Year: 1869

[From the San Francisco Morning Gail.


Oar business is to tell story as
it was told to Us by the gentleman
who underwent the experience, and
who. ny the way. is Il plain, sensible
business man, guiltless of either
practical or verbal joking, whose
only care is to increase his store.
and to faithfully discharge all the
duties and obligations imposed upon
him as good citizen. There is not
a particle of sentimentin his compo-
sition, and he disbelieves the spirit
ualistic theories. So much for the
man; now for the story.


On Saturday evening last he ar
rived at his hotel, the American Ex-
change, late for dinner, and so had
to take the meal at French Res
taurant. With his dinner he took
about a half bottle Of claret. He
ate or drank nothing more during
the evening. 1t is well to bear
this fact in mind as it shows his
system was in perfectly normal con
:i,ition, and his brain clear at the
time of the visitation. Feeling
very much fatigued as the evening
drew on, on account of attention to
business during the day and for sew
eral days preding, he came to the
conclusion that his great need was
q sound and undisturbed night
rest. To obtain this, he determined
to leave his room in the hotel for
that night, and occupy furnished
apartment in the building where his
store is situated.


He changed his room to escape
the inevitable morning noises at the
hotel, and thus be allowed to sleep
late into Sunday morning if he
choose. He is not conscious Of any
other motive for doing so, though
some spiritualist may say he was
impressed to make the change. He
reached his room about II o'clock,
lit the gas, and set about preparing
for bed. He had divested himself
pf his day clothing, and was stand
ing in front of large mirror button
ing the neck-b band of his night shirt,
with his face at the same time
toward the door of his room, lead
ing to the hall way His mind was
dwelling on nothing particular at
the time, and he was humming an
operate air Suddenly he became
conscious of a presence other than
his own, and then was claspeo about
the body SO tightly that the pressure
was almost suffocating.


He found himself face to face
with Frank -, who died about
three months ago, and with whom
he was on intimate terms during his
lifetime. There stood his friend
fronting him, looking straight at
him. The ace was closely shaven,
the eyes bright, and the lips parted
with a half smile as t., life Even
the clothes in which he was dressed
were the same worn as worn by him
on the day preceding his death
Still holding him in his embrace,
Frank spoke to his friend:


Harry you are good soul. You
have been kind to me, and good to
my wife since l left" He spoke
further about some business matters.
but we do not feel at liberty to
repeat the words.


BY this time Harry had withdrawn
from Franks mbrace, when the lat
ter grasped his hand and said:


Good bye, Harry. There is
much happiness in store for you"
He had partially recovered him
self, and was about to speak; but
before he could frame the words.
Frank was gone, melted into thin
air. The door did not move on the
hinges; there were no footballs in
the hallway outside; but as suddenly
as this strange visitor had come, he
departed, and Harry was left alone
filled with astonishment, but as he
declares, without any feeling of fear
The result of the interview was
such that for a moment he doubted
| if his friend were dead; but he had
been present at his funeral, ano
dropped handful of earth on the
coffin lid that he was sure covered
his mortal remains. Then he
thought some one had played {
practical joke to terrify him, but
there was no one besides himself ir
the building and all the doors were
securely locked and barred. In des
pair, at the task of accounting fol
this strange affair, he bit a cigar te
aid him in his perplexity; ane
finally sought his couch, where b.