PAGE 1

UNOPENED PARCELS. 139 upon him by nurse, and he not disclaiming it at once-he in point of fact accepted it. After which retreat was difficult. He invented no particulars, and never talked about it, it is true, but he never denied it. When his little sister (who had her misgivings) inquired if he had really seen anything, and what-his one answer was that 'he had seen papa.' It was the only account he ever gave. "Thus weeks passed over, ard as the child did not fall ill and die, as the nurses expected, the affair of the ghost-seeing was almost forgotten, and nursery discipline going on as before, when suddenly the scene was repeated. Again a restless sleep, again an agitated waking, and again Master Tommy saw something. Only on this occasion the disturbance happened before the family were in bed, and the child having got up and rushed into the front nursery screaming after his papa, the noise brought his mother to the door. "This was the moment," continued my father, "for which my friend could never forgive himself. He allowed his mother to be deceived "The mere sight of her face, he assured me,,