Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-05-20
Practical Jokes.

The story am about 10 tell had from
an old aun, Of mine, who, has long been
gathered to her kindred dust, Sne vas
q woman Of singular talent, and in her
youth had possessed great personal beau
w. eighty yesrs Of age. her bright
black eyes were undimmed she had not lost
one of her fine teeth, and her cheeks re-
tanned the bloom Of the rose. What she
had been in her early days might be gath.
srd from the noble remains that time had
,ouhed so lightly, tina, her elastic mind
seemed to hid defiance 10 decay. In The
glory of her prime, dues had been fought
for her, and wise men had We'd with each
other 10 win from ter an approving smile
II the term beautiful could be applied
10 an old woman. my uunt was beauty
still. The old lady was perfectly aware
OF the fact; and would recount with create
Rlee the conquest and ,riumphs OF her
Sirlhood. These "reminiscences oil by
gone vanity, which it. would have been
wise at her time o. life to have buried in
obl,vion, | li>tere 10 with little or no
interest; hut her ghost stories & tradition
arv lore her legends of the wild aad Won
derful, her long catalogue of extraordinary
dreams and mysterious warnings, always
afforded me the keenest delight.
M urally of strong and vigorous
mind nv aun, did not herself believe in
supernatural agencies; but they amused
.her. and she tod t,ese'stores So wei. that
abe never tired her auditors. 1t is one Of
these la'es that am abnu, TO relate. She
had the facts from my grandfather, who
was himself personally acquainted with
Mr.. Lelhwait, one of the actors in the
drama.
About hundred years ago. there lived
lin the town of Kendall, Westmoreland, q
.nan of gigantic stature and grea. strength,
who followed the trade of butcher
This person, who was called Wat Rob-
inson, was noted for his quarrelsome, ruff.
ifanly disposition, which won for him the
tname of Bully Robinson, the big butcher
,fKendal. Foremost in all scenes of RI
'ot and dissipation, he was universally
feared and ha'ed.
This man was very fond Of practical
jokes. Blu, his jokes were like himself,
snd originated in the cruelty and malice
of his mind. The pain he inflicted upon
Others afforded him the greatest pleasure.
The grating tones of his coarse brutal
daugh inflicted deeper wound than the
most BIZ, er of his biting jests.
l., is impossible for benevolent minded
person TO give any countenahce TO this
species of amusement, for though the joke
amay be harmless in itself, kindly person
will derive no entertainment from any.
ahing that calls forth angry feelings in
another.
There was heavy lonely cross count
Hy road in the vicinity of Kendal, which
anrmed shor, cut to the beautiful lake
Of Windermere. The path was rocky
and narrow, and seldom (requented by
any but pedestrian or equestrian travel
lers. For some months previous to the
period Of which / am now writing, this
road had 60, The character of being haun
ted. A hideous apparition in the form OF
= hairy monster. with horns and hoofs,
.obs,ructed the passage of travellers .hro'
the lane, chasing them back with dreadful
bellowings and other diabolical noises.
Many persons had been frightened in
to fits by the spectre and one feeble
old man had los. his reason, by unex.
pec,sdly encoun,ering the demon in one
of the most lonely tnrnings on the rocky
road.
This ftightful phantom had been seen
by SO many respectable persons in the
town and its vicinity, whose veraci,y
from the well known integrity Of theiI
characters, the most sceptical could scarce
ly doubt, that the public mind became
greatly agitated by the nightly recurrence
of such startling facts. People were nc
longer laughed q. for heir credulity, ir
believing that which SO many respectable
witnesses declared to be true.
The Windermere ghost became the
general theme Of conversation and The
road was abandoned by all who were ac'
qu,inted with the tale, and could react
the lake by more public thoroughiare.
One night large party had assembled
ia small public house in the suburbs o.
Kendall, to drink their ale, and discuss th'
news Of the day. These we're chiefly
farmers and sheepgra ziers from the moer
and fells, who had disposed of,he fating
Of their flocks at the market, and wer,
returning In body to IT, cir lonely home
among the hills. The centre of,his group
n and man Of no small importance among
them, was the big butcher Of Kendall
He had been large purchaser; and III
Jolly yeoman had flung back few shil
lings from The money they had received
to furnish general ,reat-big Wat him
self placed in the chair, as the great mai
Of the company.
This was an honor the burly butche
never failed 10 abuse. AS the fumes
V the ale began to ascend into his head. h
grew loud aud quarrelsome, engrossinl
all the conversation to himielf, while hi
clustering manner and illnatured jokes 81