Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-22

| PO'O =" "1ii"iA ouInLlcr-nOuSe III the garden
perfectly Isolated, and having no means
OF exit but window and door, which
we carefully fastened, after placing tn,
young man within. We put writing ma
terIais on small table and took away thu
candles. We remained outside with tht
peddler amongst US. In low, solemn
voice he began to chant the following
| lines:
| " nat rlseth slow, from the ocean caves
| And the stormy surf?
| The phantom pale sets his blackened foot
On the fresh green turf
Then raising his voice solemnly, he
said; "You asked to see your FRIEND
Francis Villiers, who was drowned three
years ago off the coast of South America
What do you see?'
q see," replied the student, ga white
| light rising near the window; but it has
no form-it is like an uncertain cloud"
We-the spectators remained pro-
foundry silent.
care you afraid?" asked the merchant,
in loud voice
81 am not," replied the student firm
ly.
After moments silence, the peddler
stamped three times on the ground and
sang:
And the phantom white, whose clay-cold face
Was once so fair,
Dries with his shroud his clinging vest
And his sea-tossed hair
Once more the solemn question:
You who would see revealed the
mysteries of the tomh-what do you see
nOw?"
The student answered in a calm voice,
but like that OF man describing things
as they pass before him; "I see the
cloud taking the form Of phantom, its
head is covered with long veil-it stands
still"
''Are you afraid?"
Il am nOt!'
We looked at each other in horror
stricken silence, while the merchant, rails
ing his arms above his head, chanted in a
supulchral voice:
And the phantom said, as he rose from the
lie shall know me in sooth!
will go to my friend, gay, smiling and fond
As in our first youth!'
What do you see?" said he
see the phantom advance" said the
student; " he lifts the veil-'tis Francis
Villiers!-he approaches the table he
writes his signature!"
" Are you afraid 90
A fearful moment of silence ensued ::
then the student replied, in an altered
voice:
" | am notn'
With strange and frantic gestures the
merchant then sang:
" And the phantom said TO the mocking seer, |
come from the South:
Put thy hand on my hand-thy heart on my
heart
Thy mouth on my MOUTH
. What do you see 90
F." He comes-he Apprenticeship pur-
sues me-he is stretching out his arms
he will have mel Help! Helpi Save
mep'
Are you afraid Now?" asked the mer
chant, in hooking voice.
A piercing cry, and then stifled groan,
was the only reply TO this terrible ques-
ton.
=" Help that rash YOUTH" said the mer-
chant bitterly. Il have, I think, won the
wager, but it is sufficient for me to have
given him lesson. Let him keep the
money, and be wiser for the FUTURE
He walked rapidly away. We opened
the door of the summer house, and found
the student in commissions. A paper
signed with the name of :" Francis Vii
Hers" was on the table AS soon as the
students senses were restored, he asked
vehemently where was the vile sorcerer
who had subjected him to such horrible
ordeal-he would kill him! He sought
him throughout the inn in vain; then,
with the speed of a mailman, he dashed
off across the fields in pursuit of him
and we never saw either Of them again.
That, children, is my ghost story!
:" And how is it, uncle, that after that
you don't believe in ghosts?"
" Because, my boy" replied my uncle,
"neither the merchant nor the student
ever returned; and the forty-five guineas,
belonging to me and the other travellers,
continued equally invisible. Those two
swindlers carried them off, after having
acted farce, which we, like ninnies, be-
lieved to be real"