Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-05-14
GHOST STORIES UNVEILED.

What are termed Supernatural oc-
currences" are in nearly ali cases, cap
able of being solved by the exercise Of
a little common sense. We are in
debted to various contributions, all Of
which are guaranteed to be strictly
true, aud may be enjoyed by even the
most timid reader:
The locality where the following oc-
currence took place is near small vii
lage some eight or nine miles from the
city of Armagh. On gray December
night. now about sixteen years ago, a
middle-aged bachelor was returning
from Christmas party to which he had
been invited by some of his village
friends. Our hero, whose name was
Charlie Coburn, occupied the position
vi land-steward to a 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
his word was law to the parish. On his
way home to our house, he required to
pass through the village; and as there
was strappirg lassie at the party upon
whom rumor affirmed Charlie chad his
eye" we can suppose his thoughts to
have been occupied with meditating on
the fair Mary. whose company he had
just Quilted, as he paced the. curbstone
with three fingers in each Waistcoat
pocket-his favorite attitude when in
musing mood.
1t was only week or two before that
oI,,o f,frr 10, 1r,t no WI
lage took place; and when our hero had
reached the end Of the street, he was
enabled, by the light Of the last lamp,to
perceive some person only short dis
lance in front Of him, and proceeding
in the same direction as himself. AS
the road to my fathers was rather
dreary 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
for Charles society. On the contrary,
he kept 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-path
which ran outside high wall, inclosing
the demesne Of a nobleman who re
sided in the neighborhood. In this
wall, and just about furlong or SO
past the last of the gas lamps, was a
curve round which the lamp could not
throw its rays, and it happened that at
this very spot gate leading into a
graveyard was placed. Here the. I'M
sociable traveller suddenly and unac-
countably disappeared from view.
It was impossible he could have
jumped the wall on account of its
height; neither could he have crossed
the road nor gone EDWARDS, as in either
case Coburn must have seen him. Then
the gate, he must have gone through it.
But on examining the gate it was found
to be locked; and as the bars were too
close to admit the passage of any hui
man body, the only reasonable conclu-
sion that Coburn could arrive at was
that he had been pursuing a ghost!
Having settled this point satisfactorily
Though suddenly in his own mind, he
thought it might be as well If ne gave
the ghost a chance Of pursuing him.
Coburn was neither superstitiOus nor
cowardly; but this being the first time
he had ever seen real ghost, he felt
rather unnerved. Not knowing what
terrible consequences his temerity
might bring upon him, and believing
discretion in this instance to be the bet
ter part of valor, he Invested himself of
his coat as quickly as possible, and,
throwing it over his shoulder, fed
homeward, determined that if the ghost
did give chase it should not catch him
without having at least a run for its
victim. --Ba aasr &
We had not gone to bed on Coburns
arrival. He came-or rather rushed
in, pale as a corpse, the perspiration
pouring down his cheeks. His strange
and untoward appearance seemed to
put us all In such a state that none APP
peared TO know what was the proper
question to ask under the circumstan-
ces. However, Charlie, who, on enter
ing, had thrown himself into a chair
and his coat upon the floor, was the
first to break the silence by gasping
for ga drink of spring water" He
gulped it down, and my father, who
had run to the door to see if there were
no highwaymen lurking in the vicinity,
came in and grasped Coburn by the
wrist-to feel his pulse, suppose-ask-
ed what had happened. ssfz
"Ohla pants Coburn, with horror de-
picted in every feature, Give seen a
ghostl" yHqqgR y HAITr1 -sae Ga
I shivered.q But my father, who was
not believer in ghosts, laughed out
right. This seemed to nettle our ledger
consid erably, as he always prided him.
self on his veracity, and could not bear
to have 1t impugned. especially on sc
serious subject After he had claimed
down a little my father endeavored tc
reason him out of his belief. But il
was useless. ''He had seen a ghost