table, and
candle. She was also surprised at the circumstance of the servants
coming so many together, with each of them a candle; however, after
gazing about her some little time, she sat down and took out of her
pocket a small Welsh Bible which she always carried about with her, and
in which she usually read a chapter--chiefly in the New
Testament--before she said her prayers and went to bed. While she was
reading she heard the room door open, and, turning her head, saw a
gentleman enter in a gold-laced hat and waistcoat, and the rest of his
dress corresponding therewith. (I think she was very particular in
describing the rest of his dress to Mr Hampson, and he to me at the
time, but I have now forgot the other particulars.) He walked down by
the sash window to the corner of the room, and then returned. When he
came at the first window in his return (the bottom of which was nearly
breast-high) he rested his elbow on the bottom of the window, and the
side of his face upon the palm of his hand, and stood in that leaning
posture for some time, with his side partly towards her. She looked at
him earnestly to see if she knew him, but though, from her frequent
intercourse with them, she had a personal knowledge of all the present
family, he appeared a stranger to her. She supposed afterwards that he
stood in this manner to encourage her to speak; but as she did not,
after some little time he walked off, pulling the door after him as the
servants had done before. She began now to be much alarmed, concluding
it to be an apparition and that they had put her there on purpose. This
was really the case. The room, it seems, had been disturbed for a long
time, so that nobody could sleep peaceably in it; and as she passed for
a very serious woman, the servants took it in their heads to put the
Methodist and spirit together, to see what they would make out of it.
Startled at this thought, she rose from her chair, and kneeled down by
the bedside to say her prayers. While she was praying he came in again,
walked round the room and came close behind her. She had it on her mind
to speak, but when she attempted it she was so very much agitated that
she could not utter a word. He walked out of the room again, pulling the
door shut as before. She begged that God would strengthen her, and not
suffer her to be tried beyond what she was able to bear; she recovered
her surprise and thought she felt more confidence and resolution, and
determined