The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1858-07-16

up our abode IN the haucted house. r.
There was one man, who, of all men else,
| did desire with me then, aud that was
Brown, the local editor oi The Plain Dead
er,
The solemn but certain hour Of mid
night was gradually approaching, my
friend and / were qaietly smoking, when,
al at once, we were startled from our rev
e,y by the appearances Of o ghasily look
ing object IN the shape and form Of a hu-
man skeleton. We wero seated on The
aoor at the time, but soon spnng 20 our
feet as The spectre entered the room.
IL seemed TO me like The bones Of hu.
man being without any hesh on them.
ordered il to stand. at che same time de-
manding to know the object Of It's visit
But the phantom did not pay the least at.
tention 10 me, aud continued to advance
toward whore stood, but stopped ia the
centre Of The door directly in front of me,
Stow having, according to a previous un-
Outstanding, taken bis position in an OPP
posite corner Of the room, This arrange
ment was made that we might be the bet
ter prepared to make Jelonse against any
attack, should such thing be attempted.
confess that it was my opinion that
there was some trick about tho whole af-
fair, and gotten up for the occasion. My
mind was made up TO punish the parties
with proper severity h,d l been fortunate
enough TO have capiured them,
The only light we had was the faint
glimmering afforded by the burning Of a
few pieces of boards ia the fireplace.
as the phantom advanced towards me,
/ raised one Of my pistols carefully el6i
waiting IL on level with his breast. aud
fred with as much steadinoss as was
able. but il faltered not. and as quick as
Thought discharged another birrel but
IL still continued to advance, until it came
within reaching distance Of me, when IL
raised it's bouy arm ia the direction where
l stood aud motioued my attention. Du-
ring these few moments of suspense
closely sorutinized the figure; determined,
| If possible to satisfy my mind in relation
TO It's mysterious actions. Making a sig
nal TO Stow, we exchanged places, mean
while keeping an eye on the object before
me. ] must confess my inability to ex.
plain, satisfactorily, anything concerning
this singular object.
Stow still asserts that il had no flesh,
and that he could see nothing about il but
bones, which be.even heard rattle when l
fired.
The CHEST walked towards the fireplace,
turned around, and again passed back to
the centre Of the room, occupying the
same position, with It's front in the direc-
ton towards me. 1t again raised It's hand
and as it did so, uttered in sepulchra
voice, the following words; "Giye eal
to me and mark well the words that
shall reveal to you. Ny nqmo is james
Syms was born in Augusta, Georgia
aud was with General Wayne when he
fought and defeated the Indians on the
skirts of this forest, and at the time Of my
death was sixty-eight years Of age"
interrupted him here TO inquire il he
was murdered in the house in which We
were then; TO which he replied: "Ask me
no questions"
The ghost continued his story: "On
the approach Of evening, in December,
184l, put up at this house, kept at the
time by man by the name Of Cleyes
After retiring to my room for the night
l was startled from sleep, between morn
ing and midnight, by a blow on tho side
Of my head. with bludgeon, in the hand,
Of Cleves. Immediately sprung TO my
feet and attempted to grapple with my as
sailant, but in doing so, received another
blow upon my left temple. IL was thi,
blow that killed me, being dead before
struck the floor"
The spectre here presented his skull t
my view, and true enough it was a con
irmation Of his statement; the skull pre-
sented a large fracture, he continued
upon tie inhction Of the last blow jus
mentioned, my pain stopped and all con
oiousness left me--that moment ceaseC
to exist and the transition Of my spiri
from the mundane to the celestial spheres
was sudden and sublime. My assaian
unaware that l had ceased to live on earth
continued his blows upon my head"
Interrppting him at this part Of bis sto
Try, enquired if IL was bis intention t
convey 70 me the idea that he was dead
: But | obtained no satisfaction from him
for received the same answer as befor
Task me no questions Listen you Il
me, and mark we'll my words"
Il do not live in the sense you mean
yet do exist ia the ethereal spheres, bu
am forbid 10 diyulge tho secrets 1 know
what have seen, and part Of which / am
Ny murderer, now satisfied that / n
, longer breathed, ceased his terrible assau
with the bladgeon, and with an axe sey
cred my head from the body; the forme
he buried under tho hearth, in this room
: while my body was thrown into the vel
5 which was flled up the same night. an
{ all appurtenances surrounding the we
b were removed, that the place Of burr,
} might forever remain in oblivion"
! Thinking that | might detect the uql
o faced rascal in his lies. I told him coul
Z not see how his skull could be on NJ
: shoulders aud buried under the earth
tho same time. That one thing could /
D 10 two places at the same time SCENE
contrary TO my philosophy. AS / spoil
a the skull from his shoulders disappears
i with the quickuess Of thought, and in lei
S than moment saw the figure Of u
: skeleton before me headless trunk.