American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-06-29
Miscellany.
A GHOST IN COURT.

A GHOST IN COURT.
EARLY in the last century, Honore Mi
rabel, a peor laborer on the estate of
family named Gay, near Marseilles
France, invoked the protection of the law
under the following extraordinary cir
cumstances:
He declared that, while lying under ar
almond tree, late one night, striving to
sleep, he suddenly noticed a man of re
markable appearance standing, in the full
moonlight, at the window of a neighbor
ing house. Knowing the house to be I'M
occupied, he rose to question the in
truder, when the latter disappeared. A
ladder being at hand, Mirabel mounted to
the window. and, on entering, found no
one. Struck with feeling of terror, he
descended the ladder with all speed, and
had barely touched the ground, when a
voice at his back accOsted him:
"Pertuisan" Che was of Pertuis), ''there
is large treasure buried close at hand.
Dig, and it is yours"
A small stone was dropped on the ter
race, as if to mark the spot alluded to.
For reasons not explained, the favored
Mirabel shrank from pursuing the adven-
ture alone, but communicated with a
friend, enc Bernard, laborer in the en-
plOy VI the IdTmeIcSS his lauy
being admitted to their confidence, the
three assembled next night at the place
indicated by the specter, and, after dig
ging to a considerable depth, came upon
a large parcel wrapped in many folds of
linen. Struck with the pick ak, it return
ed Enthusiastically the melodious sound of
coin; but the filthy, and, as Paret sug-
gested, plague strich en- appearance of the
covering, checked their eager curiosity,
until, having been conveyed home and
well soaked in wine, the parcel was open
ed, and revealed to their delighted gaze
more than a thousand large old-pieces,
subsequently ascertained to be Portu-
guese.
1t was remarkable, yet SO it was, that
Mirabel was allowed to retain the whole
of the treasure. Perhaps his friends felt
some scruple in interfering with the man
ifest intentions of the ghost. But Mira
bel was not much the happier for it. He
feared for the safety of his wealth-he
prevailing laws respecting treasure
trove" were peculiarly explicit, and it was
questionable how far the decision of the
ghost might be held to override them.
In France, OF treasure found in the
highway half belonged to the king, half
to the finder. If in any other public
place, half to the high justiciary, half to
the finder. If discovered by magical
arts, the whole to the king, with penalty
upon the finder If when discovered the
treasure was concealed from the proprie-
tor of the ground, the finder forfeited his
share. To these existing claims the phan-
tom had made no allusion. In his per-
plexity, honest Mirabel bethought him of
another friend, one Auguier, a substan-
tial tradesman of Marseilles.
The advice of this gentleman was that
the secret should be vigorously confined
to those who already knew it, while he
himself (Auguier) was prepared to devote
himself, heart and soul, to his friends
best interests, lend him any cash he
needed $50 as to obviate the necessity of
changing the foreign money, attend him
whithersOver he went, and, in fine, be-
come his perpetual solace, monitor and
guard.
To prevent the possibility of his mo-
tives being misinterpreted, the worthy
Auguier took occasion to exhibit to his
friend casket, in which was visible
much gold and silver coin, besides a
jewel or two of some value.
The friendship thus happily inaugu-
rated grew and strengthened, and Mirabel
came to the prudent resolution of intrust-
ing the whole treasure to the custody of
his friend, and appointed a place and time
for that purpose.
met with an acquaintance, Gaspard De-
leuil, whom--Auguier being already in
sight-Mirabel requested to wait for him
at the side of thicket; then, going for
ward, he handed to the trusty Auguier
two sealed bags, one of them secured
with red ribbon, the other with blue,
and received in return an instrument con-
ceived in the following satisfactory terms:
II acknowledge myself indebted to Honore Mi
ahe1t wpn fv audI iyres T IN
pay on demand acquitting him, moreover, of forty
Hvree which he owes me. Done at Marseilles, this
seventh Of September.
(Signed) "LoUIs AuGuIER''
The little matter settled, Mirabel re-
joined Deleuil, and next day departed for
his native village. After starring it there
for few weeks, the man of wealth re-
visited Marseilles, and, having passed a
jovial evening with his friend and banker,
Auguier, was on his way home, when,
at dark part of the road, he was set
upon by powerful ruffian. who dealt
him several blows with some sharp
weapon, flung him to the ground and es-
capped. Fortunately the wounds proved
superficial.
This incident begat certain suspicion
in the mind of Mirabel. AS soon as he
was able, he repaired to Marseilles, and
demanded of Auguier the return of his
money OF liquidation of the bond His
What an extraordinary application was
here! Money, What money? He indig
nantly denied the whole transaction. Mi
rabel was mad
To establish his sanity, and at the same
time refresh the memory of his friend,
Mirabel without further ceremony APP
pealed to the law, and in due course the
lieutenant-criminal with his officer, made
his appearance at the house of Auguier
to conduct the perquisition. Search be-
ing made on the premises no money was
found; but there were discovered two
bags and red ribbon, which were identi-
fed by Mirabel as those which he had de-
livered to his friend.
The account given by the latter differed
in some material particulars from that Of
Mirabel. He had enjoyed, indeed, some
casual acquaintance with that gentleman.
They had dined together once at his
(Auguier's) house. lie had accepted the
hospitality of Monsieur Mirabel, as often,
at tavern. He had advanced that gen
tleman "A crown. Mirabel had spoken of
a ghost and money, and had talked of
placing the latter in his charge. At
present he had, however, limited his con-