The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-07-19
The Owners
Unexpected
Return
Did He See . Ghost!
BY PAULINE D. EDWARDS

The Society For psychical Research
Is doing some good work lately" said
Gilbert TO his friend Slade as they
sat beside the open fire. II believe the
time will come when It will show IA
scientific relation between mortality
and Immortality"
Il do not believe In ghosts" said
John Slade emphatically.
Daniel Gilbert drew his chair nearer
TO the cracking blaze,
Il never believed In ghosts until last
year" he said quietly.
what happened last year," SHADES
tone was skeptical
Il saw a ghost"
Where had you been diningi' laugh
ed Slade.
Il hadn't dined at all. / came down
to the Films quite Unexpectedly. l
wanted to look up some papers that
knew TO be In the library, The house
had been closed all summer, and at
this time even the caretaker was away
for few days.
MY plan was to dine at the village
inn go up to the Elms, spend the even
ing searching for the papers, sleep In
my old room and take the first train
to town after breakfast. My train was
several hours late, and when We ar
rived in Elmville the inn was shut up
for the night. If you are acquainted
with our village boniface you will I'M
derstand that for neither love nor mon
ey nor 'auld lang syne would he open
his doors to a guest after midnight.
So it meant dinnerless tramp up to
the house.
1T was nearly / o'clock when ! en-
tered the avenue, and ! was surprised
to find the iron gates Of the drive wide
open. That was against my orders.
1T was dark night. The stars
shone bright, and young moon threw
thin silver veil of light in the open
spaces. As came In sight Of the
house stopped still in my tracks.
You may not believe me, John, but
my house was blaze Of light from |
basement to cupOla, and from behind |
the lighted windows came the strains |
Of an orchestra, while forms foated to |
and fro In swaying rhythm to the
waltz melody.
las l stood rooted to the spot the
church clock in the village struck once.
and as II by magic the music ceased
and all motion stopped behind the thin
curtains An instant later every light
In the house died out as II extinguish-
ed by some mighty breath. ran up
the steps and fitted my key in the
great lock. 1t yielded, and the heavy
door swung outward to my touch.
II threw ray Of light about the
great entrance hall and reached for the
button to switch on the electric lights.
The button clicked without response
Again and again tried, but In vain.
"A search Of the drawing room and
library revealed the same condition.
The current was shut OF and probably
had been since the departure Of the
II lighted the large oil lamp on the
library table. 1t was an easy matter
to dig out the documents / wanted
and store them into my leather bag
As set the bag on the floor I saw
lying on the Turkish rug a white rose,
fresh and fragrant, as II just plucked.
"This was no earthly blossom I de-
cided as laid It before me on the ia
BILE. And then had another shock,
for almost under my hand and In the
very spot on which had placed my
bag when entering the room was a
small lace handkerchief. Across one
corner was embroidered In tiny letters
/ girls name"
Gilbert blew q cloud OF smoke that
his face. John Slade leaned
forward In his chair.
"And the name-the girls name" he
asked quickly.
"viola-just VIOLA" said Gilbert
lreamily.
THAT is not all Of the story" said
Slade impatiently. go on, old man"
mo; that is not all. turned TO
he mantelpiece and leaned my head
against the high shelf, trying to solve
he mystery Of my house, for to my
no woman save the care
aker, an old black NANNY, had dark
ned-or shall say frightened my
Ioors for several years J
when | turned back to the table
he handkerchief was gone!
with hardly thought as to whether :
was seeking shadow or substance G
hrust the rose in my pocket. and,
mapping on my pocket electric,
fastened into the hall There was u
lean OF white In the distance, and Z
ursued 1t. 1t nicked around corner I
nd disappeared up small spiral stair. y
ase that led TO the second floor.
when | reached the top OF the
tairs the bit Of white became wo-
ian's graceful form, with some ethe II
eal garment Of filmy stuff floating be- D
ind her. And as followed seemed i
, be walking among violets.
Down the grand staircase she van p
he'd, this time with little clicking Is
n