Today, 425 Lafayette Street is home to the public theatre.

But in the 19th century, it was one of New York's first public libraries.

Its gents and dusty shelves were filled with volumes from around the world lit after

dusk by the strange, otherworldly glow of gaslight casting shadows onto the high rafters.

But the Astor library was home to much more than just books.

In 1860, the librarian Joseph Green Cogswell was roaming the library, the only man in the

room.

It was around 11 p.m. and Cogswell was returning some books to a particular shelf, when he spotted

the figure of a man, a well-dressed gentleman simply staring up and admiring a stack of

books.

As Cogswell moved closer, he could just make out the contours of this man's face.

This man looked familiar.

Cogswell immediately recognized him as a local doctor named Post, a doctor of some acclaim

and popular among his patients.

He was also a man who had died six weeks before.

Cogswell approached Dr. Post and declared,

He used seldom, if ever, visited the library while living.

Why do you trouble me now when you're dead?

Dead.

At that, the grim spirit turned to the librarian and promptly vanished.

The very next evening, Cogswell was again strolling through the dark stacks.

He convinced himself that the previous evenings and counter had been, but only a hallucination.

...