
TO CHOICE SPIRITS EVERYWHERE - ILLUSTRATIONS - "SUCH GROTESQUE ATTITUDES AS HIS FIGURE ASSUMED I NEVER SAW" - "I TURNED ABOUT, AND THERE, FEARFUL TO SEE, SAT THIS THING GRINNING AT ME" - "THE FRIENDLY SPECTRE STOOD BY ME" - "HE FLED MADLY THROUGH THE WAINSCOTING OF THE ROOM" - "THEN HE SET ABOUT TELLING ME OF THE BEAUTIFUL GOLD AND SILVER WARE THEY USE IN THE ELYSIAN FIELDS" - "THERE WAS NO ONE THERE" - "I DRAINED A GLASS OF COOKING-SHERRY TO THE DREGS" - "IT HAD TURNED WHITE" - "IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT ONE'S LITERARY CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST" - "'SIX IMPTY CHAIRS, SORR'" - "'L—LUL—LET ME OUT!' HE GASPED". - "'I SHALL KEEP SHOVING YOU FOR EXACTLY ONE YEAR'" - "I WAS FORCIBLY UNCLAD" - "HE WAS AMPLY PROTECTED" - "PINNED HIM TO THE WALL LIKE A BUTTERFLY ON A CORK" - "FACE TO FACE" - "HE RATTLED ON FOR HALF AN HOUR" - "THE DEMON VANISHED" - "'DOESN'T DARE LOOK ME IN THE EYE!'" - "'LOOK AT YOUR SO-CALLED STORY AND SEE'" - "IT WAS TO BE THE EFFORT OF HIS LIFE" - "WHEN HE ROSE UP IN THE MORNING HE WOULD FIND EVERY SINGLE HAIR ON HIS HEAD STANDING ERECT" - "'WEARS HIS QUEUE POMPADOUR, I SEE'" - GHOSTS I HAVE MET, AND SOME OTHERS - GHOSTS THAT HAVE HAUNTED ME - A FEW SPIRIT REMINISCENCES
THE MYSTERY OF MY GRANDMOTHER'S HAIR SOFA
THE MYSTERY OF BARNEY O'ROURKE
THE EXORCISM THAT FAILED - I—A JUBILEE EXPERIENCE
II—AN UNHAPPY VOYAGE
III—THE SPIRIT TRIES TO MAKE REPARATION
IV—THE FAILURE
V—POSTSCRIPT
A GHOST CURE.
GUARANTEED METHOD
In this unsettling yet witty memoir, a self‑styled chronicler of the supernatural invites listeners into his world of nightly apparitions. He treats ghosts not as malevolent monsters but as curious visitors, describing encounters with flashing green eyes, sea‑weed hair, and even polite specters who might join him for a cigar. The narrator’s dry humor and unflinching composure turn each chilling meeting into a sort of academic field study, inviting you to weigh the line between fear and fascination.
The centerpiece is a spring night in 1895 when a grotesque presence materialized in the author’s arm‑chair, a moment that both threatened to overwhelm his senses and thrilled his analytical mind. As the storm raged outside, he remains rooted, observing the apparition’s vivid colors and discordant sounds while noting the physical sensations it provokes. Listeners will hear his candid reflections on why confronting the uncanny can reveal more about ourselves than the ghosts themselves, all delivered in a voice that balances dread with a wry, almost conversational charm.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (192K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2004-11-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1862–1922
Best known for witty, imaginative tales that helped inspire what later came to be called "Bangsian fantasy," this American humorist brought the afterlife, satire, and literary playfulness together in a way that still feels fresh. He also built a notable career as an editor and magazine writer during the lively print culture of the late 19th century.
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