The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-07-01

spoke not, but grasping me by the hand shook
his head ominousy, which indicated no good
bat rather ill., We parted for the night without
saving a word, he for his home aud Stow and
to take up our abode Ill the haunted nous -
There was one man, who Of all men else, did
desire with me then, and that was Brown, the
local editor of the Plain Dealer.
Tae solemn but certain hour Of midnight was
gradually approaching, my friend aud were
quietly smoking, when, all at once, we were
startled from our revery by the appearance OF
ghastly looking object in the shape and form OF
a human skeleton. We were seated on the floor
at the time, but soon sprang to our feet as the
spectre entered the room.
1t seemed to me like the bones OF human
being without any flesh on them. | ordered it
to slanl. at the same time demanding to know
| the object of its visit. But the phantom did
not pay the least attention to me, and contlnu.
ed TO advance toward where stood, but stopped
| in the centre of the floor directly in front OF
me-; Stow having, according to previous I'M.
derstanding, taken his position i'll an opposite
| corner of the ROOM This arrangement was made
that we might be the better prepared to make
defense against any attack, should such thing
be attempted,
| | confess that it was my opinion that there
| was some trick about the whole affair, aud got
ten up for the occasion. Nv miud was made
up to punish the parties with proper severity
| had been fortunate enough to have captured
| them.
The only light we had was the faint glimmer
ing afforded by the burning of few pieces OF
boards in the fire. place.
| AS the phantom advanced towards me, |
raised one of my pistols, carefully elevating it
on level with his breast, AMI fred with as
much steadiness as was able, but it Ialtered
not and as quick as thought discharged an,
other barrel, but it still continued to advance,
until it came within reaching distance OF me,
| when it raised its bony arm in the direction
where stood and motioned my attention. Dn-
ring these few moments of suspense, closely
scrui inized the figure determined. i possible,
to satisfy my mind in relation to its mysterious
actions Making signal to S ow, we exchanged
places, meanwhile, keeping an eye on the Object
before me- must confess my inability to ex-
plain, satisfactorily, anything concerning this
singuar object.
Stow still asserts that it had no A,sh, aud
that he could see nothing about it but bon s,
which he even heard rattle when | fred
The ghost walked towards the fireplace, turn
ed around, and again passed blck to the centre
of the room, occupying the same position, with
its front in the dire ection towards me- 1t again
raised its hand and as it did so, uttered in sep
ulchral voice, the following words '' Give ear
to me and mark we'll the words that | shall re-
veal to you. My name is James Syms. l was
Wayne when he fought and defeated the lndi'ns
on the skirts Of this torest aud at the time of
my death was sixty years Of age"
interrupted him here to inquire if 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 ap-
proach of evening, in December, 1871, put mp
at this house, kept at the time by man by the
name of Ceves. After retiring TO my room for
the night, was startled from sleep, between
morning and midnight, by blow on the side OF
my head, with bludgeon. in the hands of Cleves.
| Immediately sprung to my feet and attempted
to grapple with my assailant. but in doing so,
received another blow upon my left temple. 1t
was this blow that killed me- being dead rcfore
| | struck the floor"
The spectre here presented his skull to my
view, and true enough it was a confirmation of
his statement; the skull presented la &c traC-
ture. He continued: "Upon the inhicton of
the last blow just mantioned, my pain stopped
and all conciousness left ma-'hat moment |
ceased to exist and the transition of my spirit
from the mundane to the celestial spheres,
was sudden and sublime. My assailant una
ware that had ceased to live on earth, contin
ued his blows upon my head
Interrupting him at this part Of his story, |
enqured if it was his intention to convey to me
the idea that he was dead. But obtained no
satisfaction from him, ror received the same
answer as before" ask me no questions. Lis
ten you to me- and mark we'll my words"
81 do not live in the sense YOU mean. yet do
exist in the ethereal spheres, but am forbid to
divulge the secrets know, what have seen.
and part Of which | am. My murderer, now
satisfied that | no longer breathed, ceased his
terrible assault with the bludgeon, and with an
axe severed my head from the body; the former
he buried under the hearth in this room, while
my body was thrown into the well, which was
filled up the same night, aud all appurteaanCes
surrounding the well were removed, that the
place of burial might forever remain in oblivi-
on"
Thinking that might detect the ugly faced
rascal in his lies, told him could not see how
his skull could be OH his shoulders AMI buried
under the earth at the same tim4. That one
thing could be in two places at the same time
seemed contrary to my philosophy. As spoke
the skull from his shoulders disappeared with
the quickness Of thought, and in less than mo-
ment saw the figure of the skeleton before me
headless trunk A mysterious change had oC-
Cured, and cold chill passed over me, which
left me as it were, for the moment half unner-
we'd. 1t was-but moment, for quickly recov-
eriag self possession, assumed an attitude pre-
| pared for any emergency that might present it.
self. The ghost stood before me frightful,
| headless object. All at once | heard loud
voice, without knowing whence it came com
manding me "to take up the bricks of the
hearth and Olsen omb the skull of the murdered
Syms"
proceeded to execute the order without
moments, delay, and after digging up few brick,
in a minute or two came to the skull of hu
man being. understanding it. the thing pass
ed rather 'nysteriously from my hands, and'in a
moment it was back upon the shoulders of the
s,eptre. The manner in which it left me seem
II unacpOuntahlV StraDUA. that | utterly
a,toniShed, and am, even now, unable to plain
| how the hell the thing got from my hands.
A moment after tn tx Ill fixed itself upon the
shoulders Of The ghost, it commanced speaking
taking up the thrra of discourse where it had
left of, and proceeded to say that before going
to bed, placed my keys AMI pocket book under
my head my murderer, having dsposed Of my