A ROMANTIC STORY.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 47, 24 February 1864, Page 5 (Supplement)

A RO MANTIC STORY.

TIIE MISTRESS AND II Er SSrVANt's GHOST. (Fi-om the Western Ga~ette.) A romantic casj formed a subject for investigation by the magistrates fat!he Police Court, Tauutop, on Wednesday. About two months since an invalid girl, named Mary Ann Barber, suddenly disappeared, and the fact of its beiug believed that she hnd been unable to leave her bed for months, connected with her sudden disappearance, led to suspicion that she had been dealt unfairly with, and grave hints were thrown oue that she had been murdered. The rumors wero brought under the notice of Mr. Superintendent Goldsmith who investigated into the matter, but with no result. Suspicion fell on tiie woman with whom she lodged, who then told thefollowing remarkable story, which now turns out to be true, bufc was not believed at the time. During the summer the girl Barber lodged at ber house in Trinity district, keeping her bed entirely, during a portion of which time she was visited by the llev. Mr. Dusantoy, or other charitable persons, who daily looked for her decease, so ill did she appear, apparently taking no food to sustain life. In the house were two other girls, who went out to daily labor, and who invariably complained on their returu that some lof their victuals had mysteriously disappeared. One day a little girl, on the return of the mistress told her that JMary Ann, the invalid, had been downstairs in her night-dress, and had been to the cupboard and taken more victuals. When Mary Aim was told of this, she stoutly denied it, and asserted that the girl must have seen her ghost, and doubtless it was a token that she should speedily die and be with Jesus. One day in August, the food in the cupboard continuing to disappear, the mistress resorted fco a stratagem to discover the thiefj and told Mary Ann that she was going out and should not be home for several hours. She locked the front door, and apparently left the house, j but at once got in again by the back way ! and secreted. herself in the cupboard. In the. course of half an hour she heard footsteps coming down stairs, and then the door of the.cup.board was opened, discovering to the mistress the ghost of Mary Ann, and to Mary Ann the ghost of her mistress. Both were too much <■:■ -frightened- -to speak -at .first, but the affrir ended in the mistress ordering ; Mary Ami to leave the house the next 7 day. Early inthe morning Mary Ann andthe-ghostiha J vanished, taking with her some, of the apparel belonging to her fellow odgers. .-, A day or two since she returned to the-towu, and was at once given into custody' on a" charge of vagrancy. During the time she lodged at Tauntion 'she Was in receipt of parochial relicf >: /rhese i, facts-having been deposed '• the idea of ber murder was dissipated, I- -and Mary. Ann. was sent.to. gaol for fourteen daysYharcl labor. - *.-.-