Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-12-17
Laughable Ghost Story.

During the campaign of the Duke of
Wellington, which ended with the battle
of Waterloo, Sir John Waters was much
employed by the Duke on secret service:
As a spy he was unequalled owing to his
ingenious escapes and ruses. He was on
occasion entrusted with difficult missile
by the Duke, which he undertook effect
ually to perform, and to return on a par
ticular day with the information that was
! required. Great was the disappointment
when il was ascertained beyond a doubt
that Iust after leaving the camp ne had
been taken prisoner before he had time
TO change his uniform. Such, however,
was the case; a troop of dragons had in
tercepted him, and carried him of; and
the commanding officer desired two SOL
diers 10 keep a strict watch over him and
carry him to head quarters. He was of
course disarmed, and being placed on a
horse was, after a short time, galloped off
by his guards. He slept one night under
durance vile at a small inn, where he was
allowed to remain in the kitchen; con
yersation flowed on very glibly, and as he
appeared q stupid EngEshman, who could
NOT understand a word of French or of
Spanish. he was allowed to listen, and
thus obtained precisely the intelligence
that he was in search of. The following
morning, being again mounted, he over
heared a conversation between his guards,
who deliberately agreed TO rob him, and
to shoot him at a mill where they were 70
stop, and to report to their. officer that
they had been compelled to fire at him IN
of his attempt to escape.
Shortly before they arrived at the mill,
for fear that they might meet with some
one who would insist on having a portion
of the spoil, the dragons took from the
prisoner his watch and his purse, which
he surrendered with a good grace. On
their arrival at the mill they ~dismounted,
and in order to give some appearance OF
truth to their story, they went into the
house, leaving their prisoner outside, IN
the hope that he would make some at
tempt to escape. In ar instant Waters
threw his cloak upon a neighboring olive
bush. and mounted his cooked hat on the
top. Some empty -four sacks lay upon
the ground, and a horse laden with we'll
filed -four sacks stood at the door. Sir
John contriVed to enter one of the empty
sacks and throw himself across b horse.
When the soldiers came out of the house,
they fred their carbines at the supposed
prisoner, and galloped off at the utmost
speed. A short time after, the miller
out and mounted his steed; the
contrived Il rid himself OF the
sack, and sat up, riding behind he man.
who. suddenly turned round, saw a ghost,
as he believed, for the -four that still re-
in the sack had completely Will
tened his fellow traveller, and given HIM
unearthly appearance. The fright
ened miller was purified" as Mrs.
Malaprop would say, at the sight, and a
push from the white spectre brought the
unfortunate man to the ground, when
away rode the gallant quartermaster with
his sacks of -four, which at length burst
ing, made a ludicrous spectacle Of man
and horse. On reaching the English
camp, where Lord Wellington was anx-
iousiy deploring his fate, q sudden shout
the soldiers made his lordship turn
round, when a figure, resembling the
statue in Don Juan, gallopped up to him.
The Duke affectionately shaking him by
Tia hand, said--Waters, you never yet
deceived me: and though you have come
in a most questionable shape, | must con-
..ratulate you and myself" When this
story was told at the clubs, one of those
listeners, who always want something
called out. well what did Waters
say 2" To which klyanley replied-'tIh,
made a very fowery speech, like
d welLbred man."