The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-10-07
GHOST HUNTING.
NIGHTS WITH THE SHADES IN ITAL
RYR.J. Z. MATTHEWS.

1t is folly for persons to say that they O.
not believe In ghosts. Every body believes
in them. Whether there are such beings may
not be a very settled question, yet all be-
lieve In them. IL is well known principle
OF psy cholOgy that we may believe what Is
contrary to reason, experience and common
sense. The existence OF ghosts IS an intui-
tive apprehension OF the mind. This may
not be accounted for philOsophically, bat
every mind involuntarily admits the ex-
istence OF ghosts, ard everybody ex-
poets ssme time 70 see one when cir
cumstsnces favor. Everybody is afraid
of ghosts, too, let them say what
they will. There Is not enough
strength IN human nerves to stand straight
up before ghost and not shake. single
| vertebral column has not stamina sufficient
to support the franc ordinarily in the pres
ence OF ghost. A wonderful lmberness
about the Joints as surely follows the APP
pearance of a ghost before us as an overdose
of raw whisky. 1t can not be helped. A
forty-plate battery could not supply the
place OF the courage that we feel gliding
swiftly away as the gnost gradually ap.
proaches US, especially If it is dressed In
white. I have known persons WHO could
whisper In a suppressed tone while ghost
was departing away of In the dis
lance, but the power of speech Is utterly at
fault when tho ghost comes at you. The
most comfortable position to occupy while
one of the nee sSity OF sudden genufiectioDs
and appearing ridiculous before these who
do not see the ghost, If others are present.
If you are fortunately lying down wnen
you see ghost, you have nothing TO do but
lie there. IE is usually very convenient to
do so. / never like an upright encounter
with ghost. You can not run, and what
is the use of being on your feet. You can
not stand it long If you are up, SO L would
advise those who are expecting to
see ghost to assume re-
clining position as quickly as possible.
/ said everybody expects, sometime, to
see ghost. Those who have seen one ex.
pect TO see another. and, in fact, they rather
want to put themselves in the way where
the ghost is accustomed to come. 1t becomes a
sort OF manis with some persons. con-
Tess little weakness that way myself.
Ever since l sew my first ghost, / have
taken every real good opportunity TO see
another. Not that the first one was at all
| interesting. In fact, it was not. Beyond
| the raising of my hair and a cold sweat, DO
me to ghost seeipg. L have consequently
| trequeDted grayeyards at night, slept
in haunted houses, wandered through
| deserted castles, fingered in the grottos o.
/ the Sybil, and; in short, courted the visits of
the ghosts in all delicate and inOffensive
! ways. L will not say how often have met
them, but have no very great disposition
at the present writing to repeat my last ex-
perience. have never told it before, and
perhaps L would not do so now, but for the
! firm conviction that everyb body believes in
| ghosts, and likes to read a genuine and
| truthful account OF an actual appearance
| from one who is In the habit OF seeing
| ghosts. The ordinary accounts that we read
in the papers almost always come to US re-
lated by inexperienced persons. Besides
the ghosts themselves prove to be rather
of the vulgar sort-very little refine
| ohn fhana-ond ffeHQ
by rafting chains, breaking dishes, OF
making noise in unoccupiod apartments
| must express my disgust at that Glass u
! ghosts. / have seen many OF them, but
have never deemed them worthy of record
In fac5, l could not help insulting one o.
them who came moping along lame, the
very impersonstion OF Jew p5ddier who
was supposed 20 have been murdered in this
woods where L saw it. 1t offered cheaT
calico and bandsuna handkarchieis for sale
when L was expecting 1t To unfold tale a
least as dOleful as thst of Hsmlet's father
OF course, indignantly waved is away
when 1t simply tied up it's wares and f4deC
into nothingness. II Is the appearance o
such ghosts tlat have brought discredi
upon the reality of ghosts in general.
Bat my last experience, which com
menced to narr2te, was with ghost o
! more genteel character. 1t was foreign
ghost or at least it was in a foreign country
where / saw it. / bad been hoping, indeed
to meet with a classic ghost, aud sought toe
] haunts of the old poets and heroes.
passed one night at the grOtio of the Gu
nsean Sybil, another at the grave of Marc
! was gently watt ID from the shores of ANAL
toward the isle OF the Sirens, and absolutel
, slept sOundly whole night near the Gilt
on the Isle of Capri, where Nero enjoyed t.
d gentle pastIme OF throwing his suspece
J. enemies two or three hundred feet int
? the sea. / could, perhaps, have had re
/ spectacle ghost at some OF those places
[ had let the natives know Just what m
: purpose was, but the true ghOst-seer Away
keeps his own counsel, and returned 10 III
) lodgings disepl ointed and generally out
Q patience with classic ghosts. A iew day
e after had given up all hopes OF securing y
: interview with the shades of Virgil, Dc
mede, or even of Tasso, found myself gliC
Q ing along the coast near the famous orsDg
> groves of Sorrento. could nOtresist ran
BILE where flags and olives and oranges In
OF the twilight had faded froI
the sky, and the stars wer
dancing out In their azure home, and ID
: placid bay was dsguerTeotyping their cor
stellations on its CLASSY surface. A poet
II mind could scarcely escape the divine sffii
O tus listlessly sad dreamily lingering Their,
e the nightingale already singing and the PEI
" fumes from thu orange blossoms regain
Q the senses WITH every stirring breeze, out I
s me, wearied and disappointed ghos
:. hunter, IL was 40 OCCASION Tor INDUCING &c
y dolce far njente disposition peculiar to tbs
J. elm ate, nj : bit or day. 1t was past the hou
OF nine wnen 1 concluded that IL would
q wise to seek lodgings at some public hous
in Sorrento, and hither / wended my wa,
Q I had no difficulty in being pilOted to tt
It Hotel Tramoutsna. The host WAS an TIA
- ian, but married to clever Irish lad,
q By this partnership OF nationalities
y the proprietor ship Of the establish
}, ment, it was well pstronized by Enl
|, lish, American AMI italian travellers OF II
u upper classes. Ga this particular eveniu
the house was TANNED, there being no pa
IL of a room that could be secured by anotht
N traveller. But Signor Tramontans kne
me. and 1 was sure that some provisio
le would be made. When be saw me b
d countenance fell. and with true Italian p
+ Likeness, that hotel keepers in this couull