Two Ghosts.
The following extraordinary story came under my observation some years ago:
Tom Johnson and Jack Spencer were close friends. One evening in Johnson’s room they played cards and Spencer won every cent Johnson had. Spencer was visiting his friend at the time, and retired to sleep with him. Sometime after midnight Spencer awoke feeling very uncomfortable. There was a strange silence in the room. Johnson, usually a loud snorer, was sleeping as quietly and peacefully as a baby. Was he really sleeping or was he dead? This question flashed across Spencer’s mind. He leaned toward his friend to ascertain whether he was breathing. He was not. He felt for his heart. It was not beating. He raised his friend’s head from the pillow. It dropped back, heavy as lead. The limbs were stiff. Therigor mortishad already come upon the body.
“Johnson must have committed suicide,” thought Spencer aghast. “It’s all on account of his losing so much money at cards. Now that it has been impressed upon me, I recall his strange remark on saying good-night. It was, ‘Well, if I should die to-night, good-bye, old fellow.’ And he seemed quite despondent. I also saw him drink something out of a small phial, poison, no doubt. What shall I do? I have been indirectly the cause of his committing suicide. I won all his money at cards—money which he no doubt had intended to devote to some special purpose. How can I face his mother under such circumstances? I can not and shall not. I’ll get out of the way for a few days, until I recover from the shock of this terrible affair.”
Another impulse came to him and he proceededto set upon it. He took nearly all the money from his pocket and put it on the table, where the friends of the dead man would be sure to find it. He also placed near it a note, inscribed as follows: “Please use this money to defray the funeral expenses. Spencer.”
Then he quietly left the house, and he took the first train from the city. He eagerly scanned the evening papers next day, for news of the finding of the dead body of Johnson. There was nothing to that effect, but instead he read the following item concerning himself:
IS IT SUICIDE?John Spencer has mysteriously disappeared and is supposed to have committed suicide. Before committing the rash act, he left a sum of money which he directed to be used for defraying the burial expenses. The ponds in the neighborhood are being dragged in the hope of finding the body.
IS IT SUICIDE?
John Spencer has mysteriously disappeared and is supposed to have committed suicide. Before committing the rash act, he left a sum of money which he directed to be used for defraying the burial expenses. The ponds in the neighborhood are being dragged in the hope of finding the body.
His surprise on reading the above can readily be imagined. He returned home immediately. Almost the first person he met was his friend, Johnson.
Spencer staggered and put his hand to his head. Was he awake? Johnson showed similar signs of surprise.
“Then you didn’t commit suicide,” said Johnson.
“And you are not dead?” returned Spencer.
“Dead? Certainly not.”
“But I left you for dead in bed last night.”
“Dead! You must have been dreaming.”
“No; you were pulseless and cold and stiff.”
“Ah,” said Johnson, “that is easily explained. I was simply in one of my cataleptic fits. No wonder you thought I was dead.”
“Yes, I thought you had committed suicide.”
“That’s what we all thought about you. What did you leave the money for?”
“Why, to pay your funeral expenses.”
“Well, since I don’t need it, I shall return it,” said Johnson. “I was afraid I’d have to use it to pay yours.”
“I am glad it has all turned out so happily, old fellow,” said Spencer, and the two ghosts shook hands.