A GHOST STORY

                                       Haunted Hotel

     One day talking to my granddaughter she told me she wasn’t sure how she felt about ghosts, but she  certainly believed in angels. That reminded me of the ghost story at one of the Sydney, Australia hotels where I stayed.

     I found the  story framed on the wall of my room. It explained that the second part of the building had been built of sandstone with Georgian flattened brick arches over the windows. Built the terrace houses were known as Scarlett’s Cottages. Scarlett, a well known lady of the night, lived and died in the area.

     I asked reception for a copy of the story which they happily gave to me and is still in my scrapbook. It stated that Scarlett was Eric’s one true love, but although in a moment of thoughtlessness she declared her love for him, she did not mean it. However, Eric died before learning of Scarlett’s lie.  It is said to this day Eric wanders the halls and rooms of the cottages searching and calling for Scarlett who also had met an untimely and tragic death.  On occasion Eric has appeared in front of surprised hotel staff members questioning them of Scarlett’s whereabouts.

     The 150 year-old hotel was built on the site of Sydney’s first hospital. After the hospital was moved, the terrace cottages were added and the building became a hotel.

     Each evening we would kid around and speculate who might see Eric’s ghost that night. And each morning at breakfast we all told our non-stories and non-sightings, but the gist of it was none of us had any ghost encounters of any kind during our hotel stay.