The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-03-14

[ believe in ghosts because I have see
them"
"Oh, I am open to conviction if vol
introduce me. to q bona-fde ghost II
give in: I believe only in the things
understand
"Joe, you have as little faith as
jew; and, if you only believe in wha
you understand, your creed will b,
shorter than that of any man I know
Can you give US any proof? Ca,
you mention cne instance in which th,
specter has appeared TO any one yo1
knowa"
GA hundred, if you wish it, said the
old man.
"One will do: give us one genuine
csse and we will believe
81 will; listen. The story that an
about to relate is an Incident that hap
pened to myself some twenty years ago
and for the truth of which I can vouch. ;
"Well, proceed"
would give you the history of tbs
specter attached te this hottse, but that
only appears to favored few, and ]
have not yet seen it, although I have
! often enough heard the noises it makes. y
"We should prefer a ghost that can
be seen, if you have ever met with one. y
"You must understand that the vii
lage in which I lived, like many others,
possesses its spectral visitor. About 1OG
years ago, an ancestor Of mine started
for Londop in his travelling carriase.
one evening about the latter end of
June. BE was an exceedingly irascible
man, and, as the coachman was not suf-
hclently quick in preparing the vehicle,
he became much enraged, and used ex-
ceedlngly passionate language. For
some time the coach man bore his abuse
patiently, but, at last, he lost his temper,
and struck the old gentleman in the
face.
"In those days everybody wore q
sword and my ancestor, who was always
ready to draw, snatched his weapon
from his sheath, and, with one blow,
severed the unfortunate mans head
from his body.
Conscience stricken at this fearful
crime, and terrified by the dread of it's
consequences, he gazed upon the head
less body for few moments, and then,
being seized with fit of apoplexy,
was carried into the house by his ser
wants. where he died in few hours
"Well," said Joe, "although the
story is horrible enough, it has nothing
OF the supernatural in it. 1t is quits
possible that an angry old man may
commit murder and die of fright"
Yes, you are right if the tale ended
there, there would be nothing to doubt;
but what am going to tell you, I am
afraid, will be scoffed at by my skeptical
young friends, who disbelieve everything
they do not see or hear"
"That's meant fer me-" said Joe, with
q laugh. "Never mind, uncle; 90 ON
with your story
eyes, my boy, now I come to the
part. Every year, as the
mfdnffght, naeanf a travelling carriage, with four
horses, driven by headless coachn1an,
leaves that village, and passes down the
London road"
"He must be clever if he can see to
drive without his head, interrupted the
still skepticel Joe.
"That cannot explain some ghost
seers say that it is possible for people in
clairvoyant state to read from the pit of
the stomach at all events, dead man
may be possessed of faculties that we do
not understand for man becomes con-
siderably altered when he is dead"
He does, admit. "
"And if you allow that g. dead man
can drive at all, the small matter of a
head more or less is of very little i'm
portance."
"Just so.''
"You know that when man dies he
becomes spirit
"That's rum" said Joe.
"No, sir, it's not rum, nor whisky
either; and, if you cannot listen to my
story without endeavorins to turn it into
ridicule, had better leave off," replied
Uncle Ben, who was as peppery as his
ancestor.
"Oh pray go on, uncle" exclaimed
all the listeners. "We'n try to keep
Joe in order"
"Well, as I was saying, this appari-
ton made its appearance once year, as
the clock was striking IL. Many of the
villagers had heard the tramp of horses
and the rattling of wheels as the ghostly
cortege went by. Now and then some
favored individual witnessed the head
less driver, as he whipped his horses on
toward London. But, in all cases, the
coach passed too quickly for any one to
see whether the old gentleman was real
ly inside or not.
"And did no one ever see him % asked
one of the party.
lou Sllall near. Will COHleSS bl1dG,
until the night when the incident which
great an unbeliever as any Ct you, and
always treated the whole account as an
old woman's tale, only fit to frighten
children. But, one evening, as 1 sat
smoking with some old friends. one OF
them. devout believer in everything
supernatural, began to talk about the
g., +
cule upon the affair Perhaps the good
wine had inspired me with more than
ordinary courage, perhaps not; at all
events, Mortified some of the company
by stating my intention of venturing
out to wander down the road, and see
if / could meet the phantom cavalcade.
I swore that if [ did, [ would ask the
old gentleman to give me lift, and Of
fered to bet e10O that the whole legend
was pack of lies. ,"
And did you go?'
eyes although some of the more
superstitious of the party tried to pre-
vent me, Ipersevered, and wandered out
into the night ready to meet with ghost
or goblin.
"And did you meet them?"
"Just as l emerged from the lane the
village clock chimed the three-quarters,
and I sat down upon moss covered
milestone to wait and watch for the
phantoms that come like shadows-so
depart The night was chilly, and, AS
I wrapped my cloak around me, [ began
| to shudder, as I wondered If, by any
possibility, there could nave been any
truth In the strange story that 1 had
heard. J had brought with me pock-
et-tiask, SO I treated myself to nip tc
warm me, as I gradually felt like the
man in the play, that all my courage was
oozing out at my fingers ends"
i Oh rroclo afraid Z, cried one of tht