4)28 SPECULATION ON GHOSTS. 



" Although a period of some length has intervened since the ad-> 

 venture to which my brother alluded took place, yet it has ever 

 since made an indelible impression on my memory. After the same 

 manner in which your uncle related it to you, so he did to me when 

 the matter had just transpired. I was then at college, and as often as 

 I have had conversation with him as touching the singular adven- 

 ture, he has never varied in the substantial part of his narrative. He 

 was at that time the junior partner of an extensive manufactory, and 

 in that capacity was appointed to travel a certain round every year. 

 As he was recently married, his wife usually accompanied him on 

 these occasions. It happened at the close of one summer's day, or 

 rather towards nightfal, he arrived for the first time in his life at a 

 small obscure town in the northern part of Suffolk, and alighted with 

 his wife at the Commercial Inn, which happened to be just at the 

 entrance of the place. As he was a stranger, and withal fatigued 

 with his journey, he determined to betake himself to his supper and 

 then to repose ; accordingly, having given the necessary orders, 

 which were promptly obeyed, he dispatched his meal and soon 

 retired to rest resolving, like a thrifty man of business, to spend the 

 next morning amongst his customers. He was not long before he 

 fell into a profound slumber ; but during his sleep he had a dream, 

 which, although by no means extraordinary in itself, yet from the 

 events that followed, and its singular coincidence with those events, 

 might be considered as one of those wonderful instances of a provi- 

 dential interposition in the affairs of men, for the purpose of reveal- 

 ing a series of crime which has long remained buried in oblivion to 

 all but the criminals themselves. He fancied that he had just 

 alighted at the very inn in the middle of the day, and instead of en- 

 tering the house, he amused himself by walking up the town and 

 observing, with the curious eye of a stranger, every thing worthy of 

 notice he came to the end of the main street, and turning the 

 corner to go down another, which appeared to lead out of the village, 

 the parish church came in sight. After pausing a minute or two to 

 mark its structure, he went on following the track of the second 

 street, until it led him into the high road, the opposite end of the 

 town by which he entered. He continued his walk, however, till he 

 reached a lane ; feeling as if urged on by some strong impulse, he 

 turned down its narrow winding till he reached a cottage of misera- 

 ble and desolate appearance. He entered the garden, whers nothing 

 met his sight but a well but on looking down, he saw to his horror 

 the resemblance of a human skeleton. When he awoke, he endea- 

 voured to shake off the disagreeable recollections of his dream by 

 calling to mind the various engagements of the day, and as it was 

 high summer and a clear bright morning, he rose early for the pur- 

 posa of taking an airing and enjoying the freshness of the cooling 

 breeze. Being as I said before a man of business and activity, he 

 did not suffer the unpleasant nature of his nightly slumbers to dis- 

 turb the duties of his waking moments; accordingly, having dressed 

 himself, he saillied forth on his morning ramble. The sun was 

 mounting brightly in the clear blue firmament ; the birds chirped 

 merrily from the trees, and the lark soared high and gaily leaving a 



