ORIGINAL TALE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 114, 14 April 1870, Page 7

ORIGINAL TALE.

THE PHANTOM OF THE HALL.

A TEUE STOET.

On a fine summer evening, in the year 17 — , the facts lam about to relate took place. I must first draw a brief sketch of the locality, and then introduce my readers to the personages connected with the startling events, which many may think fit to disbelieve, yet they are nevertheless true. It was in the county of Surrey, where at that time was, and still is to be seen, a large house, situated in an extensive garden, the property of Lord F , a member of Parliament. His grey hairs at that time showed that many winters had passed over his head ; yet he was still strong and healthy. He was a widower, with but one child, a daughter, about eighteen years of age, who was strolling pensively about the large hall. The setting sun cast the shadows of the large stone pillars which supported the ceiling on the floor ; several ancestral portraits hung upon the walls, together with old breastplates, helmets, and swords. The reader can now form an idea of the appearance of the hall through which the young girl walked. At one end 'of the hall _was a door which led into the study in which Lord F- was seated, busily engaged writing at a table on which were several books and papers, also the " Daily Times," from which the old gentleman occasionally took notes. Suddenly a piercing scream sounded from the hall, the door burst open, and in rushed his daughter, who fell fainting at his feet. Restoratives were immediately applied, and in a short time the terror-stricken girl opened her eyes, but instantly closed them again, burying her face in the cushion of the sofa on which she lay. Her father enquired anxiously into the cause of the young girl's agitation, but- the only reply he could get was, "Oh, papa! in the hall — I saw it." The hall was thoroughly examined, but nothing to create suspicion or to throw any light upon the matter was to be found. At length the young girl sat up, and i'elated to her father the following mys^ terious vision which appeared, and caused her so great terror. In walking along the hall with her eyes drooping downwards, a sudden horrible and unaccountable chill passed over her, and a sensation similar to a nightmare compelled her to stand still. She looked up, and rooted to the spot where she stood, turned her eyes l'ound as it were mechanically, and" close by the side of the pillar nearest to her, she saw a dark scowling face with its eyes fixed grimly upon her. The complete head was there, yet no body, arms, or legs supported it. She trembled violently, unable either to scream or move away. She almost fancied that she could hear the breath proceeding from the mouth of this frightful spectre. At length, by a violent effort, she uttered the scream which so startled her father and the servants of the house, and was enabled to rush away.

Her father listened attentively to what she related, and said, " Rosa, my dear, this is a second time a similar vision has appeared in the family. It is a sure sign of some fearful calamity about to befall us. The first appearance was previous to your dear grandmother's death.. We can only wait our time, and pray to Gcod for strength to bear whatever He may think fit to visit us with."

They were not doomed to wait long in anxiety, for the very next day news arrived of Lord F being deprived of his seat in Parliament. It was some time before the poor girl's nerves regained their former firmness, and for several days she was confined to her bed. The vision mentioned by Lord ¥ as having appeared previous to his mother's death is recorded in the " Memoirs of Lady F" ," which were published and circulated amongst friends, and bu-t few copies now exist., The facts of her vision are briefly these : — Lady E was seized with a violent illness, to which succeeded a trance, in which she remained for some days (the exact number I do not remember). During her trance, as re^ lated by herself, a vision appeared to her in the form of a female dressed in white, who- told her the- exact date at which her death would occur, which prophecy was verified by- her death occurring upon the date mentioned to her.

I have now only to relate a similar visitation which appeared to me ; but in this instance it was in>. a dream. On the night of the 19th September, 1831 (I was at that time between eleven and twelve years of" age), I had a most disagreeable dream of a head, which followed me wherever I went ; yet the dream was void of any of those very unpleasant sensations experienced in nightmare. This dream occurred also on the following night, and during the succeeding day I mentioned it to my mother, who always was somewhat sceptical on such things ; yet she told me not to mention it to any one else. That night, when I went to- bed, all the family were in good health. The spectre appeared again precisely in the same form as on the two previous nights ; and on the morning of the 22nd, I was awoke somewhat earlier than usual by a confusion in the house, and, as it were, footsteps passing back-

wards and forwards through the passage near my bedroom. My parents' bedroom was just opposite to mine. I hurriedly drew on my trousers, and ; looked outside my bedroom door, and the first object' which met my eyes was "a large footpan about one-third full of blood. I asked a servant, who was passing tho door at the time, what was the matter, and was told by her that my father was very ill. I opened his bedroom door, and looking in, saw two surgeons of the town standing one on each side of my father, who was stretched out upon a table, and to all appearance dead. One other gentleman, whom I afterwards was introduced to as Sir Astley Cooper, was in the room, also the footman and two other servants. I returned to my room, hastily dressed myself, and went into my father's room, with my youthful nerves strung to their utmost pitch. My first question, of course, was whether my father (who I then perceived was alive, yet unconscious) would live. "We will try our utmost, my boy," was the only reply I got. I left the room with tears rapidly filling my eyes, and hurried down stairs to the schoolroom, where I gave full vent to iry grief. Some of my sisters, an aunt, who was then on a visit, and the governess were in the room. After my first burst of grief was over, my affectionate aunt drew me to her, and endeavoured to comfort me. In a few minutes I left the room, which I found most oppressive, and walked out into the garden through a door leading from the schoolroom, wandering about like one bewildered. During the following three hours, I was alternately in the garden, then into the house, to hear whether any and what change had taken pla.ee ; but each time with the reply that " I must wait and hope for the best." My poor mother, during this time, was lying in my eldest sister's bedroom in a state more easily to be imagined than described. At eleven o'clock that morning, all my brothers and sisters, together with the governess and myself, were in the schoolroom waiting as anxiously as a criminal on the charge of murder for the return of the jury. The door opened, and our old nurse, who had been in the family many years, beckoned the governess out. In two or three minutes she returned, sobbing violently. We all knew then that we were fatherless children.

It now but remains to relate the cause of my poor father's sudden death. I may inform my readers that he was the leading physician in the town of C , in the county of Essex. Shortly after he went to bed on the the evening of the 21st, he had an attack of toothache, and after vainly endeavouring to get to sleep for some hours, he got out of bed and went to the washhand stand to- take a small dose of laudanum. A night-light was burning, but just as. he was- in the act of pouring the laudanum into the glass, the light went out. My mother was awake at the time, and heard him drink the dose. He was no sooner in bed than- he fell into a sound sleep. My mother, feeling alarmed, tried to awake him; not succeeding, she jumped up and lit the lamp, threw water in his face, but all to no avail. She soon woke the servants, and sent far the doctors, and also for Sir Astley Cooper, my godfather. The result I have related above; and I think these facts show that it is not always superstitious to believe in visions.