Year: 1873

| From the Merrimack Valley Visitor.


In Newburyport we have school


house that the School Committee have


been forced to advertise as closed to Wis.,


itors because curious crowds waited with


in and without, to see the mysterious


form of a ghost boy, who had been trot-


ting around there for lore than a year,


seen frequently by the teacher-who is


not Spiritualist-and by most of the


whole fifty pupils, who are too young
primary scholars) to mystify and de-
celve the people.


The school-house is one.story build
ing, that would be the last place in town
for spirit from any happy abode to wish


to renew its childhood in. There is an
entry to the building, where is flight Of
stairs to the attic, and window looking
into the school-room. The teachers desk


brought her back to that window, where
the pupils told her strange boy was
playing his tricks, sometimes putting his
head up to the glass aud other times
looking in. They described him, and
when seen he has always been the same
in dress and appearance. To verify
statements, she changed her seat to face
the window, and by and by the face ap-
peared-Jack Frost upon the window
pane. Not doubling but it was really q
boy, she took her ruler" the emblem
Of her authority, and made for the
entry, and there she found him stand


ing quietly in the corner-one of the
prettiest faces she had ever seen, with
a sweet smile on his beautiful lips,
needing kiss more than blow. His
body, dressed in neat white clothes, bore
the appearance of one just past his first
decade of years. His hair was almost
white-a little tow-head /; his face was
pale as death, and his eyes sweet blue.
His face was older than his years, and he
had the appearance of wisdom beyond
his age. She advanced to him, and then
he lodged to the attic stairs. She fol-
lowed-is now near enough to take hold
of him-reached for him, but he is not
there. He seemed to sink through
the stairs, and where she would grasp
his person her hand struck the floor. He
was gone.


Now we have veritable ghost-what
is to be done !? The police thought they
could capture him. They arrested
lad as the author of all this commotion
the town through; and he had his
choice to confess or take his chance for
the reform school. 1t was not only the
old witchcraft, but the old test. Throw
her into the river" said they of olden
times, and we shall find out whether or
not she be witch. If she is innocent
she will drown; if she swims we'll hang
her." The boy partially confessed but
he was not punished, because his teacher
and all the pupils and his parents knew
that he was not the strange boy that
looked in at the window and the face
continued to reappear when he was
away.


Next carpenter was sent to nail up
the passage to the attic, but if love
laughs at locks {" much more do ghosts.
The little tow-hea6 even made more
noise than before. He turned the attic
into carpenters shop, where he, too,
sawed and pounded and nailed and, as
if to demonstrate the futility of human
force to shut him out, he put his head
down through the ventilator and took q
survey of the school. Some of the chill
dren have been frightened, and one day
one of them tainted but few Of them
are excited about it. The teacher has
spoken to him, and he only laughed
from his happy face. The children
looked at him, whom not one of them
ever saw before, and he returns their
glances with love in his soft, mild ewes:
but as yet he has not told US who he is,
whence he came, or what his mission.
This comes nearest to real ghost-a
iayllght ghost-ofanything we have had
n this city for years.