Year: 1879

The following are related in the conversa.
tional style in which they were told to a
contributor to Chambers Journal ....


4 am sure none of you were ever so terri.
fed by ghost as | was, said my Aunt
Mabel 1T was an American ghost, which
perhaps accounts for its having been more
wild and weird and altogether electrifying
than any thing ever met with in the old
courtry. You know that went to Ameri
ca when | was young, and that spent many
of my early years in lonely farmhouse in
the backwoods


And without servants, Aunt Mabel?'


Quite true, dear. Servants would not
stay in such an out-of.the-way place without
higher wages th'n we could give them, and
indeed the helps we tried were often more
deserving of the name of 'hinderers.' But
we were all Young and strong, and we never
had happier days than when we all kept
house together, and did the work with our
own hands. Capital training it was though
at first of course we made many mistakes,
every thing was so new and strange to us.


1t WAS soon after our arrival at this lonely
place that met with terrible fright. Nv
sister Isabel and share the same room and
one night | was awakened ~ hearing her
crying by my side.


What is the matter, Isabel p


%, a toothache, most dreadful toothsche
and | have nothing to relieve it. If / could
only get some brandy; little burnt brandy
would cure it in moment


My dear, | said, jumping out of bed, 4
will get you some directly know where
it is-in the parlor cupboard have
got the key


But you have no light


%, can grope my way to the room, and
then | can easily light my candle at the
stove


No sooner said than done. Wrapped
shawl round me, went swiftly and quietly
down stairs, felt my way through the dark
and deserted room, and succeeded in light.
ing my candle at the stove. But no sooner
did hold up TIE lighted candle to make
my way to the cupboard, than the most un-
earthly shrek ran through the room. At
the same moment the light was suddenly ex.
tingushed. was lett in total darkness, and
all was still and silent as before,


Chilled with horror, and trembling in
every limb, groped my way back as well
as could and told my story to Isabel ; but
she was in such pain that it did not make
the impression on her that ] expected |
got but little sympathy.


1T must have been the wind. or a wild.
cat outside that screamed she said and
as to the light being put out, that of course
was sheer accident. Candles often 90 out
when they are just lighted. OF course. she
added, we are not such fools as to believe in
ghost1.'


This rather put e'on my mettle, and
moved, beside by her moans of intense
pain, at last braced myself up to a second
attempt. went with great determination.
resolving that nothing should now hinder
me from bringing the remedy to my sis
ter,


Proceeding down stars again. all went
well till turned from the stove with nv
lighted candle in my hand. Instantly the
same yell resounded in my ears, while some
thing, | could not tell what, swept past me
and dashed out the light


How reached my room | never knew,
hut | crawled into bed more dead than alive
and as soon as ] could speak | told Isabel
that, no matter what happened, nothing
could induce me to make the venture again.


Morning came at last, and with it the So
luton of the mystery. My brothers had
come home late, bringing with them
screech'owl which they had caught, and had
put into the parlor for safety till the morn
ing. The light had of course disturbed it
and it had flown against the candle and ex.
tinguished it while uttering its peculiar and
singularly hideous cry, My terror at the
midnight ghost was joke at my expense for
ong after.


i think you were very brave to 90 into
the room second time, Aurt Mabel


We'll, | think | was, must admit, But
| would have braved almost any thing for
Isabel, and was strong, courageous girl
who hardly knew what fear was. Still |
can assure you that even to this day when |
recall the scene, seem still to feel the thrill