Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-01-07
The Rest Christmas story OF the Season
From the Baltimore American, LIST

From the Baltimore American, list
Towards midnight on Thursday gen
tieman residing on Cooke street near Ca
rey. while vending his way home received
such a shock to his nervous system as to
compel him to keep his bed during yester-
day. He had been in the city during the
night of Thursday enjoying himself with
a few convivial friends, and after quitting
one of the city cars at Pennsylvania aVen-
ne terminus, started across the commons
for his home Luna scared high in the
heavens, but the light from her lamp being
on the wane:our hero found but little guide
for his feet, and by the time he had reach
ed the vicinity of the old Catholic burial
ground he had managed to wander into
half dozen mud holes. When directly
opposite the graveyard his ears were salu-
ted with q most unearthly sound, and IN
an instant his mind was filled with horrld
fancies of COLLINS, sc. The potations that
he had imbibed during the evening in
creased his ideas to a wonderful extent,
and casting his eyes towards the spot from
whence the sound proceeded he was con-
tident that he perceived ghost stalking
towards him. His mind was now fully
made up that an uneasy spirit was leaving
its tenement Of clay and wished to COM
municate with him, but, he not being in
communicative mood, started on a full
another sound moro sOnorous and terlfy-
ing than the one which had irst engaged
his attention fell upon his ear. With q
| bound he was off like q meteor, but alas
for him his troubles had but just COM
menced. After running for about one
hundred yards, plump he went into a
ditch, and in an instant he was founder
ing in thick yellow mud, and in his di-
lemma, instead of backing out Of the diff
| no oh oh nd a
sequence was that he waded entirely across
the ditch, and at times up to his waist
in mud. During this tramp he did
not fail to keep up lively fusilade Of roars
for help, but the locality being but sparse
~ inhabited, no help arrived. After
emerging from the mud-hole he again star
| ted on run, but made slow time, owing
to the heavy condition of his clothing. He
was just congratulating himself that his
troubles were ended, when he performed d
feat worthy Of the most skilled acrobat II
the land. In his flight he had failed tc
| notice that he was nearing the brink OF al
excavation, and headlong he rushed into
the opening. Fortunately, the bank was
not very high, but down he came into
another puddle Of mud. In due course O.
time he reached his homo, and found hi
wife sitting up for him; but when he pre-
sented himself before that good lady hi
came more frightened than WAS the hus
band when the sepulchral sounds greeted
him at the yard, The wife gave on,
look at the muddy form before her, and il
an instant her terrified screams not onl.
aroused the inmates of the house, but thu
neighbors became likewise affected, an(
in less than five minutes there was livel.
scene of confusion. The wife ran into thu
street. exerting her lungs in the most live
ly manner, while the servants of the unfor
tunate gentleman rushed from the place II
terror. declaring that "the ID had come
sure" Peace, however, was finally re
stored in the household, and yesterda.
morning the causes which SO frightened
the gentleman when he was passing tn
graveyard were explained. On Tuesda.
last white horse had been left to die in {
lot adjoining the cemetery, and as the gen
tleman alluded to in this affair was passing
the grounds, poor Dobbin, probably sur
missing that a doctor was coming, gave
groan and partially raised his body from
the earth. His white appearance was mis-
taken for the outlines of a veritable ghost
and hence the fright of the thorough.
scared gentleman