The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-07-07
Chambers Journal
A Ghost Story.

A curious circumstance happened to
my father when he was very young
man. He lived at some distance from
the dwelling Of the girl who after
wards became his wife and my mother.
He had to work and wait for her for
several years, and as for her. sake he
applied very closely t, his business,
they seldom met. But occasionally,
after his day work was over, he took
very long walk into the next county,
to get glimpse of her fair face, and
perchance the treat of a quiet talk.
On one Of these rare occasions he be-
thought himself of short cut through
village churchyard. 1t was not very
easy Of access, for the gate was locked,
and a brook of some depth swept
round part of the outer wall; but he
was young and active, and eager to
gain time; so, after a somewhat stiff
climb, he found himself within the
limits Of the consecrated ground.
It was a clear moonlight night, and
the tombstones stood around him in
close and venerable array. Suddenly
he saw something which made him
start and pause. From beneath the
shadow Of the church wall, a tall white
figure glided stealthily out into the
light. Ny father quietly retreated
behind tombstone and watched.
The figure advanced he scanned it
carefully; and beneath the white robes
futtering in the night air, he beheld
very substantial pair Of boots!
Said he to himself: ''Do ghosts
wear boots? | wonder who makes
them;" and he decided on having a
closer inspection of this mysterious
churchyard apparition. The figure
moved on; my father quietly followed.
keeping we'll in the shadow Of the
tombstones. After some little time
spent in this kind of lodging, the
ghost advanced to a part of the wall
overlooking the road and the stream.
and took up it's position on the top of
it. In a second my father came be-
hind, and with strong and sudden
push, tripped the unlucky ghost into
the stream which rippled below. He
heard a plunge and a'itshout, waited
few moments to see that the fellow
had struggled safely to the other side,
minus his white sheet, then turned
and sped on his way, rejoicing at hav-
ing hit on so novel and expeditions
method of "laying a ghost!'
Years passed away. My father
married the lady of his choice, and
they shared the usual course of life's
vicissitudes together. Long after her
death, he took me to visit the scene of
his early wooing and the home of her
girlhood. On our way from the rail-
way station we drove through village
from which funeral procession was
issuing in solemn pomp to the church
yard. As we returned, we stopped
for an hour at the inn and ordered
luncheon. Like most of his class, our
host was chatty and communicative,
and at once entered into conversation.
pleasant weather, gentlemen. We
have had a large funeral here to-day;
the largest known in these parts for
many year. We all wished to show
respect to our oldest inhabitant, Will
lam Dawkins. A very civil fellow
was Bill. Many a story of the good
old times he used to tell. And he had
some queer adventures of his own, too,
to talk about. You'll scarce credit
me, gentlemen, but It's a fact that
that man had seen a ghost"
"a ghost!' exclaimed my father,
whose natural skepticism on that sub
ject had been long since strengthened
by the incident | have related. 'He
dreamed of one, l suppose, or an extra
glass of ale had gone to his head
Nothing Of the kind, sir, replied
the landlord with great seriousness
BILL not only saw ghost, but felt it
and that pretty sharply, ! can tell
you. The way he fell in with it was
this. Some of our lads had gone to {
fair that was held few miles away
and Bill wanted to frighten the young
fellows on their way home; so he JUS
climbed into the churchyard, wrapped
a sheet about him, and waited abou
till he thought they were close a
hand He was standing on bit O
: wall just above the road, when h
heard stealthy tread coming up be
hind him. He turned round quickly
and there was a dark figure at hi