Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-02-06

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comes to my door--.Mister Spragen-
hausen," he says NIT me, 'syou comes
here--you NIT Mrs SpragenhaGsen.
Den me comes. ''What did happen?"
me say.
II see a ghost" says he.
"You got little too much lager
mine friend" says 1. Says he:
'.No. Itvas ghost. 1 must go
dis night"
'Away he goes. Me laugh so as
never vas. Me says dis is de lager
in his head. Next night me laughs
not--comes the ghost again; wo-
man NIT childs. Mrs. Spragenhau-
sen sees it. She says she stay no
more. Den she tell de neighbors.
well, we'll, -dey say, 'Mr. Pocketfull
know dis. He know dere is ghost
dereven he let his house Gif me
back mine monies; you are one
cheat -
you're only skeered," said Mr..
| Pocketfall 'There sin't any such
things as ghosts-in this country
anyhow"
But though the months rent never
was returned, the German moved
next day. And to cut long story
short, Mr.. Pocketfulrs house was
thereafter occupied by no one long
er than week. Strangers would
hire it and, Witnessing the strange
sight and hearing the strange sounds,
depart in terror--persons ignorant
about this, or tempted by the low
rent to which the dwelling came,
through its reputation. Even cler
gyman, who, being of the Metho-
dist belief, protested that if even
Satan were there in proper person,
he would spray him out moved in
evident trepidation on the third
morning of his residence, utterly re-
fusing to tell what had driven him
away, and endeavoring to lead peo-
pie to the belief that damp and moth
ing else caused him to fly the spot
The effort was useless; every one
knew that the Rev. had seen the
ghost, especially when he preached
ON the next Sunday furious sermon
against superstition
At last no one would approach the
house, and old Pocketfull, at his wits
end, with his house profitless and
his feelings deeply injured, went to a
lawyer for advice.
How should he let his house--how
gain for it, its old comfortable repu-
tation as a respectable dwelling, void
of ghosts.
PAY some one to sleep there"
said the lawyer. ''Let this be known,
and at moderate rent you can let
your house at once"
And Moses decided to act upon the
advice. He offered ten dollars to
any one or two who would sleep
there without misadventure. No
ono appeared. He offered ten; then
twenty. Still he only advertised the
fact that the house was too terrible
a place to be occupied on any terms
He had done more harm than good,
and in desperation he advanced from
thirty to fifty, to seventy five, to one
hundred. Then there marched into
his room one morning three young
fellows. strangers to the place, who
stated that they had seen the adver-
tisement and were afraid of nothing;
and overjoyed, Moses gave them the
keys, and bid them do their best, |
even if the rats did squeak and rat
tie behind the wainscot not to fancy
ghosts about them And that night
it was known that three strangers
were to sleep in Moses Pocketfull's
haunted house, to prove that the
ghost either had departed or never
had been there at all
They were young men, full of fun
and not in the least apprehensive of
any supernatural visitation. To Sc
cure their comfort they conveyed to
the haunted house large mattress
and sundry blankets, and having
eaten hearty supper in the desolate
kitchen. retired and slept.
Their slumbers were deep, and the
rats scampered and the shutters flap.
ped without awakening them for
long time.
But at last the soundest sleeper of
the tnree was startled from his
slumbers by cries of terror from his
own companions, and when sufficient
ly awakened to know what was pas
sing around him, found himself alone.
Something had evidently alarmed
his comrades for they had flown,
leaving him quite alone.
Starting to his feet, he followed
them, overcome with terror which he
could not explain to himself, longing
for human presence for relief and
not daring to remain alone in the
empty room. He descended the
stairs, calling upon his friends, but
hearing no reply, and stood at last
in the empty kitchen. The moon
light lay across it, for the window
and door were both wide open and
in the mellow beams stood an object
which curdled the blood of the spec
tator. The spectral form of o wo-
man, tall and gaunt, holding babe
to her bosom, and looking at him
with hollow eyes which seemed to
pierce him through and through.
The young man stood still.
at is true then," he thought,
'ssuch things are seen by mortal eyes.
Will it speak to me? Will it ap-
proach me?" and even as these
thoughts were in his mind, the spec
tire moved, coming toward him with
swift, gliding motion, keeping her
eyes upon his face, and vanished in
the darkness. gu
But the moment that it passed bim
he stretched out his hand and caught
at it. His fingers closed upon sub
stance-upon the rough fringe OF a
woolen shawl, and on the instant his
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