The Ghostly Company.

The Ghostly Company .

" Can such things be , And overcome us like a summer ' s cloud , Without our special wonder ?"—Macbeth . | Y | N the beautiful suburbs of tho grand old city of jjAg London lived tho happy anel affluent family of the S" Pherwells . Tho father had been a- successful I merchant , and retired with his gains into tho \ country , whither he took his wife . Their two sons '

pretty residences wore near them , where they had gathered round thorn small families . It is of these two we wish to treat moro osiiecially . They were twins ,

" The one so like the other As could not be distinguished but by names , " and they have attained thc ago of tiventy-fivo years . One is an eminent engineer , and the other a noted bookseller . From the cradle it had been hard to distinguish which was which , and they hail always evinced a remarkable affection for each other . If it had not been

for a slight mark on Hubert ' s shoulder ( who was generally considered the elder ) , they would hardly have been able to have told him from Harry . Thoir parents had always been proud of their similarity , aud had dono all they could to preserve it , dressing them alike , parting their flowing black looks in the same manner , and giving each of thorn the same instruction . Tho

neighbours all marvelled at them , and thoy were general favourites , all agreeing they never saw two brothers ao loving and kind . Thus they wero brought up , aud as they became older , instead of growing dissimilar , they seemed to get more and moro alike , and many wero the mistakes and ludicrous blunders made by their friends . Hubert would answer for Harry , or Harry for Hubert ,

and thoy wero eternally getting mixed , until they almost thought of renaming them . At school thoy did each other ' s lessons , got into ono another ' s scrapes , and received each other ' s favours . One day Hubert broke a slate , and Harry got caned for it ; the next day Harry knew his lessou tho best , and Hubert got the marks . If Harry asked for a holiday , Hubert was sure

to get it , and if Hubert had the headache , Harry was bound to he let off his lessons . Thus thoy were always confounded , and their schoolfellows called them " the boy and his shadow , " though they didn't know which was the hoy and which was his shadow . At the end of tho session Hubert was at tho head of the school , and tho master congratulated him , but presented tho prizo

to Harry . The difficulties only increased when thoy loft school , and wero both placed in the book trade . But it wns soon found impossible for them to work together ; they woro always making mistakes in orders from conflicting instructions . Imagine one of them bringing n bottle of ink filled with sand , and the other splashing ink over

a valuable document . They really could not exist in the same place , and as it was absolutely necessary for them to bo separated , Hubert was apprenticed to the hard life of an engineer . Even then they would be met in tho streets , and the bookseller confidently asked

his opinion upon technical points of machine construction , while the young engineer was similarly favoured with large orders for books ; or some particular friend would meet the wrong one , and tender him the sovereign ho hnd lent him , with nn apology for forgetting it . lt was well they had no secrets , or thev would certainly

have leaked out . Singularly enough , at about the ago of twenty , thoy became acquainted with two charming girls " as like as two peas , " and also twins . They were named Cora and Constance Souvenir , and by a sort of simultaneous sympathy , became very much attached to Hubert and Harry Phorwell . But , though they sincerely loved ,

neither of them could tell which one had gained his oilier affections . This complicated state of things could last no longer , anil to avoid evident confusion anel endless mistakes , Hubert married Cora , and Harry , Constance . Yet blunders still occurred , and Harry would meet Cora nnd give hor his instructions , while Hubert ¦ would upbraid Constance witb going out with her

severe cold . The families were so attached to one another that they furnished their houses alike in every particular , and each imitated tho other in anything new , nnd if Hubert wore to subscribe to some charity Harry would too ; or if Constance bought a new shawl Cora woultl do tho same j so that you coultl never tell whose house you were in . This wns nil very well in its

way , and certainly uniepio , but extremely puzzling , and they , nt least , found it necessary to separate , in spite of their bosom friendship . Before doing so , the brothers mado a solemn compact between themselves . They had always studied the same books , and even took au interest in each other ' s trades , and oue of their favourite stuelios had been that of " Animal Magnetism , " or

" Sympathetic Influence , " and " Spiritual Visitation . They had read many authentic accounts of dear friends being visited by tho spirits of departed ones , aud they determined to enter into nn agreement between themselves . It was this : whoever died the firsfc was to appear to tho other iu the spirit , if possible—oven though he had to pass through imminent danger to do

it , iiiul they solemnly agreetl to keep their vow . Hubert then exchanged his situation for one in Glasgow , and bade a tearful adieu to his brother and family . So mutual was their attachment , and such au effect had their compact , that they both had horrible dreams thafc night , and simultaneously wrote to each other . Tho following letters show the similarity of their

The Ghostly Company.

thoughts , a little differently expressed according to their trades : — " Glasgow . "Dear Harry , —We arrived all safe and well , and my little wife is considerably better ; but lasfc night I had an awful dream that has made mo feel very uneasy . I know * nofc what ifc portends , but ifc has caused mc to be

very anxious about you . I die ! not exactly see you , but dreamt that tho mechanism of my life was thrown adrift , and that no earthly power could pufc it together again . Perhaps ifc . is only a foolish idea , bufc write immediately ancl say if you are all right . The house wc have secured seems to be a very nico one . —Much lovo to all yours , from yours very expectantly ,

" HuiiERT . " P . S . —In haste . I will write again soon . " " London . " Dear Hubert , —I hopo you arrived all safe aud woll , and that your charming wife is better . Lasfc night I had a terrible dream , which has quite unnerved mo . I know not what ifc means , bufc feel very concerned

for your sake . Your wraith did not appear , but everything seemed to have goiio wrong , and got unbound , so that ifc was impossible to bo put right again . I upbraid myself with ifc as a foolish idea , but let me know at once if all is well . I hopo you have succeeded in getting a comfortable home . Much lovo to you and yours , from your very anxious brother ,

" HARRY . " N . B . —I havo nofc time for more , but will write fm-thcr . " Each on receiving these letters was astounded that they should both be similarly affected ami write in thc

samo tenor , and attributed it to the powerful influence of " sympathetic magnetism . " Here was , indeed , corroboration of the mysterious principle , and now they folfc satisfied that should anything happen to cither of them the other would bo immediately apprised . All their friends " pooh-poohed" thc notion , hut the brothers devoutly believed iu the existence of this

power . Hubert soon ostablishcil himself in Glasgow , aud his situation was worth much more than tho ono ho had held in London . Hardly a day passed but ho had a letter from Harry , relating his success in business , or somo London news ; and ho regularly wrote back again with a similar purpose from Glasgow .

Nothing of importance occurred until one foggy morning . Hubert was walking as usual to the works , but was in unusally depressed spirits . Ho could not tell why , but he felt that somo calamity was closo at hand , and he shuddered as ho tf'ied to shake off" the feeling , aud failed . Nothing had gone wrong ; his wife and family wore in their usual health , and nothing had

arisen to cause discontent . He left them lovingly , and had no fear on their score . His business , too , wns more prosperous than ever , and seemed on tho increase . The nows from London had been favourable thafc morning , and his breakfast had been good . All was well except himself ; what could be tho reason ? he asked himself . True , the weather was dull and foggy , but

something more than dullness oppressed his mind . Ho wns thinking of his brother , and how he should feel if ho died first , and his spirit appeared to him . Tho thought seemed to ho haunting him , and he could not dismiss it . Wns it somo premonitory warning ? He imagined his brother was following him , and thafc ho should soon seo his spirit , and ho shivered with affright

at tho thought . Ho hardly dare look round from fear it should meet his gaze . Suddenly , he straightened himself , and said , " Fool , fool ! why torture yourself with theso fretful baby fancies ! away with thorn ! and ho hurried onward . But no sooner did ho turn his head round , than there , in the mist , but plain and distinct , was the form of his brother walking at his side .

Horrors ! then his brother was dead . There was his figure , perfect as in lifo , following him , looking fixedly at him with his faco ghastly pale ! He tried to escape ifc , but it noiselessly , aud without any exertion , followed him . Ho stood still , and it became stationery at exactly the samo moment . Ho felfc himself in tho presence of tho supernatural , and , notwithstanding all

his theories , ho was afraid . In broad daylight , too ; it was no spectre of tho imagination—no simple hallucination . No ; there , plain enough , was the departed spirit of his poor brother , perfect in every delineation as he had last seen him , and his forebodings hatl not boon false . Perhaps ho has passed through intense agouy to appear thus to mo and fulfil his compact .

Coward and mgrato thafc I am , I will speak to ifc . " Theso were his thoughts as ho perspired from every pore , and ho imagined tho spirit wore a reproachful countenance . In a husky , hollow voice ho hoarsely said , " Are you dead ? " But his voice was buried in thc fog , and no answer was returned , tho figure remaining as still as ever . " Spenk ! " ho cried , but the sound

seemed to cling to him , anel never reach his brother . Intensely excited , ho took a step forward ; the figure retreated . He quickened his speed ; the spectre did likewise . He rushed wildly at it , and clutched tho hedge , whilst his brother vanished through it ! This brought him to himself , and mado him think . It was no phantom of tho brain . No , it was too rail for that . It was certainly the spirit of his brother , who must

havo at that moment departed this lifo . Was it not according to the agreement ? Theso thoughts tormented him , and he wns now filled with grief for the death of his brother . The fog now lifted , and left the earth fair and beautiful , hut it had no delight left for him . A labourer trudged past him with shuffling , noisy tread , and reminded him of the material world . But ho hael just come from the presence of tho immaterial . Ho hurried home as though

The Ghostly Company.

in a dream . Ho related tbe ovont of the morning m a tone of horror to his wife , who could not help believing wifch him that his brother Harry was dead . Ho prepared to depart immediately , and telegraphed his intention to London , but could not wait for a reply , as tbe express was ready to start . Oh , tho strange thoughts that filled his brain as he was swiftly hurled along , but

seemed to himself to bo hardly moving at all . Where was his brother now ? Was he in a state of coma , or unrest , or bliss ? Oh , thafc the spirit might havo spoken fco him and revealed his situation . But such was impossible ; ho felt that it bordered upon the unknowable—thc eternnL Such harrowing thoughts occupied him tho whole

way , and he wondered if he should soon follow his beloved brother . Ho has at last arrived , and ho mournfully hurries to the house , bufc what sounds greet his oars ? dancing and music ? and his brother ' s houso one brilliant blaze of light ? What can it mean ? Are they keeping au Irish " wake " over his brother's body ? He is bewildered , and rubs his oyes ; no , ho is not

asleep . Ho hastens to penetrate tho awful mystery , when , who should moot bim at tho door but his brother Harry himself ! " Well , my boy , how are you , and what ' s tho hurry ? " Harry asked , jovially . But the revulsion was too greatfor Hubert , and he fell down insensible . His brother , astonished and alarmed ,

procured immediate assistance . Nothing , however , could arouse him , and he was placed into a bod in a lethargic state , under the constant eare of his brother . The doctors could not understand it . Harry telegraphed to his sister-in-law for his brother ' s reason for coming in such haste , and received tho particulars in the morning . He was astonished at tho extraordinary

news , and coultl not comprehend it . Hubert showed signs of improvement , though afc the samo time symptoms of fever , nnd still remained unconscious . Harry could not help pondering over tho vision Hubert had seen , and wondered if ifc portended his or his brother ' s death . Ho revealed the matter to the doctor , who , after careful consideration , explained tho cause . It wns this : Hubert had certainly soon the spectre , but

it was his own shadow or reflection perfectly miraged , and ho and his brother being exactly alike , he had , under tho circumstances , taken it for his brother ' s wraith . Such phenomena were a rare occurrence , and only happened in fogs , and then only under very peculiar conditions . It was one of thoso that had deceived Hubert , and his present illness was owing to tho excitement be hnd experienced . Tho feelings he had gone through wore enough to shako any man ' s

nerves . Ilis illness lasted a long time , with periods of delirium , and nt one time the doctors despaired of his life . But under the careful nursing he received from his poor little wife and friends , ho slowly recovered , and the doctors advised a long sea journey as requisite to bring him back to health . He was very much altered , and almost worn to a skeleton , and there was

no longer that striking resemblance betweon linn aud his brother . Cora , too , hnd altered greatly , and change of air nnd scene was quite as necessary for her health . Hubert had had the whole mystery explained to him , and , ashamed , ho no longer believed in " spiritual visitation , " and Harry quite concurred with him . Consequent ! y , when thoy parted the vow was no longer mentioned or believed in , and Hurbert and his family sailed in tho Alexandrine for Australia .

Eighteen months had passed away , and Hubert had again arrived in London ; but not the same Hubert or tho same Cora . Travel had made a strange alteration in them . They wero perfectly brown , and had become very stout , but wero healthy and strong . They had been to Africa , Australia , anel America , and it hatl this astonishing effect . When thoy got to thoir brother ' s

residence nobody recognised them , and Harry and Constance could hardly be convinced that tho two portly persons wero once mistaken for themselves . There was now no danger of mistaken identity ; climate and its effects had completely rubbed off all resemblance . Hubert's tour had quite restored him , and ho , with his wifo , had acquired an insatiable lovo of travel into foreign countries . Ho had no longer a situation , but

his late employers offered him a tempting ono with their agents at Bombay , and Hubert could not resist accepting it . There he rapidly succeeded , and increased his wealth ; but the climate did not agree with him , nud after six years of ifc he died of the fever so fatal to Englishmen . His distressed wife aud children embarked for England , and Harry did not receive tho nows of his brother's death until threo months after .

What Masons Taught In Days Of Yore.

What Masons Taught in Days of Yore .

tWTTfiHE Grammar rules instruct thc tongue and pen , Seflfiis Rhetoric teaches eloqunco to men ; S ^& iif By Logic we arc taught to reason well , eK $ r * ' 4 Music has charms beyond our powers to toll . < * * Tho use of numbers numberless we find , " ¦ Geometry gives measures to mankind , The heavenly system elevates tho mind . All these and many more The Masons taught in days of yove . —John Lnckie .