FESTIVE PHANTOMS
GHOST STORIES FOR
CHRISTMAS JOHN WEST follows Dickens’ tradition with this spine-chilling collection
The Vanishing Lady WRITER and journalist, J. B. Hall recorded a strange experience during a holiday in Northern Ireland. It was shortly before the outbreak of World War One and Hall and a friend had booked rooms in a hotel in a town in Ulster. Two clergymen, members of a touring party, arrived at the same hotel to find that their rooms had not been booked due to an oversight. Hall and his friend gave up their rooms and took alternative accommodation in an old building nearby, known as the Big House, which the hotel used as an annexe in the summer months. They were shown into a spacious and rather gloomy set of rooms with a large window, two four-poster beds, a few chairs and an antique mirror. It was evident that the place had seen better days but the pair made up a fire which soon gave the rooms a cheery glow. The writer and his friend retired to their beds but had barely fallen asleep when the sound of chimes from a nearby clock tower woke them. They both heard footsteps ascend the stairs and approach the door. They were rather surprised as the hotel staff had told them no other guests were staying there. The door opened and a sad looking lady with long red hair entered the room. Dressed in old-fashioned clothes, she was of slim build and appeared hesitant but then suddenly rushed to the window where a look of terror swept across her face. She staggered back with a cry, raised her hands above her head and collapsed
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PSYCHIC NEWS | DECEMBER 2017