The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-07-16

In moment the phantom turned again, |
and crept into the broken doorway, stoop- |
ing as she retired. Several minutes
elapsed, and concluding that she had col |
Iapstd or worn out her vaporous strength,
1 was in the act of leaving the place when
she came through the opening OF the
doorway and crevices between the logs.
Then, after walking or floating about
while, her light went out and she became
thinner, and finally disappeared. The
shape of the apparition was such that 1t
was easy for an imaginative person 10 see
in it the form of sad-faced or angry
eyed, restless woman. Then how easy
to create legend filled with details OF
mysterious murder, and make TINS the
unhappy victim, whose shadow must
haunt the place OF her taking OH unll,
her names are appcased in some legal
and effective manner But my evidence
makes this baseless fabric of a vision
the mere result of the vaporous exhaia-
tions of a compost-pile. had very
fine pair of field-glasses, and l could see
clearly the effects produced by the stream
of air when it came in contact with the
compost. The vapOr began at that mo-
ment to arise, and this result would oc-
cur i'm all seasons. Then the luminous
lets and variegated colors sprang up from
| the warm laboratory wherein Nature
chemistry was at work, and lnally lhe
thin yaporous cloud, which really had not
any definite shape. was carried at tle ca
price of the soft zephyr winds which mt
fed about. but did not blow sufficiently
strong to carry this heavier body out OF
the regular draughts through the open
ings of the dilapidated house.
One of the most noted haunted places
in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, once
attracted my special attention. The 10
cality, house and surroundings were IA
NOUS because of the strange noises ahG
lights which had given the place its bad
reputation. Many persons had seen ahG
fled from these visions, and affrlghteO
people constantly reported the strangesl
and most unaccountable circumstances
concerning what had occurred TO them
while passing by or near the ObnO1lolk
Mace. A trip thither one night disclosed
70 me the fact that it was the resort OF {
marty of gamblers, who employed certain
means and appliances to brighten away th'
curious and to prevent them from expos
inc the mysteries of the place. Among
their paraphernalia was an lnstrumen
known by bows under the name OF a To-
(, cast. The hideOus scraping noise Whlci
this makes when in operation is calculated
, to make any one fly from the vlcinlt.
where it is set in motion, especially Whel
this occurs at midnight in a suspected
place. These persons were also PROVIDED
with hideous masks made of particulars
paper, pumpkins, hair. cOw-tallS ana otne
articles. Colored lights were also pre-
sented. sometimes suddenly, and again q
illuminate the apertures through whlcl
these mysterious appearances were mad'
visible to the scared community.
After the exposure of the follies OF su
perstition it may prove an amusing con
fession on my part when L acknowledg
TO have a tinge of the same leaven III IN
! composition. A special instance i'll wine
, this crops out is with regard to rim
! which wear, and whose appearance L o
/, ten consult with certain weak faith III II
| indications. 1t was given to me by
: craclz-brained chemist who ruined hin
! self with drink and the search Tor III
! philosophers stone. The Jewel
: encircles was made by him in his labor;
tory. and he assured me 1t contained par
o of the iron employed in making certai
lannon's articles that are held in high ven,
, ration throughout the world; sand frOl
/ the Dead Sea, and clay from the pits
r Baradetha on the banks of the River Jol
a dan: and ashes of the bones of suicide
|, all cemented with the blood of the chen
q ist himself. The stone is certainly a sIl
o gular composition in appearance and p
q culiarities. Often | find it grayish
o. black. dull and gloomy to the apprehel
? sion. The lines on its surface and II
q shadows in its depths are hidden and
p most invisible. Anon the cOlOrs becOn
q lively as the tints on fresh painting. III
green becomes a glittering emerald, II
y brown a bright russell, the gray sparkle
g with innumerable points of stellated ira
!, lures, the veins and flocculent clouds a.
/ pear floating in its depths, and the bloc
# marks are bright and clear as the erin
> son tide whence it had its origin. Il
n dav it is all brightness. But few Ga.
e ago it was as dark as the brow OF a tel
L pest. All its lines and shadows we
v gathered into a thick gray cloud, al
"a the surface was black like the graln'
# texture of Grape. did not like 10 Loo
+ Oh the jewel, for there was no hope
IS comfort in its utterances. The sky w
Il gloomy, the rain descended, cold win
were blasting all they touched, and t
-, demons of the storm held the glamO
y, ~ of their might over the stone and M
70 self =,
le | well>know that the stone is affected
= the electrical conditions of my perso
- - so when l am bilious and the weather
y productive of melancholy feelings, t
~ ring absorbs my mood and is as dull
.. my own torpidity. In the sunshine a
Z brightness of my own vivacity 1t tab
y from me the light, and reflects I
10 warmth of my heart. Thus explain I
~ philosophy of this strange stone, yet
latent faith in superstition makes me We
p If &c O charm Il E. NdOLs, in ,JuLU Il
re pincotfs.