Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-10-23
SAM. WARDS GHOST.
ny spuyTrNpuYvEb.


"THIs reminds me a good DEAL said
Corporal Sam Ward, " of the night ] en-
countered the ghost"
FLOWS that?"
"Storyl"
Let's have IL, Sam
Such were some of the remarks that fol- |
lowed Sans opening conversation. We
were squad of the --th cavalry, and
were gathered round the bivouac fire.
The regiment had been turned, in the
midst of severe rain, into low fiat
meadow, which was already an incipient
morass, to bivouac for the night, and, as
lying down was out of the question, we
had contrived TO construct rude benches OF
perchcs of fence rails on which we were
"roosting" like so many birds around our
fire. We had eaten what had to pass mus
ter for a supper, had managed to light our
pipes, and voting sleep impossible, had re-
solved to make night of it.
II was raining with a fierceness never
seen except in the South, and occasional
flashes of the most vivid Lightning, with
their accompanying peals of thunder,
made up night such as ghosts, hobgob-
Inns and witches are said to delight in, but
not the sort of night for picnic I'm
der the circumstances it may readily be i'm
agined that the prospect Of story from
Sam was hailed with eager delight by us
ALL Having taken preliminary pull at
the canteen, that veracious rGc0nteur COM
menced.
"Well, it was good deal such a night
as this, as l said, that / saw the ghost. l
was travelling then in Canada, buying cat
tie, and every time made trade with
farmer, had to go in the house and drink
with HIM. You see they are all Scotch
Irish about there, and had natural taste
for the 'crater on both sides. / used to
ride round the country and buy the cattle,
and appoint a day when they should come
to town and deliver them, and then it was
my turn to treat. ...
81 had been to a good many farms that
day, and as natural consequence, you see,
he'd drank heap of whisky, so it isn't
strange took the wrong road, and found
myself late at night some twenty miles
| from town and wet to the bone. Fortu-
nately, when made the discovery, was
near country tavern, where was well
known, and you may be sure didn't lose
much time in getting to it. Honest Tom
Guest, a fulfilled, red.faced Englishman
who kept it, came out to the door himself
to receive me, and in less than no time l
found myself in front Of the rousing fire
in the bar-room, with tumbler of hot
punch in my hand, while my horse was
being cared for in the stable. Ry the time
1 had got into dry suit of Toms clothes,
which were big enough to have allowed
of my taking in partner in them, eaten a
hearty supper of ham and eggs, and seated
myself again before the fire, with pipe
in my mouth, and plenty of grog on the
table, you may be sure l didn't care much
for storms.
Except the usual crowd of settlers,
there was no one there but Tom, l, and
Nip.
NIP was Toms dog, big, square,
heavy ,iawed, uglylooking brute, with
the funniest stump of tail you ever saw.
"Pm very glad to see you, Muster
Ward said Tom; but why didn't you
come earliery I've got ne'er an empty bed
in the house
"No empty beds, Tomg How's that p
You see this tavern was big rambling
concern, that looked as if it might hold a
regiment, but, like good many country
taverns, its roominess was more apparent
than real. SO Tom explained to me that
a travelling party had been driven in there
by the storm, and had filed all his rooms
Here was pretty how-dedo! However
| was too thoroughly comfortable at the
moment to care much for the future.
"Just then some one spoke from the
corner:
"Why not give him the ghost ROOM
Tom?'
"Now dry up, Jem Cox said Tom
do you suppose I'd put such slight on
Muster WardY'
"But, of course, my curiosity was eX
cited by this time, and insisted on know
ing what it all meant. SO, after assuring
the unfortunate Jem Cox that he would
punch his head at the first opportunity
Tom told me, though reluctantly, how {
peddler had been murdered in the room
Immediately over us (the best room in tn,
house, by the way), some years before HI
bought the place, and ever since that hi
ghost had haunted the chamber, anC
seemed not to relish company, so tina
though many had tried, no one had beer
able to sleep there, so that now the room
was closed, and no attempt made to use ii
"' Has it a good bed, Tom !? said /.
"''Deed, it has, Muster Ward, nom
better
"'Then I'll sleep in it,
"But this proposition was negatived a
! once by him in the strongest terms. H
was really fond of me and would no
allow me the discomfort or fright, to So,
+ nothing of actual injury, which he fel
sure would follow an encounter with III
ghostship. However, you may imagin
that opposition only made me more deter
,, mined, and at last he gave in.
"Tell zee what, Muster Ward said ht
If you really will sleep there all night
I'll give zee ten dollars-dang me, if
doantr
( This offer, and certain looks l say
I passing between those around me-, mad
me little less eager than l had been a
first; not that feared the ghost, but bt
gan to suspect some practical joke was in
: tended at my expense. However, WASH
? going to back out, so said:
, al don't want your money, Tom; br
if you'll have the bed well aired, and lC
: me take Nip with me, I'll sleep there, an
Z I the devils in 1t if l don't get good night
! rest
"You see had been there so much Nj
would obey me nearly as well as lie woul
: Tom himself
a "What, take the dawgg' said Ton
!, = AYE, and welcome, but you'll see he won
y stay
"I'l risk that, answered.
80 it was arranged, and after som
: more punch, and an immense amount {
/ wondering on the part of those present,
!. whistled Nip, who, at sign from Ton
followed me willingly TO my room. A
|, has been said it was directly over the ba
! and was large square room, with viii
/ dows ON two sides, the door being ON til
!. third, and the bed on the fourth. Abol
n the middle of one side, and nearly opp,
site the door, was the chimney, but, instea
of a fireplace, the room contained stoY
/. one of those square box affairs.
"Well, went in-Nip after mean
having locked and bolted the door, an
u dragged heavy washstand before it,
t prepared to investigate matters. You st
I. didn't fear the ghost at all, but couldn
d get rid of the idea that some joke woul
9 be attempted by those outside. The doc
I being secure, my next move was to scare
81, a