Year: 1859

From The Detroit Free Press.


An incident of thrilling and almost


terrible interest, combining in itself all


the palpitating chances of hairbrea adth os.


capes, and the strange, romantic ventures


of that wierd semblance of life. somna N :


bullsm occurred on the night before lat.
The scenc of this unusual episode was 90


Catherine street, at the residence of Mr.


Isarcl MoretoO, a gentleman in who.e


veracity we have entire confidence, and


from whose lips we received the state.


ment of particulars


/ At about % o'clock in the morning,


he was awakened by a knocking at The


front door of bis residence, and, upon an


swering the call, found a man on the
steps, who, 10 a very incoherent and ex


cited manner, requested him to walk a
cross the street and look at the top of his


house. The proposition was 90 strange
that be declined, and stood irresolute for
few moments, aud was about retiring
again. suspicious of foul play. when bis
eye caught a moving shadow on the front
of the opposite house, cast By the moon,
which was shining dimly through the
Aeecy clouds of gathering equinoctial
storm. 1t indicated that some moving,
living thing was walking noiselessly along
the narrow ridge of his roof, and, as be
looked at its slow, eoeeping motion, an
inde6nable chill crept over him. The
shadow stole across the front of the op-
posite building, and was lost for mo-
ment in the darkness, and then crept in
to view again, returning in an opposite
direction, with the same slow, gliding
motion. His companion had regained
the opposite sidewalk. and stood gazing
up in silence, seemingly struck speech
less with horror, and with trembling steps
Mr.. Moreton gained bis side and turned
his eyes in the same direction. His con-
sternation may be imagined when his
gaze fell upon the form of a human being
sbrouded from head to foot in long
white night dress, about which IN ass Of
long hair, which cleaned darkly in the
moonbeams, fell in wild confusion. This
spectral form paced slowly to and fro on
the narrow ridge-board which covered
the apex Of the roof, approaching in
frightful proximity of the abrupt termin-
alton at the ends, aod calmly turning a
bout to retrace the distance, always with
the same unfaltering step and easy gil.
ding motion. The house was high oDe,
and a misstep or a step too far, would
have plunged the night-wslker down to
certain destruction-as also would cas-
ual sound, the shout of midnight reyel
er, or the crow of morning cock.


The walker was q women, and, as she
moved back and forth, she occasionally
raised her hand to her head, as though
engaged in thought or trouble with pain.
The head never moved to the right or
left, up or down, but always maintained
the same position, erect and straight as a
statute A chimney stood directly in the
middle OF the roof, around which she pass
ed with ea-e, placing one band upon its
top, and walking down the sloping roof
to get around. Once in this spectral
walk she paused at the edge of the roof.
and before turning, looked straight out
ahead into the black night, as if peeriDg
beyond mortal vision, into some mystic
rious realm.


A waving movement Of the right hand
accompanied this act, which lasted but a
moment. when the walk was again re-
newed and the light shadow passed across
the faces of the spell-bound gazers as she
bid the moon for an instant from their
sight. The same spot was reached again
few moments after, when the figure a.
gain gazed out into the darkness. and
then, with q slow motion, stretched out a
hand, and with outspread 6egers clutched
ct something which had no existence ex
cept in the fevered mind Of the sleeper.
The other hand was then extended in the
like manner, and the body went forward
in such away that the upper portion hung
over the abyss. while the fingers reached
out, out, until there was no further reach
Jog, and then clutched again with quick,
convulsiye snatch, and were withdrawn.
The form was motionless a moment; and
then mmencod its walk again, continuing
as far as the middle of the roof, when it
turned toward the rear of the house, and,
moving down the slope Of the roof, was
lost to sight.


Mr. Moretor, while witnessing this
scene, had recognized the features and
from of his servant girl, young fe-
m ale of about le named Jane Mooney
With feeling of indescribable relief he
saw her disappear, and knew that she had
descended through a skyight to the gar
ret and to her room. fastening in, be
aroused his wife, and went with her to
the girls room. and found her sitting on
the side of the bed, wide awake. and in a
state of mind bordering on distraction.
She had no knowledge of the occurrence.
but had been awakened by the noise OF
her employer entering the house. and
found herself standing in the middle of
her own room in the condition described.
That the results we're no worsc was
matter OF desout thankfulluess to all with
in that house.


The girl had been suffering from o
Ii, fovar from uhieh she WAS Oradu-