The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-08-22
Sflett MiseelIang
THE WOMAN ~ GRAY.
a Crimean Episo&c.


The barren plateau, on which the allied ar
mics were encamped before Sevastopol, was
naturally suggestive of many superstitious fam
cies among the troops. The outlying sentinel,
with his eye at the uttermost degree of ten
sion, to detect some erouching spy, eventually
saw Imaginary forms around him, and the
darkness became peopled with the denizens of
another world. Many stories of ghostly man
ifestatiops were current, very few of them
possessing any other foundation than the i'm
aginary fancy cf the credulous soldier; but
there are one or two authenticated stories of
ghosts, cae of which l will tell here, as l heard
it from the lips of an officer of an Irish regi-
ment who was 9conyersant with all the details.
A soldier on being relieved from guard one
winters night, swore stoutly that he bad been
haunted during the whole period of duty, by
woman in gray, who made signals to him
which he, good Catholic as he was, declined
to follow. He was laughed at; but when the
sentry on duty the next night told the same
story, the most incredulous began to believe.
When a week had passed away, and eachnight
the same occurrence happened, the argument
was SO infected with alarm, that the captain of
the day thought it high time to interfere. For
this purpose he summoned to bis counsels one
Patrick Leary, Color Sergeant, who was popu-
larly supposed to fear neither maa nor devil
L
volver, bidding him fire if he found it abso-
lutely necessary, but to do his best to capture
the woman alive. Mr.. Pat took heavy drain
of rum and went on sentry-go, much to the
relief of the men warned for that nights duty.
It was dark misty night when Pat COM
menced bis duty round, and it was enough to
make any man feel uncomfortable. The gal
liant Pat, however, SO long as the effect of the
rum lasted, @histted the Night on which Lar
ry was stretched soto poce, stamped his feet
to restore the chilled circulation. Somehow or
another, though he began to grow very lonely,
and almost wished that the ghost would come,
if only to bear him company. His wishes
were soon fulfilled, for hearing slight sound,
and raising his rife to his shoulder, he saw a
dusky form gibbering at him in the distance.
Pat began rooping and moving in reply, and
the woman, apparently encouraged by this,
drew nearer. Pat laid his frelock on the
ground, as if to encourage the other, but plac-
ed his hand carefully on his revolver. There
was nothing Like being prepared, but if it were
a woman-the thought fairly turned the hon.
est Sergeants' mind. Ere long, the figure ap-
preached so near that Pat was enabled to chal-
lepge-
tsWho gaes there ?'
cal, though foreign voice.
sign," the Sergeant mechanically said.
just as the figure approached Pat, the moon
broke out from behind cloud, and enabled
him to see the woman's features The most
astonishing thing was the immense gray beard
the figure wore. Pat, as a traveller, was ac-
customed to strange sights, but this surpassed
ALL In second, though, the truth flashed
upon him, and he made ready for action. =,
"Come here my darlint," Pat said, artfully
but the woman did not seem inclined to obey
The moonlight had evidently destroyed the
or two, and then turned to fly. But it was toe
late; Pat was after her with a tigers bound
and impeded by her pettieoats, she stumbled
and nearly fell. In a second, however, she
recovered, and turned on the Sergeant with q
most uncomfortable looking yataghan.
seTear an eouns'," the Sergeant shouted
ssthe woman's the devil. I can stand nails
but these are rather too sharp
A low mocking laugh burst from the stran
gers lips, as he tried to get between Pat and
his musket. But the Sergeant was on his
guard; pretending to fly, he managed to bear
down within grasp of the woman, and caught
\ at her capote. The next moment the yatag
han had passed through the feshy part of his
arm, but he did not relax his hold. He crap
pied with the stranger, but meeting with an
unexpected resistance, he drew his revolver
| The stranger clutched at it with frantic ener
| gy, and terrible struggle ensued, which ter
/ fnihated By the pistol suddenly exploding, and
the stranger fell to the ground with q groap
while Pat, weakened by the loss of blood, fol
loved the example. The. .quarterguard, arous
| ed by the shot, sooh hurried up to the spot
and both were borne to the camp. The strap
geer kas placed id htit; and surgeon fetched
| and It was evident that the ghost In gray was
fine looking old man. BE was, however
declared to be IN a dangerous state, for tbs
ball had passed through his lungs. His CON
dition was kindly explained 10 him, and HI
told his story readily enough. !,
his name was Constantine and he was az b5 b
birth Pole of ,sa1 a1v1 + 1sen sags sDgges II.
death that fell to the lot of his comrades, tc
endure worse fate. He and kis family were