Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-04-01
The Sergeant's Ghost Story.

The Sergeant's Ghost Story.
Everybody or nearly everybody, young O
DID, gloves a ghost story. 1t is not neces
, sary to believe in its truth to derive enjoy
ment from it, The more inexplicable it ap
pears to our ordinary reason, the create
the charm that it exercises. Incredulit
itself is pleased by a flight into tn
regions of the wonderful and the su
pernatural, as is evident from the salts
faction derived by people of all ages ant
nations from fairy tales, which nobod,
accepts for truth. But the fairy tale on
ly appeals to the Imagination. The ghos
story goes deeper into the mysterious
fountains of human nature, and touche.
on the confines of the great undiscovered
land OF spirits, whose secrets are not to b.
divulged on this side of the grave
Hence its charm and fascination: anC
hence everybody who reads or hears a
ghost story, experiences a satisfaction,
either IN believing in it implicitly, or il
explaining it away by natural causes.
A few years ago | travelled in a British
colony in America, The governor was
absent in England ON his holiday visit. and
the duties of his office were temporarilv
performed by the chief justice, aided by
the prime minister, or secretary of state.
was frequent guest at the Government
House, and there became acquainted with
an old soldier, one Sergeant Monaghan.
who performed the part of orderly or
messenger, and sometimes waited at ia
bic when the governor had company. The
manners of a colony are free and easy,
and learning that the old soldier was a
thorough believer in ghosts, and had one
ghost story which he was fond of telling.
l invited him to my room, treated him to
cigar and glass of grog, gave him a
seat by the blazing wood fire, and prevail
ed upon him to evolve the story once
again out of the coils of his memory. |
repeat it, as nearly as I can, in his own
words.
You see, said Sergeant Monaghan.
" Tim OLoghlin was delicate and weak
sort of boy He had hada love affair in
Ireland that weighed on his mind. He
was kind of cousin of mine, and served
IN my regiment as private Perhaps he
would have risen to be a sergeant if he
had lived, but, as | said, he was not
strong. You may have noticed that from
the gate of Government House, where
the sentry-box stands, you can see into
the battle-ground on the opposite side of
the road. Not a cheerful situation for
Government House. But, however, all
the best rooms look into the garden at
the back, and the governor need not see
much of the burial ground, except when
he goes in and out. One foggy night.
Tim . L0ghlin was stationed as sentry at
House 1t was full moon at
the time, and the light upon the white
warm mist that lay like an immense blan-
ket over the earth, shone weak and
watery. ike. 1t was not a very thick fog,
and did not hide objects at the distance
of hundred yards, but only revealed
them to make them look larger than they
really were. i was in the guard-roOm
my pipe, comfortably as | am
now (elther pipe or a cigar, it. all the
same to Sergeant Monaghan. if the bac-
cy's good, when who should walk in but
Tim OLoghlin, with face of such wild,
black, dismal terror, as [ never saw before
an hour before his time to be relieved of
duty, and in leaving his post he had COM
United very serious offence. | ordered
him back to his post, but he sat down by
the fire, and doggedly refused to stir.
I" What's the matter with you, Tim p
said [. Are you unwell? And why did
YOU come off duty? And it's [ myself
that II have to renort Won
on may report-you must report;
but | will not go back again, though |
be shot for it. | have seen him.
So Him ?-and who is him?'
8" Him Why Captain Percival. He
came close up to me, and pointed to a
man in the burial ground digging a grave
next to his own
The captain had died about a month
and Tim, who was very much
attached to him-and indeed everybody
in the regiment was-had grieved very
much about his death. He had acted as
the captain servant, and had received
many fayours at his hand, and poor Tim
was a grateful crater
90 It's all nonsense, Tim, said |. go
back to your post, and in reporting yOn,
III make the best case out that | can for
you
80 Neverr said Tim, : if l be shot for
it.
"As chance and luck would have it,
the doctor happened to drop in at this
and learning the circumstances
that had induced Tim to leave his post,
questioned him fully on the subject. But
be felt Tim pulse first, and there came
over his face an expression that noticed,
but that Tim did not, which said very
plainly to me that he did not like the
beat of it Tim was confident that he
had seen Captain Percival, and that the
captain pointed out the grave which
nan was digging alongside of his own,
md had distinctly told him that he was to
be buried there as soon as the grave was
fulte ready.
80 And you saw the man digging the
yrave?' asked the doctor
Distinctly, replied Tim and you
an see him too, if you go Immediately.
Do you go, sergeant, said the doc
or to me, and Ill sit with O'Loghlin
i'll you return. | think you had better
letail another sentry in his place. Is
here any brandy to be got? But stay;
t does not matter | have flask. And
O'L0ghlin, my man, you must take pull
It it; it is medicine, you know, and |
,rder it
Tim was taking a pull at the flask as
went out. / thought it possible enough
hat the grave-diggeF might be at work,
,ut did not know what to say about the
.aptain, except 70 think, perhaps, that
Tim had been dreaming, and fancied be
aw things that had no existence, | got
nto the burial ground without difficulty
he gate was not fastened-and went |
itraight to the grave of Captain Percival. !
There stood the gravcstone, sure enough,