



Produced by Curtis Weyant, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images produced by the Wright
American Fiction Project.)











                              PAPERS FROM OVERLOOK-HOUSE.

                                   By Caspar Almore


    PHILADELPHIA
    J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.
    1866.

    Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by
    J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.,
    In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District
    of Pennsylvania.




CONTENTS.


    INTRODUCTORY LETTER                                               5

       CHAPTER I. ARRIVAL AT THE VILLAGE                             13

      CHAPTER II. THE WELCOME AT OVERLOOK-HOUSE                      18

     CHAPTER III. THE CHRISTMAS LOG IN THE KITCHEN                   33

      CHAPTER IV. HOW THE OVERLOOK PAPERS CAME TO BE WRITTEN         47

        I. DR. BENSON; OR THE LIVING MAN EMBALMED FOR TWENTY YEARS   51

       II. THE GHOST AT FORD INN--NESHAMONY                          75

      III. MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT BIOGRAPHY;--OR, LITERATURE FOR A
           FAIR WIDOW                                                91

       IV. KATYDIDS:--A NEW CHAPTER IN NATURAL HISTORY              127

        V. THE IMAGE-MAKER                                          139

       VI. THE CLOUDS                                               142

      VII. THE PROTECTOR DYING                                      145

     VIII. THE INDIAN DREAM-CELL                                    149

       IX. WILD FLOWERS GATHERED FOR MY WIFE                        178

        X. RIVERSDALE                                               181

       XI. DR. SAMUEL STANHOPE SMITH AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE          198

      XII. MRS. DIGBY'S ECONOMY                                     224

     XIII. TO MY WIFE                                               236

      XIV. FADING AWAY                                              237




INTRODUCTORY LETTER.


OVERLOOK HOUSE, _October 10, 1864_.

MY DEAR FRIEND:--At last, as if borne to you by some scape-grace of a
messenger, these papers, copied from the time-discoloured manuscripts,
so carefully preserved in the old book-case, which with its dark lustre,
its bright brass ornaments, is still the prominent object in our
library, are destined to reach the hands into which they should long ago
have been placed.

I well remember the evening on which you first heard of them, and
listened to my attempt to read them to you; perplexed as I was with the
faded lines, traced by fingers which can write no more.

You will not forget our drives, previously, during the day, and late in
the afternoon, in consequence of my week-day service in the old church.
Perhaps the ancient edifice would need the excuse of days of
architectural ignorance, but no Cathedral on earth can surpass it, in
its claim to occupy