The Penn's Grove record., 1882-03-04
PENIS GROVE. SALEM COUNTY, j, SATURDAY., MARCH f. 1882.

came forward to lay down their money
and in a moment or two the MT
guineas, were subscribed. The mel
chant appeared 80 sure OF winnln
that he placed the stakes in tn
students hands and prepared for hi
experiment. We selected for the pun
pose q small summer-house in the gar
den, perfectly isolated, and having n
means of exit but a window and
door, which we carefully fastened
after, placing the young man within
We put writing materials on stablei In
the summer-house, and took away th'
candles. We remained outside, with
the merchant among us. In a low
solemn voice he began to chant;
what riseth slow from the ocean caves
And the stormy SURF
The phantom pale sets hts blackenedf foot
On the fresh. green turf"
Then raising his voice solemnly, he
said "You asked to see your friend,
Frank Villiers, who was drowned
three years ago off the coast of South
America-what do you seeP"
81 Sec" replied the student, "a
white light rising near the window /;
but 1t has no form--it is like an I'M
certain cloud"
"Are you afraid ?" asked the mer-
chant in a loud voice.
~ am mott" replied the student,
firmly.
After a moments silence, the mer-
chant stamped three times on the
ground, and sang.
And the phantom white, whose elsy-coid
Was onoe so fair,
Dries with his shroud his ~ciinging vest
And his sea-tossed hair"
Once more the solemn question:
"You, who would see revealed the
mysteries of the tomb-what do you
see now ?n
The student answered in a calm
voice, but like that of a man describ-
ing things as they pass before him II
see the cloud taking the form of a
phantom-its head Is covered with a
vail.n
Are you afraid ?"
az am not !"
The merchant then chanted in a
sepuchral voice:
"And the phantom said, as he arose from
the wave,
He shall know me in sooth
win go to my friend. gay, smiling and
fond,
As In our nrst youth ~
"What do you see?" said he.
81 see the phantom advance-he
lifts his vail-'tis Francis Villiers he
approaches the table-he writes-it is
his signatureW
care you afraid?"
A fearful moment of silence ensued
then the student replied, but in an
altered voice:
az am not"
We looked at each other in hovror-
| stricken silence, while the merchant
raising his arms above his head, with
frantic gestures, then ssng:
"And the phantom said TO the hooking
come nom the south
Put thy hand on my hand-thy heart on
my heart
Thy mouth on my mouth !"
"What do you see?"
HE cemes-he approaches-he pur-
sues me-he is stretching out his arms
he will have me-! Help help
Save me-"
"Are you afraid o ?' asked the
merchant, in a hooking voice.
A piercing cry, and then a stified
groan, were the only reply to this ter
rible question.
"Help that rash youth !" said the
merchant; bitterly. II have, I think
won the wager but 1t is sufficient for
me to have given him a lesson. Let
him keep his money and be wiser for
the future"
He walked rapidly away.
We opened the door of the summer.
| house and found the student In on
vulsions. A paper signed with the
| name "Francis Villiers" was on the
table. AS soon as the students senses
were restored he asked vehemently
where was the vile soreerer who had
| subjected him to such a horrible ordeal
he would kill him. He sought him
throughout the inn in vain; then
with the speed of a mailman, he
| dashed off across the fields In pursuit
| Of him-and we 6 v saw either of
them again.
That, children, is my ghost story
"And how is it, good uncle, that
| after that you don't believed in ghosts ?"
said I the first time 1 heard ii. ,
Because, my boy" replied my
uncle, "neither the student or the
merchant ever returned; and the
forty-fve guineas belonging to me
and the other travellers continued
equally invisible. These two swim
oilers carried them off, after having
acted a farce, which we, like ninnies,
believed to be real.P
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