Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-05-14
GHOST STORIES UNVEILED.

What are termed supernatural oc-
,r-rences" are in nearly ali cases, cap
| lille of being solved by the exercise Of
little common sense. We are in
Iebted to various contributions, all of
which are guaranteed to be strictly
rue, aud may be enjoyed by even the
most timid reader:
The locality where the following oc-
currence took place is neara small vii
age some eight or nine miles from the
| city o { Armagh. On a gray december
night. now about sixteen years ago, a
mlddle-aged bachelor was returning
rom Christmas party to which he had
been invited by some of his village
friends. Our hero, whose name was
' Charlie Coburn, occupied the position
| Of hnd-steward to q country gentleman
resident near the village. Charlie
lodged at my fathers, and found HIM
' self on his way home at about the
| hour of 12-not an unreasonable hour
| for bachelor, certainly; but then
| Charlie was model to his race, and
bis word was law to the parish. On his
way home to our house, he required to
pass through the village; and as there
vas strapping lassie at the party upon
ghom rumor affirmed Charlie had his
eye" we can suppose his thoughts to
have been occupied with meditatIng on
the fair Mary, whose company he had
lst quilted, as he paced the curbstone
with three fingers in each waistcoat
DOcket-his favorite attitude when in a
nuslng mood.
1t was only week or two before that
the Introduction of gas lamps in the VII
age took place; and when our hero had
reached the end of the street, he was
aabled by the light of the last lamp,to
receive some person only a short dis
aGe in front of him, and proceeding
lhe same direction as himself. As
he road to my fathers was rather
lreary and deserted, Charlie felt glad
Of the unexpected company he was
about to come up with. Consequently,
he withdrew his fingers from his waist
coat pockets, and went on at a swinging
pace SO as to overtake the traveller as
soon as possible. The latter gentleman,
however, evinced not the slightest desire
Tor Cnarle's society. On the contrary,
except moving ahead faster and faster,
IN proportion as his pursuer's pace in
creased. The two were doing this time
Keeping their way along the foot.patI
Which ran outside high wall, inclosing
me demesne of pobleman who re-
SIDED IN the neighborhood. In this
Vail, and just about a furlong or so
past the last Of the gas lamps, was
.lFve round which the lamp could not
nov It's rays, and it happened that at
IBIS very spot a gate leading into
Faveyard was placed. Here the I'm,
'cable traveller suddenly and unac.
9unably disappeared from view.
1t was impossible he could have
lmped the wall on account of its
-elght; neither could he have crossed
"t road nor gone EDWARDS, as in either
yise Cobun must have seen him. Then
'Aere had he gone? Not having passed
w gate, he must have gone through 1t.
D1' on examining the gate 1t was found
oe locked; and as the bars were too
Jose to admit the passage Of any hui
Han body, the only reasonable conclu
2A That Coburn could arrive at was
Ia' ne had been pursuing a ghost,
'iH'Ihg settled this point satisfactorily
Nough suddenly in his own mind, he
w., ,iSought 1t might be as well if he gave
'g ghost chance of pursuing him.
s,oufh was neither superstitious nor
.Nardly; but this being the first time
1"u ever seen a real ghost, he felt
''.ueT unnerved. Not knowing what
;.,pIe consequences his temerity
s1l orlng upon him, and believing
.sCSe'lon IN this instance to be the bet
part OF valor, he Invested himself Of
b,o voaV a: quickly as possible, and
%o"ing 1t over his shoulder, fled
A.. 15'iIt"ard, determined that if the ghost
"A. give chase it should not catch him
Victim. ~ -0''' f" ion ~ "'
,-,', mad rot gone to bed on Columns
al lie came-or rather rushed
.a,-; a,e as q corpse, the Precipitation
sr5 ',"s ao"n his cheeks. His strange
IN, howard appearance seemed to
a4s. as al IN such a st tie that none APP
~ 10 know what was the proper
= I'm ~ 10 ask under the circumstan-
h. III however, Charlie, who, on enter.
AMI n .'au thrown himself into a chair
S coat upon the floor, was the
8, - break the silence by easping
s3l1oS ufink of spring water" He
lad ~. II Gown, and my father, who
b n;s Iu % Tie door TO see if there were
ana eH."aymen lurking in the vicinity.
~ and grasped Coburn by the