, 1874-01-04

1eAtuIEA u A4t &AoAV4A otoEo3 o@A VIZ -~-
present time. His appearance in Chicago is
noteworthy event, which will undoubtedly DO
appreciated.
CHRISTMAS sPO0Ks AND HOLIDAY hYs-
TERIEs.
Christmas time usually brings stock OF staple
ghost stories with the holiday numbers of the
various magazines, which. like the cid parsons
barrel of sermons, might be turned over and re-
commenced every few yeare. This yeor the
magazine spoozs have not had the field entirely
to themselyea, There have been ghostly appa-
ritions sn6 genuine mysteries throughout the
length and breadth of the land, from h1aine to
California. California had a characteristic and
realistic ghost that might have been tho hero OF
another Idyl Of Red Gulch. had not some IRON
listed iconoclast brought him to grief.
He emerged from Cimmerian darkness, after
tho visit of q spiritualistic medium to bis
ncielborhood, and 1oamed about ut all hours OF
the night, in top-boots, With seyen-shooter On
one side and 0 bowie-knife on tho other, making
yociferous demand for ''more Ein," and then
disappeared. It Was subsequently aRcertained
that be had tue jim-jams, aud the disappointed
people Of that region were again thrown upon
the resources OF their own superstition for
supernatural entertainment. Buffalo was like
expreseman was the hero Of the wondrous tails.
Ha used to return to his former terrrostia abode,
sit down upon tie bed, pull OF his boots, and go
through the usual routine Of life in the body,
md his spirit bade fair at ono rimo to rouse the
Bufralouians from their customary sloth, when
some ruthless fellow traced the story as 3ar as
tho mans widow, and found that it had all
grown up on tho basolass fabric Of q vision.
Like fond wife, she had dreamed dream OF
her husband after he had been dead couple OF
weeks, and it WAS this dream that had been duly
exaggerated BY repetition into drst-class ghost.
Rochester seems to lead all her contempo1a-
ries in sensational literature. Two OF the sub
urban villages OF that suburban community have
furnished matefial enough to startle the country
all about. In Avon, IN unmarried woman named
Eleanor Bonucy, whose weight (215 pounds)
precludcs all suspicion Of light or trivial pur-
1850. sometime since announced her Intention
Of demonstrating to the world that even q
mountain Of solid flesh may melt, and Jet
cougeal again into q solid and compact mass.
She gathered her friends about her, Issued
her instructions, laid out programme
for her trance-lfe. aud proceeded to un-
dcrgo IN exaggerated Danting systom by ab
solutely refusing to partako OF any food. She
then .ay down on the bed, gaspcd convulsircly
few minutes, and ceased to breathe This was
tho 10th Of last November nearly two months
ago. Her friends according to her instructions,
still keep tho body, and insist that she IL not
dead but sleeping. Certain e7ents which Miss
Bonney predicted arc said to have happened.
For instance, she said that, after given time,
her tongue would protrude, there would be
slight ef1usion OF blood from her nos
t1ils, her body would turn black, and
her eyes would project out OF her
bend. all Of which Is said to have como
about. She wsa also to lose fifty pounds, which
LOSS she could very we'll afford to sustain. Even
modification was to set in. aud, II the testimony
Of the Coroner may be accepted, this has COM
mencea. Still her relatives and friends have
faith, and propose to keep her till the end OF six
months from tho time of her apparent deceaso,
by which time, according to her Own promise.
ela is to come back 2nd be Of the earth, earthly.
II Miss Donney keeps her promise in thus re-
spect, she will have carved out conspicuous
place for herself in trauce-1teratu1o. It
ia to be hoped that she will not
come out as badly as tie San Fran
cilco Young woman, Miss Collins, who pro-
feseed some time since to have been visited in
her trance By the Virgin Mary, and who ezhib-
l,cd the e..gmata," or the marks OF the cruci-
Gxion, on 3, head, feet. and temples,
although she had never been cruciGed- lnyesti-
CATION in Miss Collins case has shown finally
that her etignata were produced by her own
nails, with which she picked at her flesh for the
purpose Of making the faithful believe thai
new miracle had been performed.
The enumeration Of the ghost stories going
the rounds just at this time might be extended
still further, il Tiers we1o any object in it; );
|
the same result, it is unnecessary to do co.
The general conclusion is, that the times
ara not favorable tor spooks, and that tho good
old holiday traditions are giving way to the
practical tendencies Of tho age. In one case, q
widow woman who has been pestered with dis
agreeable manifestations about the house, at
tr,buted to her late lamented husband. has ap-
piled to lawyer for relief. It would not be
surprisin. after this to bear Of serving out IN
injunction against ghost. This might prevail
IS against deceased husband, especially if
coupled with demand for alirnony, but We
doubt il it would reach case in Missouri, where
the first wife has come back to blight the happi-
ness OF q second marriage. He is a bold lawyer
who would undo. take such case as this.
THE WASHINGTON HoRsEWH1PPMG CASE.
raaa NJ parenta1 ciaciDloe YaS recently made