The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1854-08-30
Uncle Beniamin's Ghost,


company sioutly disbelievsd in their exis-
Lenos altogether. There was however one
grave looking stranger. dressed in funeral
black, who, though be acknowledged be
Lad never encountered ghost, had lmpiic.
. faith in their existence
The dispute waxing warm. il was decided
20 collect The opinions Of all present. Al
length il came q Uncle Beniamin's turn.
DO you believe IN ghosts, Uncle Benia-
nini5 ,'l -r5--.
II do, said he. "ahd for tie best Of all
Jsasons, eecaI,e have seen one
=. ''ladeedp said the funeral STRANGER
Prleklng up his ears, would you be Eind
enough 20 favor Us with al account OF the
Slreumstances?'' =
20. 90 ten, Uncle Benjamin. was echo
ed % all sides.
Thus aGjured, he settled Limeelf into an
attitude, and commenced,
''lt WAS perhaps thirty years ago when
bpsiness called me 10 a town some tw wenty
miles distant from my own. There were
no cars in those days, and | was obliged to
hiTe horse and chaise belonging to a neigh
Dor.
"Beipg det4ined 10 a later hour than
! anticipated, was past twelve O'clock when
got back with the horse and ehaise TO the
house Of the neighbor Of whom ! had bor-
Eossd it. Having left it, | proceeded on
foot towards my own house, which was per,
haps a mile further on.
"Being, you may readily suppose, very
much fatigued, considered whether il
would not be possible to shorten my walk.
There was solitary path across the fields
which would diminish the dis ance fully one
half. There was one objection to it, how
ever 1t led through graveyard.
"This thought, however did not for a
moment deter me. was not superstitous.
had always lat ghed at the idea ofghosts,
and considered them mere fgments of II
disordered brain. But was doomed how
ever, will not anticipate. got as far as
the graveyard without meeting any him
drance, and with bold, confident air, leap
ed the stone wall which served as its
boundary, and found myself at once within
Jhe precincts of the dead.
"Say what you will," continued uncle
Benjamin, his voice becoming deeper and
more solemn, ''there is a feeling of awe,
scarcely to be resisted, which steals over
one, when he finds himself in the gloom of
midnight surrounded with the relics of frail
mortality, and considers that ere many years
he shall be as those around him."
"But the ghcst!" suggested The stern
looking gentleman, who Was apparently very
much interested in the denouement.
Twas coming to that directly" was the
reply.
gas said, jumped over the stone wall,
and proceeded, Notwithstanding q slight
feeling OF awe with tolerabIe boldness, till !
bad got, should think into about the cen
tre Of the yard.
cit was very dark night. There was no
moon. but few stars dimly twinkling in the
distance, to hight up the darkness Of the
E3y., Ea3y; nj. min, ,.,., ,,,,,., . -, .,,,,.,,..
which stood beside the path, there suden-
ly strobe forth figure in ghostly white
The arms were extended, and one of the
hands contained something, but what it was
] could not discover.
II shall never forget the horrors of that
moment! a sensation of freezing terror
crept over me, and paralysed all my limbs
though would ha> e given worlds to have
moved from the spot, there was fixed, and
al the while at FIVE feet distance from rue
Ptood that sepulchral figure.
Uncle Benjamin paused, as If overcome
by TIE recollections of that fearful night,
anG every eye was bent upon him with ca.
ger interest.
I. The sad looking gentleman gazed about
him in triumphant at this confederation of
bis opinions.
'Proceed, for heavens sake" he ex-
claimed
'tThus We STOOD" said uncle Benjamin
looking at each other, for | will not say how
Ifpg. 1t might no. have been two minutes,
yet TO me 1t seemed an eternity. At length
could bear it no longer, but burst forth
lnpeHously-
q In Heaven't name, who, and what are
yoa?"
FAnd what did it say?" que,ied the sad
looking gentleman, nervously pushing his
chair towards Uncle Benjamin
''It slowly TUNED its gaze full upon me.
ard with an uneartdly laugh uttered these
words
"Lor. mister, yon amt afraid of ne; now,
ere you? I'm only Polly Henshaw. come
oat 70 pick some yarbs for my old man,
whars too sick with the cholicp'
The spsll was broken. The sober gen.
tlernan sprung to his feet, aad amid shout
Of rrepressible mirth which shook tie very
Tafters, called for his hat, and left with all
possible expedition.