The Rambles of an Idler 



an unfamiliar voice but clearly belonged to this 

 substantial world and whose words had aught 

 to, do with other than life 's realities. In brief, 

 nothing of the nature of a ghost has ever come 

 within the bounds of my experience. Prosaic 

 fact has ever been my portion. Yet, had I 

 chosen, ghosts might often have held me in 

 bondage. 



While cobwebs, dew and moonlight are com- 

 mon phenomena separately, they are sometimes 

 so cunningly combined that not one remains it- 

 self, and associated they play ugly tricks upon 

 us, in spite of all we can do. Some among 

 us have seen the pastures glisten at sun- 

 rise, where webs, like fairy napkins, were 

 spread upon the grass. Then we were given 

 over to admiration and of course were brave. 

 But stitch together a few of these and hang 

 them on a tree, where the moonbeams will find 

 them, and then the familiar woodpath leads to 

 regions of doubt, if not despair. At such a 

 time, unless we are brave far beyond ordinary 

 mortals, we shall think of ghosts and pause if 

 not retrace our steps. Many a veracious man 

 has sworn he has seen a ghost with far. less 

 reason for so doing; but let an owl hoot and it 



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