Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-03-30
A Doctors Device
fOrigInai. /

/
strikes 1, then young physician, was
| called to examine man there, Samuel
| Granger, who had inherited farm
near which oil had been struck and
been affected by the sudden turn of
his fortune. He heard sounds no one
else could hear, and at intervals a
! ghost came into his room at night. He
| lived with his aunt, who wanted to
have him placed in an asylum.
| l didn't care to have the patient or
his aunt know that l was going to ex-
| anime him, so | wrote that / would ar
! rive much later than l intended One
| morning | went to the house without
either the aunt or nephew knowing
that I was coming. The door was
| opened by the aunt.
81 understand I said, that this
property is for sale. | would like TIC
buy it If can do so at fair price and
| get clear title.''
you can't buy it or get a clear title
| either. My nephew owns it, and he's
gone daft on account of its sudden
rise in value.
"Why don't you have him adiudged
incompetent to manage his affairs and
a guardian appointedw
That's what we're trying to do.
There's a doctor coming down from
the city in few days to examine him.
But don't believe it'll do any good
Sam sees ghost every now and then.
There isn't any ghost. Nobody but
Sam sees it. He's all right on other
subjects and don't know as you can
call a man crazy because he says he
has seen a spirit"
HAS any one been with him when
he has seen the ghost"
Don't know that there has, except
ing me-
How often does the ghost appear?'
ooh, once in awhile!'
Twill he be likely to see it within
the next few days"
Maybe, if he gets excited about any
thing
"I'll tell you what I'd do if 1 were
you. I'd tell him that the doctor is
coming to examine him with a view
| to putting him in an asylum. Tell
it to him the day before you expect
the doctor. That will bring on the
paroxysm, and he'll fancy he's seen
the ghost again. That'll give the doc
tor an opportunity to talk with him
| just after he has seen it."
The woman made no reply to this,
and, assuring her that 1 would give
! large sum for the property as soon as
it could be sold, l left her.
| The next day but one l was expect
| ed to appear and examine the patient.
| The next afternoon l went up on
| hill overlooking Sam Changers farm
and watched. All l saw was young
| man come to a window but few feet
above the roof of a piazza. After dark
l stole down to the house and climbed
| up a trellis to the window. 1t was
summer, and the window was open.
| There was no one in the room, but
light on table showed me by the pres
| ence of clothing, pipes. tobacco and
| such things scattered about that it was
| a mans room. | waited on the piazza
roof till after o'clock, when the young
man entered, took of his clothes and
went to bed. He looked nervous and
| haggard.
What | was after was to see him I'M
der the influence of his vision without
his knowing of my presence. His aunt
| had doubtless excited him by telling
| him that | was coming, and he would
be pretty sure to see the ghost l
could hear him tossing in the bed. but
as the lamp was not lighted | could
not see him. l waited till nearly II
O'Clock. when he had quoted down,
| and | thought he was asleep. Put sud
denly he gave a shrek, and l could
family see him sitting up in bed doubt
| less staring Mt his vision. | cast my
| eyes about the room, and to the left
near a door, | saw Il luminous white
| figure, apparently of a woman.
| For Il moment l was taken abacil.
l had no idea of anything appearing
| except TO the young man excite!
brain. Here was something that |
could see myself. Then it occurred to
me that the ghosts garments had been
rubbed with phosphorus. The figure
stood a few moments and was turning
| to go before | gathered my faculties
! but suddenly under an impulse
| sprang into the window, dashed across
the room and seized its skirts just as
| it had got into the hall. Then with
one arm around Il buXom waist drew
/ the apparition back into the room.
took out my matchbox and lit the
| lamp. My next move was to pull a
piece of white muslin from the ap-
partition and expose the head and
| shoulders of the aunt.
"Who are youT" she cried angrily.
I'm the man that wants to buy this
| farm alias the doctor who wnS IN