The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-10-30

stoutly maintains there Is no return boat.
II was not only believed that these official
spirits had safely crossed tho dark waters
Of the Styx, but 1t was asserted that their
official body had undergone certain chemi-
cal changes which tainted the air and en-
dangcred the health Of this corporation.
Several months rolled away. Terrible as
was the shock Of their fall, our grief did
not destroy us, and gradually we learned
to bear composedly our mighty loss.
Oh, world of horrors! How can dwell
upon the frightful theme
I must state in the outset that 1t Is my
muddy privilege to live on what is ele-
gantly styled "back street "a term in
Guiding every locality except the territory
bordering Immediately on Hull.
One night in August sat alone at my
open window. Ny thoughts had wandered
away to "Chestnut Lawn" Its joyous
scenes, lost now forever, came back on the
soft wing Of memory to my view. Tears
were silently coursing down my cheek,
and my heart, weary with its throbbings,
did greatly long for rest. So profound was
my reverie that took no note Of time till
was aroused by the bells Of Richmond
tolling the hour of midnight. Little bro
ther lay near me, sleeping the pure, deep
sleep of childhood. Mother, after calling
me repeatedly but vainly to rest, had also
sunken into quiet slumber. The candle
had gone out. Darkness and silence, tit
comrades for my sorrow, reigned about me.
| arose to retire. At that moment heard
noise as of footballs and voices beneath my
window. Looking downwards, espicd
seven forms, which, if not "grand," were
certainly gloomy and peculiar" There
they stood in circle, clasping each others
skeleton hands, and gazing mutcly at the
stars. They were clad in sepulchral gar
ments. A glare as Of rage shone out their
eyes. Ghastliness was written on every
feature. Now and then they uttered
heavy, dismal groans; and once the frag-
ments of dreadful oath grated on my ear.
Presently one of these gloomy figures,
parting somewhat from the rest, mounted
rock, and with much stammering and
repetition, said: ooh, my brother spec
tres, now is the winter Of our discomfort -
"Will you grant me your ghostly ears
while speak words for your comfortr'
"Speak, sweet brother of the suffering
lip" the other six most fcrccly replied.
lie then drew from mystic girdle which
bound his weird form tattcrcd parch-
ment, and read by starlight, and in tones
sepulchral, the following sublime compost
tion:
We, the invisible fathers of Manches-
ter ,rhat ,caS, in nocturnal conclavc assem-
bled, do uproariously adopt these bold re-
solves.
Resolved, That Greece had her seven
wise men, which she lost, and that Manches-
ter had in us her seven wise men, which,
we groan to say, she lost.
Resolued, That we find it an awful poor
thing to be dead.
Resolved, That we were brought to our
death entirely against our will by the riff
raft and scum of all vast creation.
Resolved, That VIC hate the new Board.
[Checrs.l
Resolved, That We thank the sable mo-
march to whose kingdom we now belong for
allowing several of our number to remain
in Manchester for the agreeable purpose OF
barking at, growing around, swapping
about, and biting oil over the said new
Board. Immense applausc.l
hope of u grand resurrection next spring.
These bold resolves were adopted, and
then each particular ghost kissed each
other ghost seven times. This ceremony
over, one of the number ran into the circle
and said, in tones nasal, "Ccrtainly, move
we vansh." In moment they wore gone.
Sometime ago our Intelligent pot-boilers
were invited to the Town Hall to confer as
to the propriety of borrowing money on
tho credit of the town for the purpose ol
public Improvement. The new Board
sought instruction from the people on the
subject. For several days before the meet
ing came, the dim shadowy ghosts Of the
dcfunct Invisibles could be seen ut eve.
ming nitting mytcriously about the streets
As "Strangcr was returning about twi-
light from his business, his way was sud
denly crossed by one of these dismal appa-
ritons. He watched it, and soon it met
and with much kissing embraced brother
ghost, and said, in tones unearthly, 81
they get this money, ruin and despair will
be the result. They must not have it
There is u way to prevent it. We have in
our service about forty pot-boilers who
know no law but our will. We must hook
our invisible fingers in their noses an(
quietly drag them to the meeting. Once
there, they can be squeezed at the nose
until they vote against allowing the none!
to be borrowed. The "rif-ratf," suspect
ing no danger nigh, will not think 1t ne
cessary to be there, and thus we will carry
the thing our way; which, Of course, i
against the new Board.
Il Il Gfro AR 0k
the meeting. Grand time, it was. A ghos
was in the meeting; and it is said, though
visible to few, was heard by many. III
broke out in bitter, railing invcctiye agains
the now Board. Some of its member
were frightened intensely, and one Of then
started for the door. Others were NOR
courageous. They confronted the wrath
full spectre and spoke very stern words Z
him. Whercupon he became disgruntlcd
and vanished into darkness. Invisibl
fingers then dragged about forty voters for
ward, Iwho, spell-bound and unconscious
and badly squeezed at the nose, cast thei
nasal voices against the borrowing. TIL
result was that the obedient servants Q
the unhappy ghosts carried the day.
Our new Board concluded lately to ercC
market-house. To this they were move
by the generally-expresscd wish of tn
people. In fact, they believed that til
ghosts would not oppose the project. L
this they exposed their verdancy. The
did not realize the power which death ha
wrought. It was true that the old Boar
did once seriously mediate the building Q
market for this dear people. 1t went s
far as TO purchase q load Of sccond-han
timber for that noble purpose. Afterward
| Il concluded II waa moro convenient fO