been excused for wishing it a substantial woman. But then its
face and hands were as white as the finest flour or the whitest chalk
could have made them--thus setting every earthly feeling, except fear,
at defiance. In one hand it carried a candle, which burned as blue as
any spiritual light ever burned, while with the other it managed its
apparel, which was scrupulously clean--thus making it appear that it
had been washed since it left its subterranean abode, from which
circumstance it were reasonable to infer that it was either a female
ghost, or had got a wife to do these things for it.

Though we have thus detained the reader, by describing it, _it_
detained not its auditor; for, as soon as he appeared to be fully
awake--"Sandy Crawford," it said. But it was evidently an apprentice
in the task it had undertaken, and knew but little of the manner in
which a message should be delivered; for here its voice faltered, and
its hands trembled in a most curious manner--thus making it evident
that ghosts have feelings as well as mortals, and that they may
sometimes be sent upon errands they dislike. The shaking of its hands
caused the blue flame to fall from the candle, which immediately
burned out with a clear and natural light; while that which had fallen
hissed and sputtered on the floor. In attempting to remedy this
mistake, by restoring the blue flame to its proper place, it seemed to
burn its fingers--at least it drew back its hand with the appearance
of pain, drawing in its breath, and starting up rather hurriedly at
the same time. While performing the last mentioned of these
operations, it unfortunately struck its head against the back of a
chair, which chanced to be standing near, and ruffled its head-dress,
from under which a most enchanting ringlet of fair hair escaped, and
began to play about its white temples. One mistake followed another:
in attempting to replace the hair, it passed a portion of the
winding-sheet, in which it was muffled up, over its face; and when it
was removed, its lips were no longer pale, but provokingly red--one
cheek was of the same hue, and the deep blush of the other was now
beginning to shine through its treacherous covering. As a further
proof of its inexperience, it heaved a deep sigh, and was about to
retire in apparent confusion, when Sandy, who had overcome his fear so
far as to look at it steadily for the last minute or two, started up,
with a heroism which has seldom been equal