Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-04-30
SAW A GHOST.

As might be expected, say / don't be-
lieye IN spirits, ghosts, hobgoblins and all
that sort Of thing. Everybody says they.
don't believe in ghosts, but put one of
those disbelievers in dark, dismal, gloomy
room, ut the witching hour of midnight"
and see if the hair on the head don't feel n
little perpendicularly inclined, and those
uncomfortable things they call chills move
rapidly up and down the back The nerves
will culver little, the hand tremble, and
the flesh twitch and jerk on the bones
People in broad daylight can boldly defy
ghosts, and when in a comfortable bed, and
fancy hat carelessly hung Npon bed
post, is the ghost of some murdered indi-
vidual, quickly duck under the clothes. little
terror may be felt; but if compelled to
boldly face some peculiar object, no belief
ghosts is thoroughly tested. And few per
sons there are who would then say thew
have no belief in ghosts.
l was once travelling in the country and
necessity compelled me to stop over night
at a very Anticipated looking farm house.
Everything looked very comfortable about
the house. and the two old people seemed
to enjuy my society, and did all in their
power to make me feel at home and happy
But there was strangeness about the place
| could not account for, as something that
cast over me dread
While | sat by the fire, | was inclined to
look behind me, for felt as if there was a
person in the room | had not seen. But
when cid look around | was disappointed.
At length bedtime came around, and the
old gentleman conducted me to my apart
ment up stairs. This room seemed more
gloomy than the room below, and | began
to feel my courage cool. tried to make
myself believe | was brave, cOurag eOus, aud
didn't believe IN ghosts but it was all to
TO purpose, | did believe in them and |
could not hell it. kept my eyes as much
as possible on the different objects in the
room, expecting each one in turn to assume
some unnatural form.
prepared as rapidly as possible for bed;
for felt that if once under thick clothes.
their ample folds would protect me against
all spiritual intruGers. | dashed the light
out and sprung into bed, and threw the
covers over my head. lay in that posi-
ton TIL was almost smothered and
thinking myself consummate coward |
uncovered my head, and took a glance at
the room, as we'll as could in the dark.
A window was opposite the foot of the
bed, and by the dim light could discover
the dim outline ola human being, as | sup
posed gazed at it, and at length became
convinced it had moved to the foot of the
bed, and was there waiting to open a COM
municatiOn with me. l ducked my head
under the clothes, and again came near
suffocatiDg. Slowly and softly ventured
to look out, and there stood the ghost.
larger than ever. l fancied felt its cold,
80 bands on ba bod -
in me. l thought it moved, as if coming
to the side of the bed. Under went nv
head again like a duck under water, and |
waited until almost suffocated before ven.
tured to look out. When l did So there
was the ghost, all the time growing in di-
mensiOn.
Thus tormented and harrassed, passed
the night, having obtained but little slerp.
When daylight dawned, the ghost was still
there, being nothing more than a nightcap
Of spirits and ghosts had magni6ed to an
enormous degree; ami had the night lasted
several hours longer, there is no telling how
large it would have grown.
Well, this incident almost upset my be-
lief in anything like ghosts, until travelled
through the Allegheny mountains; then
vi which L lever
could give a reasonable and rational cause
had brother from whom bad NOT
heard for several years, and had supposed
him dead. When we were boys, we once
went on hunting excursion, and my gun
exploded by accident and lodged three shot
in his lower jaw. lie recovered from the
accident, bat the shot tisfgured his jaw,
and gave him peculiar appearance about
the lower part of his face He was a great
man to dress, and rather vain and bigoted
in his opinions, and especially in regard TO
his handsome appearance. These traits in
his character never forgot, for they were
so directly opposite to my own, that they
made deep impression on me. He bad
suddenly disappeared, and lost all trace
of him.
My business led me on horseback thro'
mountainous country, and into many pla
ees dreary and lonely. Toward evening of
a dull day in September, l reached mar
rows in the mountain through which was
compelled to pass before l could reach
place to put up for the night. As l rode
along the gloomy dsfle, with night coming
thick and fast upon me, felt afraid, and
cast glances from side to side, SIS if | thought
every bush concealed q robber, or every
nook hid an assassin.
had passed about half the way through |