Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-07-15

mysterious. Stay where you are while
/ run her to ground" replied Pryse, so
ow that the ghost only murnured in
reply.
He need have laid no command on
the Captain, for the poor man was
| planted there-chlorOformed, mesmer-
lied, mediumized only those hard
words were not in use at the time, the
march of discovery not having as yet
! begun to tramp in that direction at
Trefavon.
While Glyn, medium-like, was fast
falling into trance from gazing at he
knew not what, Pryse, policeman-like,
was examining the spirit haunt, as if it
had been the hiding place of an escaped
convict At another time he would
have paused to admire the graceful
birch, the rustic bridge, the brook that
chartered to the moon, the sedges and
messy stones; but now, standing on
tiptoe of the brink of the bridge, he
only strOve to grasp the tOpmOst branch
| of the haunted tree. 1t evaded him,
however, and he was more than once
in danger of falling into the brook. But
! he was not man to be daunted, and
seized it at last. Securing a firmer
i footing, he drew the slight tree toward
him, ruthlessly pulled the sharp knife
from his stick, and began to hack and
| tug at the particular branch he had
secured. After much eXertiOn and de-
termination he managed to sever it
| from the trunk.
you've cut off her ARMAND her
head p shouted Glyn, aroused from his
! trance.
Her head p shrieked the decapitat-
ed ghost.
Back went the superintendent, and
saw that all that remained of that
much-abused apparition was the lower
part of her transparency.
Il am sorry to have spOilt the tree,
but glad to have laid bare its tricks"
he said, as if he had caught thief.
"You see, Glyn, that the branches have
grown into the skeleton of a human be-
ing, as seen from this particular spot
and nowhere else. When the moons
full she shines through the intervening
space, and lights it into spirit. A
step this way or that dispels the illusion.
| have leapped ofthe principal branch
and destroyed the ghost"
Come away" said Capt. Glyn, testi-
~, not caring to be convinced aginst his
will.
Nevertheless the spectre had been an
optical delusion, caused precisely as
Mr.. Superintendent Pryse had described
it. but when afterward the truth was
noised abroad, the country folks only
said: "Well, sure! there's brave Pryse,
Super. is, to be killing ghost! But
she is talking all the same" The echo
naturally remained after the tree was
mutilated.
~ have 4 policeman stationed near
here whom | must look up" said Pryse,
as he crossed the stile between Gwyn-
ant Meadows and the road eff you
will walk on, will join you by short
cut across the fields at the end of the
woods"
Glyn gladly assented, for he desired
solitude to smooth his ruffled feathers.
He felt aggrieved, and having been
made superstitious in childhood by ig-
nOrant dOmestics, inclined to remain so
in manhood. He almost believed that
the ghost had been frightened away
and would reappear elsewhere.
He was soon to be strengthened i'll
this belief, for just before emerging
from the wood he was startled by some
thing while perched in one of the trees
As he paused it slipped down and pre-
coded him into the road, where it stood
as if awaiting him. CHANGING at it in
alarm he perceived that it was the fig
IRE of a woman, and doubted not that
it was the dislodged spectre.
Iron, blipm oil Ovnr no trind TO noSc
her by with an apologize bow, being
always chivalrously polite to the ladies.
His civility was answered bya fantastic
courtesy.
Il will accompany you, sir" she
said, as he strOve to hurry her on. It
was the voice of the tree-spirit, he
thought.
Certainly, madam, if you please"
he replied, politeness struggling with
| terror.
She walked rapidly by his side, quick
ening her pace as he quickened his.
When he ventured to look at her he
saw only n white face, white arms,
white drapery. 1t was at least satisfac-
tory that the cruel executiOner had not
after all amputated limb.
81 am going home; where are you
going, sir?" she said, after II brief 81
| lence
''To-to-to-Tr efavon," he stam-
mered
''Ha, ha, ha! live nearer" she cried
in an mearthly voice.
He was thankful to hear it, and
urged his failing legs to impossible eff
| forts.
They had long passed the spot where
his friend was to join him, and soon
reached the cross roads.
This way sir" she said, waving her
hand; and he took the wrong road in
obedience to her spiritual influence.
They were now outside the parish of
| Trefavon, and the road led through a
baronial property. In a lonely tree
embowered spot by the wayside stood Il
small church, or more properly, q
chapel of ease to distant church, which
he had seen more than once, and which
he had been told was haunted.
Beware of Pryse, superintendent"
said the ghost, rs they approached the
place.
II will-indeed | WILL" muttered the
captain, devoutly wishing he had never
seen his old friend.
When they reached the churchyard
gate the spirit paused and extended her
! hand toward the scored building.
| Goodnight, sir. | live here?" she
said, and she glided through the gate.
The spell-bound captain saw her wan
der about few moments in the moon
! light, making fantastic movements, then
/ IL, i