Anecdote Part 1

Anecdote Part 1

ghost story

Arthur P. Stone

Charles Dickens

deciphered shorthand

The first part of a ghost story written in shorthand about a student prank gone wrong, featuring a ghost in green

Stone, Arthur P.

Dickens, Charles

Free Library of Philadelphia

1859-1860

Courtesy of the Free Library of Philadelphia. Please seek further permission from the Free Library to reuse this image.

image/tif

English

Brachygraphy shorthand

cdc5890009_12

Working transcription: There is a story related, I think, by Cole which always struck me to be one of the best of ghost stories. Thus the story runs: once upon a time there was a German student extremely popular with his companions and quite the life of his university. No one fenced better, sang better, danced better, did anything better than he. Suddenly it was noticed that his whole appearance changed. He became melancholy, silent, worn and dejected. After a time, one of the student body who had always been his intimate friend was deputed to speak to him on the subject of this strange alteration in him. It was very difficult to induce him to open his lips but after a long time and much pressing, he said, “Know then, I am every night pursued by a phantom. When the city clock(s) strike/struck 12 it emerges from the closet in my room opposite the foot of the bed and stands there until morning.” In reply to the question how this spectre was dressed, he said in green, with a high-crowned green hat. The student returned to his companions and they arranged among themselves that one of their number should be thus dressed and should be