three miles oat OF the city OF r..
which had been over % century ln one
family. who parted with their old
homestead because loss Of property
made it impossible for them 20 keep up
former style and grandeur:
One OF tine conditions OF The sale was
that the family graveyard should not
be disturbed in any way. It was
beautiful spot. about two acres in ex-
tent and about half an acre from the
dwelling. Just to the right. and where
the windows of both stories on the
right side Of the house and the piazza
i'm front would overlook II.
never was a cOwardly child. and
this resting place OF the dead was IA
voritc resort with me. and on moon
light nights would wander for hours
through It's walks withov one though.
Of fear or dread Of thee resting In
their last sleep around me. freed from
the care and turmoil of life.
When We moved 10 our now home.
my favoritc brother. who was six years
my elder. WIS away at college ana il
was not TIL some months after that
he returned home for vacation at a
time when our country home presented
81 4
itself in its gaycst robes to welcome
him. 1 said-and superbly beautiful
were itS robes of green and rainbow
tlnts.
He had been absent so long from
home that IL was not until after SUP
per ana evening worship that | could
carry him OF To- my favorite spot. lie
was somewhat prepared for it's beau
ties from my rhapsodies about II in
my letters. but said. as we stood on n
little knoll just ut the entrance and
looked over It. that I had not done It
Justice. eloquent as had been IN It's
praise.
We were wandering through its walks
ana | was asking thousand questions
that kept him busy in answering when
suddenly he stopped moment and
said, Are you never afraid Of this
place.
NO jamie. darling. Why should I
be?' asked
You come often here alone after
night Lizzie. Are you not startled
somctimos?'
NO. Why Go you askY' replied.
"Oh, nothing. Only do you see any
thlpg there peculiar in appearanccgr
he asked. pointing 10 a spot where a
tall marble tablet cleaned In the moon
light.
Nothing, Jamie but the slab OF mar
bic"
Lets 80 up there FOR moment" he
then said, and we turned toward the
spot
Upon reaching II saw nothing. but
| could see that lie did see something
that surprised and somewhat startled
him. While standing there he moved
his little walking stick to and fro and
after few minutes said: THAT VIII
do. Now let's return TO the house and
III ten you why ask those questions"
Upon reaching the piazza we sat
down upon the top step and looked
over TO the graveyard. lie sat stu for
few minutes and then said:
We'll. Lizzie. l have often heard and
have read Of what l saw tonight. but
never thought to see it myself. for l
never credited II. At that grave where
we stopped l saw a blue flame rise
from the ground and gradually take
the human form. or. rather, inside Of
the cloud OF blue flame l saw human
shape, and when we went up to II 1
could distinctly see the contour OF the
whole figure. though l could not dis
Germ features. 1t is startling. but It is
not supernatural. II / did not know
that you were "A brave little girl and
not frightened by shadows, I'd not tell
you this. for cannot tell you the cause
more than this: Wherever there are
decaying human bodies there is a gas
generated that rises and assumes the
human form. though indistinctly and
not to be seen by every one Now.
there IN the cemetery l see three OF
those pillars OF blue flame and no
doubt would see more II all parts OF
the place were visible from here"
ola not doubt JAMES seriousness
In what he said, and, though II puzzled
me, II did not scare me. for he told me
it could be accounted for by men of
science, and my faith in him was too
answering for me to doubt for mo-
ment anything l saw him convinced
OF, and 1t dill not hinder me from tax
ing many 4 long walk in the lovely
spot or from again spending many an
hour there In pleasant rcvefie and cas-
tie building in Spain.
During our residence there two other
persons told me they saw the same
thing, one young cousin, n delicate,
gentle girl, too gentle and conscientious
TO equivocate and too accustomed TO
seeing such things to be frightened at
them. The other was man in his
prime. judge and statesman OF