Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-02-03
FISHERS GHOST.

a place called Penritb, distant from
Sydney about thirty.seven miles, lived
farmer named Fisher. He had been,
originally, transported, but had become
free by servitude. Uncea.ing toll, and
great stcadiness of character, had acquir-
ed for him considerable property, for
person in his station Of life. His lands
and stock were not worth less than four
thousand pounds. He was unmarried,
aud was abou, forty five years old.
Suddenly Fisher disappeared; and one
of his neighbors a man named Smith
gave out that he had gone to England,
but would return in two or three wears.
Smith produced document, purporting
to lie executed by Fisher; and, accord.
ing to this document, Fisher had ap-
pointed Smith to act as his agent during
his absence. Fisher was man of very
singular habits and eccentric character,
and his silence about his departure, in
stead of creating surprise, was declared
to be exactly like him."
About six a,onths after Fishers disap.
pearance, an old man called Ben Weir,
who had small farm near Penrith, and
who always drove his own cart TO market,
was returning from Sydney, one night,
when be beheli, seated on a rail which
bounded the road-Fisher. The night,
was very dark, aud the distance of the
fence from the middle of the road was at,
least, twelve yards. Weir, nevertheless,
saw Fishers figure seated on a rail.
He pulled his old mare up, and called
out, Fisher is that you?" No answer
was returned; but there, still on the rail,
sat the form of the man with whom he
had been on the most intimate terms.
Weir-who was not drunk. although he
had taken several glasses OF strong liquor
on the road-jumred off his cart, and APP
preached the rail. To his surprise, the
form vanished.
well" exclaimed old Weir, 'sthis is
very curious. anyhow" and breaking
several branches of a sapling, so rs to
mark the exact SPOT, he remounted his
cart, put his old mare into a jog-trot,
and soon reached his home.
Ben was not likely TO keep this vision
secret from his old woman All that
he had seen he faithfully related to her.
Hold your nonsense. Ben" was old
Betty's reply. lyon know you have
been a-drinking and disturbing of your
imagination. Amt Fisher a-gone to
! England? And if he had a-come back,
do you think We should't a. heard on
i,."
"Ay. Bettyi" said old Ben. "but he'd
cruel cash in his forehead. and the
blood WAS all fresh like. Faith, it makes
ME shudder to think ont. 1t was his
ghost"
"How can you talk so foolish, Ben ?"
said the old woman. "You must be
drunk, surely, to get on about ghostes-
ses.''
II tell thee I am not drunk" replied
old Ben angrily. There's been foul
play. Betty; I'm sure ont. There sat
Fisher on the rail-no more than mat
ter Of two mile from this. Egad, it
were OH his own fence that he sat
There he was, in his shirt-sleeves, with
his arms a-folded; just as he used to sit,
when he was awaiting for anybody
coming up the road. Bless you, Betty,
seed i'm till WAS as close to him as
l am to thee; when all of q sudden he
vanished, like smoke"
Nonsense, Ben; "Dcn't talk of il, +"
said old Betty, "or the e'neighbors will
only laugh at you. Come to bed, and
youth forget all about il before to. NOR
row morning"
Old Ben went to bed; but he did not
next morning forget ali about what be
had seen on the previous night; on the
contrary, he was mere positive than be-
fore. However at the earnest and Of.
ten-repeated request Of the old woman
. he promised not to mention having seen
, Fishers ghost, for fear that it might
expose him To ridicule.
On the following Thursday night
when old Ben was returning from mar
ket-again in his cart-he saw seatet
upon the same rail. the identical appa
rition. He had purposely ahstaineS
: from drinking that day, aud was in th,
full possession Of all his, senses. o,
this occasion old Ben was too mucl
alarmed to stop He urged the ol,
/ mare on, and got home as speedily a
possible. As soon as be had unhar