Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-02-02
Was 1t Spirit
Or Illusion?
By F. A. Mitchell

together, and nothing better typifieS it
than two vines that originally could
have been broken apart by child's
delicate fingers, each becoming after a
lapse of, say. half century as large
as an athletes biceps and much hard
er to bend.
The most remarkable case of this
kind came under my observation.
will relate the story.
Donald Gregory. when he was too
young to remember the fact, became
q playmate of a little girl about his
own age. Ella Marston. Their parents
places were side by side, and the chill
dren, neither having brother or sister.
were together all day. Then they
went to the same Kindergarten and
afterward to the same school. Their
first and only separation was when
Donald went to college. They pinned
for each other, and he neglected his
studies to write her long letters. re-
ceiving equally long replies. When the
first examinations came on. though
bright fellow, he failed. This ended
his college career. He returned to his
love and was never again separated
from her till half a century later. when
death claimed her.
They were married when the groom
was nineteen, the bride eighteen.
son was born to them and a daughter.
The former lived; the latter died in
infancy. Till the son came to man
hood he remained with his parents.
Then he broke away to engage in bust
ness at another location.
Even in their youth they had few
intimate associates and after coming
to middle age dropped away from any
thing social. Those who knew them
wondered at this, for they were both
attractive and popular Efforts to get
them into social undertakings always
failed.
Mrs. Gregory died at seventy. 1t
was year after this that 1 made the
acquaintance of their son, now a man
of nearly fifty. Strange it is that with
his parents happy married life before
him he never married. When his
mother died he persuaded his father to
come to live with him. l had made
George Gregory's acquaintance some
time before this, and when his father
appeared on the scene George and I,
both bachelors, were intimate, I being
at his house frequently.
When l was introduced to his father
saw handsome old gentleman with
a ford complexion and white hair and
mustache. It struck me that II
were a woman I would fall in love
with him no matter what was his age.
George told me of the close relation
ship between his father and his late
mother, and when the latter died he
feared his father would lose his rea-
son. But his father seemed to settle
down to an acceptance Of his fate and
in a measure apparently ceased to
grieve. His son noticed something
about him which he communicated to
no one. I discovered it for myself.
One day when going to George
Gregory's house l saw his father put
ting his night key into the door. He
opened it, stepped back as if waiting
for some one to enter, then went in
himself. The matter made but little
impression on me till later l heard
the old gentleman talking to himself
in the library. At first, thinking that
he was reading aloud, / permitted my
self to overhear him. l soon became
aware that he was talking to some one
whom he called my dear" The two
episodes together set me to wondering,
and narrated them to his son. George
sighed and said:
80 you have noticed it. l have
known that of which you have seen
evidence ever since father came to live
with me. He ever has my mother
with him-just how l don't know.
Whether he sees her spirit, whether be
fancies that it is present with him
whether he hears her replies when be
talks to her-all this is a puzzle to me
I have often heard him talking to her
as you heard him, and he says the
same things to her that he was used t
saying while she lived. only they are
more endearing. He was always dur
ing her life as gallant to her as whe1
they were young lovers, and when b,
fancies she is with him he will not ST
while she stands, will not go through
doorway without waiting till she hai
gone before him. / have seen hin
come into the house after having beer
out of an evening and remove he
wraps as tenderly as he ever did Will
she was with him In the flesh. He ha,
way Of sometimes walking with he
hand in hand, and since her death
have often seen him swinging his arm
through the empty air as l often saw
him do it when | was boy
do you observe" l asked, "whethe
after apparently being with her he 1
more or less gloomy?'
HE is never what we call gloomy
though there is a certain sadness a.
ways in his eyes. 1t seems to me ths
Providence, in whose sight such love-
like lives as were his and my mother
must be acceptable. has made som
III al<. IL L. IL