The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-24
QheQmteIliqeuter:
GLIMPsES OF GHOsTLAND.
tFfon LIppIncott'S MaglzIns)

(FrOn LIpplncottS HAgIzine)
It Is no longer the fashion 10 SCOT al
tales of the supernatural. On the contra
nv, there Is a growing tendency 10 in
yestigate subjects which were formerly
pooh ,poohed by most persons claiming
10 be well informed and capable Of rca-
soning. 1t Is, however, without pro
pounding any theory or advancing any
opinion that record 0feW instances o
apparently supernatural, or at least in-i
rxplicAble, occurrences. ! can Vouch
for the truth Of nearly all the stories l
um about TO relate, one Of them only not
being either my personal experience or
narrated TO me by some one OF the actors
in the scene.
My first story shall be one that was
told TO me by an aged lady who was
one Of the friends OF my youth, and
who often mentioned this strange Incl.
dent Of her placid, yet busy lite, She
WAS sensible, practical woman, the last
person in the world likely TO be led astray
by an overhCated imagination or deceived
by authorizations. HGr early youth had
been pissed in the country, her father be-
ing wealthy farmer. She had formed O
close intimacy with the daughter Of O
gentleman living some distance from her
fathers farm, and the two were seldom
apart. An invitation given TO my friend
(WhOm | shall call IL to visit some
relatives in neighbOring city caused
brief separation between the two girls,
aud they parted with many protcstatIons
Of enduring affection. On tho day which
had been appointed for Mrs. LIS re.
turn she set out at the prescribed hour.
The latter part Of her journey was TO be
performed on horseback. On q bright
sunny afternoon in June she found herself
about s o'clock drawing near her fathers
house. Suddenly in tho broad road be-
tnre her she perceived 0 female form rap.
idly walking toward her, and, 10 her de.
light, recognized her friend coming, as she
thought, to meet her.
~ will make her 60 back with me and
take tea" was Mrs. L-s thought as
she whipped up her horse in her haste to
greet the dear ono, who was all the more
beloved on account OF their temporary
separation. But as she approached the
figure, and before she had had time to
speak, or indeed to do more than notice
that her friend looked very pale and III,
her horse, an unusually quiet, steady anil
NAL, seemed struck with sudden terror,
reared, SHE'D, and finally plunged into a
hollow by the roadside, from which she
had some difficulty in extricating him.
When she did succeed in bringing him
back 10 the level road she found, 10 her
establishment, that the young girl had
disappeared. Around her 10y the open
fields, before her and behind her the road
all 10 the bright lustre Of the summer
alternoon-but no trace Of tho figure
could she sec. Completely mystifed, she
hastcned homo, there 10 learn that her
friend had died suddenly that very morn
ing.
The next incident l shall narrate was
told me by German gentleman whose
mother was the heroine of tho tale. His
father had been appointed TO some public
office in q small German town; and among
tho emolumGnts Of the place was the
privilege Of residing In large, old.iash-
toned, but very handsome mansion. The
husband and wife set of in high spirit
TO inspect their new abode, to which somt
portion Of their furniture had already
been transferred. They went from room
to room, inspecting and planning, I'LL
they came TO an apartment the ceiling Of
which was deliberately decorated with
plaster Cupids. baskets Of flowers, etc.
modelled in high reliet, and with centre
piece Of unusual size and magnifcence
A small table, the only article Of furni-
iure the room contained, was placed d.
rectly under this Centre.piece. The
young wife, rather weary Of her re-
searches, was standing beside this table
and was leaning on II while she went on
talking with her husband, when suddenly
loud, imploring voice called from dowr
stairs, Caroline Caroline come doWr
TO mcconnell
"Who can that be ?" asked the husband
10 smazpment. NJ fastened all the doom
aud windows before we left the Lowell
rooms"
Again came the loud call, this tint
with an accent OF agOnized cntreaty
Caroline oh, Caroline! come down
TO come"
The young couple hCsitatel no longer
but hastencd down stairs. There was NJ
one there. Doors and windows were Sc
curely fastened, and the old house lookeC
rs solitary as when they had hrst en-
tered II.
"Vcry strange" said tho gentleman
"But now that VIC are down here, Caro-
line, suppose VIC take look at the gar
deny" SO they sailed forth 10 EXAMINE
that portion OF their new domain, bu
scarcely had they entered it when the!
were startled by loud crash within th
house. Looking up, they saw volumes o
what appeared 10 be smoke issuing iron
the window Of the room they had Jus
quilted, and fearing that the room was OF
lire, they quicklyreturned toit, There wa
no lire: what had appeared 10 be smok
was only cloud Of dust, for the massiv
and deliberately ornamental ceiling har
fallen, and the heavy cenlrG.piece ha
crushed 10 fragments the table againS
which the young vile had 30 lately bee
leaning. But for the warning voice he
destruction would have been inevitable
My informant went on 10 state that ID
pieces Of the shattered table were pre-
served as sacred relics by his parents, an
that his mother always declared that sll
had recognized in the mysterious voic
that OF a dear relative long before de
ceased
II was once my fortune TO pass som
weeks In haunted house." I was quit
young then, mere school girl In fac
and the friend whom came 10 visit wa
also very young, and both Of Us wer
too gay and frollcsome 10 care much Il
whatever was strange or startling In on
luPRNU1Ninna Moi that -,