Ghosts and Family Legends

Excerpt: ...you do not approve of the concealment of names, I hope you will excuse my asking you to do so in the present instance as many of the parties concerned might be displeased. I have the honour to remain, Madam, Your obedient servant, Mrs. Catherine Crowe. H. A. P.S. I know two remarkable instances of prophetic denunciation or the power of will, under, of course, the control of Providence. In one instance, the death of the party denounced, followed on the week predicted, although at the time he was well. Moreover, the denunciation was never mentioned to him. In the other instance, the accomplishment of the denunciation was accomplished to the exact day, and under very remarkable circumstances. I believe this power to be involuntary, and more of the nature of inspiration. SECOND PART. LEGENDS OF THE EARTHBOUND. THE ITALIAN'S STORY. How well your friend speaks English! I remarked one day to an acquaintance when I was abroad, alluding to a gentleman who had just quitted the room. What is his name? Count Francesco Ferraldi. I suppose he has been in England? Oh, yes; he was exiled and taught Italian there. His history is very curious and would interest you, who like wonderful things. Can you tell it me. Not correctly, as I never heard it from himself. But I believe he has no objection to tell it-with the exception of the political transactions in which he was concerned, and which caused his being sent out of the Austrian dominions; that part of it I believe he thinks it prudent not to allude to. We'll ask him to dinner, if you'll meet him, and perhaps we may persuade him to tell the story. Accordingly, the meeting took place; we dined en petit comité,-and the Count very good-naturedly yielded to our request; but you must excuse me, he said, beginning a long way back for my story commences three hundred years ago. Our family claims to be of great antiquity, but we were not very wealthy till about the latter half of the...