The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1852-10-15

l III u COutcsDptuOus tOuC
"Young gentleman, you wish 10 draw
back"
~ draw back!r exclaimed The student
s.Well! if had the fifty guineas, you
should see whether wish 10 draw back Y
"Here," said /, "are four guineus
which will stake on your wager"
| No sooner had ! mrde this proposition
,han the rest OF the company attracted
by the singulariiy of the affair, came ior
ward to lay down their money; and in .
minnie or two the fifty guineas were sub
scrbed. The merchant appeared Sc
sure Of winning, that he placed all the
stakes in tho students hands, and pre-
pared for his experiment. We selected
| for the purpose aismall summer-house in
she garden, perfectly isolated, and having
no means Of exit but window and q
door, which we carefully fastened, after
placing the young man within. We pu,
writing materials on small table in the
summer.house, and took away the can
dies. We remained outside, with the
pedler amongst us. In low, solemn
voice he began 10 chant the following
lines:- 3iia
rWhat rseth SLOW from the ocean caves
| And the stormy surf?
! The phantom pale sets his blackened foot
| On the fresh green turf"
Then raising his voice solemnly, he
said: .lY fa III. Ga
"You asked to see your friend, Francis
| Villiers, who was drowned, three, years
ago, off the coast Of South Ameiica-
what do you see?" ra l aii5
81 see," replied the student, ga white
light arising near the window; but il has
no form; it is like an uncertain cloud" :"
We--,he spealators-remained pro-
foundly silent.
"Are you afraid?' asked the merchant,
in loud voice.
81 am NOT" replied the student, firmly.
After moments silence, the pedler
stamped three times on the ground, and
sag:
sAnd the phantom willie, whose clay.cold face
Was once SO fair,
Dries with shroud his cnging vest
And his sea-tossed hair"
Once more the solemn question:
"You, who would see revealed the
mysteries of the tom6-what do you see
now?"
The strdent answered, in calm voice,
but like that of man describing things
as they pass before him:
II see the cloud taking the form Of a
phantom; It's head is covered with i0Hg
veil--ii stands still"
care you afraid2"
81 am not!'
We. looked at each other in horror.
stricken silence, while the merchant,
raising his arms above his head, chanted,
lin sepulchral voice:
"And the phantom said, rs he rose from the wave,
| He shall know me in soothl
will go 10 my friend' gay, smiling and fond,
i As in our first youth"
"Wbat do you see?" said he.
81 see the phantom advance; he lifts
his veil-'lis Francis VillieTs! he ap-
pr,aches the table-he writes !-his hi'
signaturev
"Are you afraid?"
| A fearful moment Of silence ensued
then the student replied, but in al
altered voice:
"I am not"
With strange and frantic gestures, the
merchant then sang:
"And the phantom said to the mocking seer,
f~n I'm GOnth
| Put thy hand on my hand-thy heart on my heart
1 Thy mouth on my mouth"
| "What do you see?"
"IIe comes-be approaches-he pur
sues me-he is stretching out his arms
he will have NE! Help! help! Save me !!
care you afraid, no,O9" asked th'
, merchant, in mocking voice.
A piercing cry. and then stifled groar
were the only reply TO this terrible ques
lion.
"IIclp ,ha, rash youih!'' said the mel
E chant, bitterly. 81 have, I think, wo
The wager; bu. it is sufficient for me
have given him lesson. Let him kee
his money, and be wiser for the future.
He walked rapidly away. We opsue
the door Of the summer-house, and foun
, the student in conyulsions. A paper
signed with the name "Francis Vilhers,
was on the table. As soon as the stu
dents senses were restored, he aske
vehemently where was the vile sorcere
WHO had subjected him 10 sucil horrlbl
ordeal--he would kill him! He sough
him throughout the inn in vain; then
with the speed OF madman, be dashe
off across the fields in pursuit of him
and we never saw either of them again
That, childfcn, is my Ghost Story!
"And how is il, Uncle, that after thai
you don't believe in ghostss" said |, tn
! irst time heard il.
"Becausc, my boy," replied my Uncle
"nei,her the student nor the merchan
/ ever returned; and the forty five guineas
belonging 10 me and The other travellers
continued equally invisible. Those ;wt
swindlers carried them off, after having
acted farce, which we, like n!nnies
believed TO be real"
Il In 1888, Professor Dew, Of William
II ard Marv Golleua said that Vir1inla 0X-