River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-07-15
MAD MATTY.

How j. Voug wife and how are you!
An it fit my fist no other can
TIN, horny hand Of the workingman.
MAD MATTY.
a belief in ghosts is common to most
primitive people. The outlying dis
trcts Of our town had their legends of
ghosts and fairies: indeed, no Welsh
district is without them But most Of
these were harmless from their antiqui-
ty, and even the peasants began to con
slider them as bygone tales. This, how
ever, was not the case with ghOStly
stories originating within the memory
of the living, for much terror was eXpe-
rienced by the ignorant and supersti-
tiOus concerning sights which had their
origin in circumstances of recent date.
Nor was it easy to convince them that
flesh and blood were not spirit when
once they had resolved that they were
Mr. Superintendent Pryse was one Of
the anti-Spiritualists of his day, and
during his long rounds took almost rs
much trouble to run ghosts as criminals
to ground. But he had n friend who
occasionally came from distance to
visit him, who was as profound be-
lever as he was skeptical. They dis
cJIssed the matter without coming to
conclusions; grew hot, grew cold, like
the weather, but found the temperate
degree unattalnable.
II am told that hundreds have seen
the ghost that haunts GWynant Bridge,
said Capt. Glyn one day when the sub
iect cropped up,
Fools, they can't have seen it, be-
cause they are afraid To cross the mead
ows,' returned the superintendent.
But women lose their wits and even
their legs when they do happen too near
the spot
Have you ever seen it,
YES, more than once; but don't be
lcve in it,
II thought seeing was believing
Not i'm the matter of ghosts. Our
natural eyes are no more constructed
to see into the spiritual world than they
are into the animalcular. We haven't
arrived at spiritual microscopes, eh?'
NO need. Ghosts are visible with
out EN-"
I'VE will 90 and look up the Gwynant
ghost this evening said the superin-
tendant. is woman YOU see; for all
fools are feminine. except perhaps,
Capt. Glyn. commander in her maiesty's
navy
The Captain would rather have con
fronted death ON raging sea then have
soughta ghost by moonlight, but he
was too proud To say So and therefore
acceedcd unwillingly to the proposal.
Mr.. Superintendent Pryse took down
his club and the heavy walking stick
whence he could draw sharp weapon;
then called majestic Gwen, his house
keeper.
Ten Williams 10 wait here until 10; ;
then if we are not back. To follow us to
Gwynant Bridge" he said.
Whore the ghost stands and talks
sir?' asked immovablc Gwen, who, her
master said, ought to have been man.
YES. Come along, Glyn.
They set out between and o'clock
of fine April evening for four-mile
walk across country. The moon was
rising and would be at her full Their
way led them first up hilly road, be-
meath which rapid river foamed and
umbled over rocks and stones, between
trees that looked like an army of spirits
in the shadowy light; then through a
wood. Here myriads of blue-bells had
folded themselves to sleep in the white
light and primrose buds slumbercd
amongst their leaves, while between the
beam and breeze it seemed that fairies
tripped it among the silent flowers.
BY the time they reached Gwynant
Meadows the moon had risen, and had
made of the dews that trembled on the
grass blades prisms of light. They trod
them down rs they crossed i'll the dl-
rection of the bridge. When they
came within few PAGES of the haunt
ed spot they halted invOluntarily, and
exclaimed together: There 1t Is
There it certainly was Among the
trees ON the left side of the bridge stood
a white transparent figure, tall and inn
movable. One hand was outstretched,
the other concealed by shadOwy drap-
cry. The most incredulous must have
acknowledged that an apparition was
before nina pale, thin, luminous,
motionlcss ghost
Enough. Come away whispered
Glyn
Not till we see what shes made of, p
returned Prysc aloud.
Made Off was audibly repeated 10y
some mOCklng voice.
.'Shc can speak. anyhow" said super
intendent softly breaking from the
grasp of his trembling friend.
He walked toward the bridge holding
his official club in one hand, his stick IN
the other. rtsolute enough to frighten
away any ghost He done 50 in effect
Il vow she's goner lie exclaimed.
Gone" repeated the mearthly
voice
NO: she's here" returned the cap
tain. and Here was the ghostly repe-
titiuu.
Il say she's gone. ! say she's here'
Gomez Here" was repeated until the
wrathful superintendent scarcely be
heycd his senses. 1t was a new version
Of the fable of the chameleon.
At last he walked back to the captain,
and there She wasi pale. luminous.
transparent. He STOOD awhile, silent,
perplexed: then Selling the captain,
dragged him toward the bridge.
There, didn't say She was gone p
he cried, pointing to the group IF feath-
cry birch where no ghost was visible.
The captain was also more terrified
by her ais nee than her presence, and
returned to his first standpoint. followed
by the superintendent.
There She Is againl' they both eN-
claimed, and again, repeated the
hooking voice,
The spectre was once more visible
her arm still outstretched
"You'll believe in future" whispered
Glyn
Cant promise; but it certainly is
mysterious. Stay where YOU are while
1 lun her to ground, replied Pyse. 50
ow that the ghost only murn'ured IN
reply,
lie need have laid no command on
the Captain, for the poor man was
planted -chloroformed, mesmer-
lied, mediumized; only those hard
words were not in use ut the time, the
march of discovery not having rs yet
begun to tramp in that direction nj
Trelavon
While Glyn. medium-hke was fast
falling into a trance from gazing nj he
knew not what Pryse, pohceman-llke,
was examining the spirit haunt, n 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