American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-07-25

me in my retreat; then turning Il corner
of the stable she nearly disappeared,
there being nothing left visible but Il
long dirty-white trail. In IL moment the
phantom turned again and crcpt into the
broken doorway, STOPPING she re
tired. Several minutes elapsed, and con
Guiding that she had collapsed or worn
out her vaporous strength l was in the
act of leaving the place when she came
through the opening of the doorway and
crcviccs 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 it was easy
for an imaginative person to see in it the
form of II sad -faced or angry-eycd, rest
less woman. Then how easy to create Il
legend filled with details of mysterious
murder and make this the unhappy vic
tim, whose shadow must haunt the place
of her taking off until her names are APP
pcased in some legal and effective man
ncr, But my evidence makes this base
less fabric of vision the mere
result of the vaporous civilizations
of compost pile. l had very
fine pair of field glasses, and 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-
mcnt to arise, and the result would oc-
cur in all seasons Then the luminous
Jets and variegated colors sprang up
from the warm laboratory wherein Ma
lures chemistry was at work, and finally
the thin. vaporous cloud which really had
not any definite shape was carried at the
caprice of the soft zephyr winds which
fitted about, but did not blow sufficient
Iy strong to carry this heavier body out
of the regular draughts through the
openings of the dilapidated house
One of the most noted haunted places
in Lancaster County, Pa, once attracted
my special attention. The locality, house
and surroundings were famous because
of the strange noises and lights which
had given the place its bad reputation.
Many persons had seen and fled from
these visions, and atfrighted people con
stantly reported the strangest and most
unaccountablc circumstances concerning
what had occurred to them while passin q
by or near the obnoxious place. n trip
thither one night disclosed to me the fact
that it was the resort of party
of gamblers, who employed certain
means and appliances to brighten
away the curious and prevent them from
exposing the mysteries of the place.
Among their paraphernalia was an in
of IL toctst. The hideous scraping noise
which this makes when in operation is
calculated to made any one fly from the
vicinity where it is set in motion, espe-
cially when this occurs at midnight in Il
suspected place. These persons were
also provided with hideous masks made
of parti-colorcd paper, pumpkins, hair,
cOwtails and other articles. COlOred
lights were also presented, sometimes
suddenly, and again to illuminate the
apertures through which these mysterious
arn adj vi n q
scared community.
After this exposure of the fOllies of
superstition it may prove an amusing
confession on my part when l acknow[
edge to having Il tinge of the same
leaven in my composition. A special
instance in which this crops out is with
regard to ring which | wear, and whose
appearance often consult with "A certain
weak faith in its indications. 1t was
given to me by crack-brained chemist
who ruined himself with drink and the
search for the philosophers stone. The
jewel it encircles was made by him in
his laboratory, and he assured me it con-
tanned parts of the iron employed in
making certain famous articles that are
held in high veneratiOn throughout the
world; sand from the Dead Sea, and clay
from the pits of Baradetha, on the banks
of the river Jordan; and ashes of the
the blood of the chemist himself. The
stone is certainly il singular composition
in appearance and peculiarities. Often
find it grayish or black, dull and gloomy
to the apprehension. The lines on its
surface and the shadows in its depth are
hidden and almost invisible. Anon the
colOrs become light and lively as the
tints on fresh painting. The green be
comes glittering emerald, the brown Il
bright russell, the gray sparklcs with in
Vulnerable points of stellated fractures,
the veins and flacculent clouds appear
floating in its depths, and the blood
marks are bright and clear as the Grim
son tide whence it had its origin. To
day it is all brightness. But few days
ago it was as dark as the brow of Il
tempest. All its lines and shadows were
gathered into thick gray cloud, and
the surface was black like the grained
texture of Grape. | did not like to look
on the jewel, for there was no hope or
comfort in its utterances. The sky was
gloomy, the rains descended, cold winds
were blasting all they touched, and the
demons of the storm held the glamour
of their might over the stone and myself.
| well know that the stone is affected
by the electrical conditions of my per
son; SO when am bilious and the wealth
cr is productive of melancholy feelings
the ring absorbs my mood and is AS dull
as my own torpidity. In the sunshine
and brightness of my own vivacity it
takes from me the light and reflects the
warmth of my heart. Thus | explain the
philosophy of this strange stone, yet a
latent faith in superstition makes me
wear it as ii charm.-I. Il. Nogte, IN LIP
pincot's 4Wogozine.