Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1880-02-14

end, and the horses whom l coulu hra
the hrst time paving Oh the floor. seen,
ed to suddenly become silent. Not on
soun5 could hear around the room, ever
the brc.then of these two chaps beco.i
ing stiilei. There's no getting arnun'
it; you fellows have all seen .lne fight
and know Tn no coward, but I was
afraid just them
oh, pshaw, Carroll, what do you
mean? You're beginning on real ghost
story, old fellow and such expressions
rln aronnd the table.
well, I min earnest, and 1 intend to
tell you what really saw that ninht.
Have any of you ever known me to be
q ce'ved by my eyes in anythiug! If
you have tell me the cir.un stance, and
FIJI stop right here
| oh, 10, go on; we want to hear the
story, all the better
We'll, it's a rea, ghost story, and you
| will tind it out rcsently'
'As was saying when you interrupt
! ed me, l WAS bcginn!ny to feel unconl-
Portable, and cold chils began to creep
through me. I had a feeling that some
thing terrible Was happening then or
else going to happen. l sat bolt upright
and looked in the direction where the
horses were tied. could see the animals
distinctly, each one standing still with
his head tnrned as if gazing at some
thing between them and me. I followed
the direction OF this glance and SAW
standing not twenty feet away, plainly
revealed by the bright beams of the
moou, which now filled the whole church,
figure which 1 shall not forget so long
as live. 1t WAS uoue of the regulation
skeletons that appear in all ghost sto.
ries-it was the face and appear;luce Of =,
man who had died a slow death from
starvation or some lingering disease; the |
features seemed to have the horrible suf
tering OF the death indelibly fastened Oh |
them, the skin was like parchment |
drawn over the protrnding bones and |
muscles, as if there really was nothing
but skeleton there.
The eyes Of the thing seemed 10 glare
from their orbits at me with an exnres- |
alon half pleading, Ralf-ulenacin~. The |
dress OF the appearar ce was that of a
monk, the head was without hair and |
covered with IL skull cap, gown envel- !
oped the body, and 4 rosary of golden
beads, SO they looked to me, was held in
one hand. If anything could llay. iu-
my horror at the frightful appar-
ition, it was to fint that Reade and Aim
siic We're to all apnarition dead, and
c'uld"t be awakened by any efforts of
mine. TO crown all, We had, when we
llnsaddlrd our horses, left our pistols in
the holsters, and was totally without
arms.
'lhc very helplessnoss of my position
made me desperate, and seemed ali at
once to lose all fear. wiped the cold
oersp!ra'I"u from my tacc, and awaited |
further proceeding with perfect calnncss.
Inc gh"st-tor think you are convinc-
1T by this time that such it was-l,prnn
approac!! me. 1 say 'approach,' be-
.ause it di''r't walk and il Didn't oliGc
t simply approached me, l could see it
me second in one place, and the next
instant it would he nearer me, having
changed its position Il few feet. One
more change and it was by my side, it's
land Oh my shoulder. A shock, as if |
lad experienced a stroke of electricity.
an through me, and my heart seemed to
ease its beating. Such Il sensation
'cVer felt before nor do I wish to- ara,n
eel it 1t was sutfrrin g'.bsolute torture.
The monk seemed TO fix my eyes with
us, leaEed over me, spoke 4 few words,
II rather seemed to convey the meaning
nto my mind as his lip did not mcvc-
Iadc one move back ward, standing there
Or Il fe" instants gazing at me with
hat strangely threatening and wondcr-
III look, the meaning Of which was
lade clear by lis wods, and then van-
she'd. l reached out my hand, and felt
hrough the air where it ha;t stood a see
nj before, but there WAS nothing. |
ia'ted until morning. awoke AinslIc aud
'cahe, saying nothing to them concern
~ the event OF the night, ard we pro
cehed on our way. This is the first and
sst time | have mentioned the suhiect.
'But say, Carroll, what did the ghost
~ to You; what was the meaning of
hat look Of his p ''Ccrtainly, tell us
:at" "Nhy, Of course; you're leaving
ut the explanation of the apparltion,"
ricd tie now deeply Interested hearers. ,,
''Boys, l can't tell you that till die, =
nd when | divuge the secret the man
} whom l give it holds it until he dies
ttached to the keeping f the secret is IL
ire penalty for betraying it. God knows, :
would willingly tell tit is something l.
hich would benefit you all--but can 8
,t."
Inc nartY broke IN aftcr nrnSsinw Cnr- .