The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-10
MISCELLANY.
One Ghost Explained.

In a famous haunted house on the
road between Yellow Springs and Xenia,
O., superstitious exhibitions were spec
tally noted. The people throughout
that region hesitated to speak about the
place, and its peculiarities were mention
ed in whispers. Hence my curiosity
was aroused, and after preparing my self
to resist any danger that might occur
from the presence of desperate charac-
tiers, proceeded to the place and pro-
vided an excellent point for viewing the
premises. 1t would have been tedious
business to wait until midnight, the time
when ghosts are said to appear. But /
did not have to wait so long. About
eleven O'Clock a warm stream of air
blew up from the South over a creek
and a quarter of a mile or more of rich,
black, warm bottom-land. As the vapor
struck the hillside it condensed, and lit
| tie flying balloons of mist flew hither
and thither. The warm air. fingered
over and fermented an old pile of COM
post, decaying straw, and few old boards
that were lying about. Then there arose
a vaporous, luminous body which with
its base on the ground and conical or
round, fiery, cloud-like head in the air,
took the shape of a woman. Crimson
and livid blook-like spots and streaks
were on her neck and scattered over her
dress. She waved her hands, and her
| hair hoated about in clouds of light,
while her eyes glittered like the cold
moon. Rising slowly from her hideous
/ bed, the spectre moved hither and thith-
er, as if the wind toyed with her and
she cared not whittier she was taken.
At last she started as if to visit me in
my retreat; then turning corner of the
stable, she nearly disappeared, there be-
ing nothing left visible but a long dirty
white trail. In a moment the phantom
turned again, and crept into the broken
doorway, STOPPING as she retired. .
Several minutes elapsed, and conclud-
ing that she had collapsed or worn out
her vaporous strength, was in the act
of leaving the place when she came
through the opening of the doorway
and erevices between the logs. Then,
after walking or floating about awhile
her light went out and she became thin
ner, and finally disappeared. The shape
of the apparation was such that it was
easy for an imaginative person to see in
it the form OF sadfaced or angry-eyed
restless woman. Then how easy to create
legend filled with details of a myster.
ious murder, and make this the unhap
py. victim, whose shadow must haunt
the place of her taking off until hel
names are appeased in some legal anc
effective mannerl But my evidenct
makes this baseless fabric of vision
the mere result of the vaporous exhala
tions of q compost-pile. l had very
fine pair of feld-glasses, and could se'
clearly the effects produced by the stream
of air when it came in contact with th'
compost. The vapor began at that mo
meDt to arise, and this result woult
+ occur in all seasons. Then tn,
! luminous jets and variegated color
sprang up from the warm laborator,
wherein natures chemistry was at work
and finally the thin, vaporous cloud
which really had not any definite shape
was carried at the caprice of the sof
zephyr winds which fitted about, bu
did not blow sufficiently strong to carr,
this heavier body out of the regula
draughts through the openings of tn
dilapidated house.-From "Saperstitiou
Credulity." 6yI. E. Nagle, an Lippincott
! Magazine for July.