The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-03-09
A WOODEN LEGGED GHOST
A Real True Story. Spirituality and
its Agents.
Correspondence n. Y. Times.

Correspondence N Y. Times.
In my Times of this morning, in an
editorial article, was forcibly struck
with the remark, that
Most people turn willing ear to
every revelation of the marvellous. SUI
perstition and credulity can scarcely be
regarded as salient features Of our nine
teenth century civilization, and vet few
OF us would like to confess how, after we
have given our faith of the supernatural
Ghost stories. which have not lost their
secret charm for the wisest as well as
the simplest. Of course, in the light
OF science and Of reason, all these things,
are nonsense but after all, it is a nom
sense for which we cannot help keeping
soft spot in our hearts,
| think it was Charles Lamb who
reasoned that science had established the
Fact that the subject of ghosts was not a
theory, or anything of that indefinite
sort, and he worked it OUT In this
way:
1T is now admitted to be scientific
truth, that at the end of every seventh
year OF every mans life, or every wo-
mans llfe, not particle of physical hu-
mainly remains in their system which
was ID it seven years before"
Every seven years, therefore, a man
or woman is "not that man. or woman.
but another man or woman. Every
seven years there has been peeled off
from each concentric ring, as from the
concentrlc ring of an onion, shadowy
representative of the Individual person,
which IS wandering in space, increasing
by one at the end of every seven wears.
And this was Lambs theory of ghosts.
Every seven years mans ghost left
nlm' to appear afterward anywhere, and
at any time, and mo questions asked"
OF cold night, as in the poor buried
klng OF Denmark's case. Now. reader,
has not this thought, so forcibly express
ed by Joanna Bailey, sometimes entered
your mind?
Shall the departed gaze-on thee again,
Shall glide past thee in the noontde hour
And thou perceive it notl or think'st perhaps
rris but the mournful breeze that passes byl"
Sitting beside winter fire of an even
ing in roundabout chair upon soli-
tarS hearth, in house where the un-
wonted sound of footstep is to be heard
only after the summons of bell, have
you never encountered those minister
ing spirits?' | think you have l know
you have.
The fact is, that there is not one fami-
~ in ten but has its traditionary ghost
story, which, when narrated to the group
that gathers round the winter fireside,
excites, according to the age and char
acter of the listeners, terror, sympathy,
doubt, incredibly and ridicule. Still
the old story is kept alive, and cherished
in after life; for it pertains to that world
of untried being, which approaches to-
ward US with its slow and noiseless but
irresistible and overwhelming move
ment.
The incident narrated below, by an
old friend and correspondent of mine, was
told first to me at his own most hospita-
BILE hearth, aud afterwar6, at my earnest
request, reduced to writing, from which
the present narrative is greatly reduced,
yet contains in compact form, all that is
necessary for the full understanding of
the reader. The important point made
by Lamb, as to the eccentric theory of
escaped ghosts, lin rings.) every seven
years, in wooden leg, which does not
expand, and bourgeon. and fade, and
vanish, In shadow with the human sys-
tem-s'that is the question. The very
remarkable incident took place in the
Island of Dominica, in relation to which
promises to increase as time goes on.
During period of considerable ex-
element, arising from season of great
mortality among the inhabitants Of the
island, in the year.-a veteran Scot
fish regiment was stationed upon the