The true northerner., 1878-03-01

disbelieye in all supernatural appear
ances."
Certainly" answered Joe, who was
Secretary to the Literary Debating So
ciety in the little town of Marlborough,
and who had written an essay TO prove
the non-existence of everything, and that
we are simply the creations of our own
thoughts. "Oertainly these impalpable
specters are only illusions which the dis
ordered condition of our weak physical
organs bring before u.s."
"I own you are clever lad, Joe, but
don't care button for your arguments.
/ believe in ghosts because have seen
them"
"Oh, am open to conviction; if you
introduce me to a bona-fde ghost I'll
give in. believe only in the things 1
understand"
"Joe, you have as little faith as
Jew and, if you only believe in what
you understand, your creed will be
shorter than that of any man know"
"Can you give us any proof? Can
you mention one instance in which the
specter has appeared to any one you
knowP
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 am
about to relate is an incident that hap
pened to myself some twenty years ago,
and for the truth of which 1 can vouch. T"
"Well, proceed"
81 would give you the history of the
specter attached to this house, but that
only appears TO favored few, and 1
have not yet seen it, although l have
often enough heard the noises it makes. y
"We should prefer ghost that can
be seen, if you have ever met with one "
"You must understand that the vii
lage in which lived, like many others,
possesses its spectral visitor. About 100
years ago, an ancestor of mine started
for London in his travelling carriage,
one evening about the latter end of
June. He was an exceedingly irascible
man, and, as the coachman was not suf-
ficiently quick in preparing the vehicle,
he became much enraged, and used ex-
ceedingly passionate language. For
some time the coachman bore his abuse
patiently, but, at last, he lost his temper,
and struck the old gentleman In the
face.
"In those days everybody wore a
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,
wants. where he died in few hours.
"Well," said Joe, although the
story is horrible enough, it has nothing
of the supernatural in it. It is quite
possible that an angry old man may
commit a murder and die of fright"
Eyes, you are right if the tale ended
there, there would be nothing to doubt I;
but what l am going to tell you, am
afraid, will be scoffed at by my skeptical
young friends, who disbelieve everything
they do not see or hear"
"That's meant for me, saidkJoe, with
a laugh. "Never mind, uncle; go on
with your story"
Eyes, my boy, now L come to the
marvellous part. Every year, as the
hands of the clock point to the hour of
midnight, travelling carriage, with four
horses, driven by headless coachman,
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 skeptical Joe.
"That / cannot explain some ghost
seers say that it is possible for people in
clairvoyant state to read from the pit OF
may be possessed of faculties that we dc
not understand for man becomes con.
siderably altered when he is dead"
He does, / admit"
"And if you allow that dead man
can drive at all, the small matter of q
head more or less is of very little i'm
, portance."
"Just So.
"You know that when man dies he
becomes a spirit
"That's rum" said Joe.
"No, cir, it's not rum, nor whisky
[ either; and, if you cannot listen to my
story without endeavoring to turn it into
ridicule, had better leave off," replied
, Uncle Ben, who was as peppery as hif
ancestor.
"Oh pray go on, uncle" exclaimed
: all the listeners. "We'n try to keeI
Joe in order"
"Well, as was saying, this appari
ton made its appearance once year, al
the clock was striking 12 Many of th,
villagers had heard the tramp OF horset
and the rattling of wheels as the ghostl,
cortege went by. Now and then som,
favored individual witnessed the head
} less driver, as he whipped his horses OF
toward London. But, in all cases, tn,
; coach passed too quickly for any one K
7 see whether the old gentleman was real
ly inside or not"
{ "And did no one ever see him ?" asket
one of the party.
"You shall hear. Twill confess that
1 until the night when the Incident whicl
5 / am about to relate took place, was a
: great an unbeliever as any of you, anC
Q always treated the whole account as al
: old woman's tale. ONLY fit to friQhteI