Richard Barham Middleton was an English poet and author, who is remembered mostly for his short ghost stories, in particular “The Ghost Ship.”

Middleton suffered from severe depression, then termed melancholia. He spent his last nine months in Brussels, where in December 1911, at age 29, he took his life by poisoning himself with chloroform, which had been prescribed as a remedy for his condition.

Poor fellow.  He did leave us, however, with a few jewels from his yet-budding genius, and one of tonight’s stories, “On the Brighton Road,” is one of my favorite stories because of its having so many elements of a good ghost story:  a tramp freezing in the cold, and, of course, the restless dead.

The brevity of the story is countered by a surprise ending that stops the reader for an uncomfortable contemplation.  May yours be brief.

And now, turn down the lights and join us for two classics: “The Ghost Ship” and “On the Brighton Road” by Richard Middleton….