The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-07-21
TEE VALLEY 0FSP00KS
SOME vEaY TrAtL GHOST STORIES
Narrated to au .latsllIssnesr" Historian, who
RsprOJuses Them for What They are Worth.
"A Regular nest OF HObrOblIna Near
-"important frras.'

A Regular S.at OF HobEObllns Near
-"importsnt u True"
Special Correspondence Of he lHkRiOeIiner.
CIARKsBuRe, July 90.-Clarksburg is th
home ii more original and blood.curdlin
ghost stories than any place in West Vii
ginia, i. common report be true, colon
Of the airy tenants has It's headquarter
here, aud maintains them In th
best possible style, The CHESTS appear I
come in assorted sizes aud mixed colon
Last night l eat in trout Of the Wake
house, listening for an hour 10 the most re
narkable collection OF spook stories II ha
been my good fortune to hear. The ghost
ly shadows Of the maple trees throw
against the tine-worn hotel by the pal
Hight of the moon, made strangely wiert
by peculiar clouds that occasionally OBJ
scured the queen OF uight, the solemn tici
Of the great old clock in the Office and tht
dismal howl Of a dog confined to it
kennel near by, all combined t
make thestories effective. Th,
genial clerk OF the house opened the ser
vices. He was followed by livery stabl,
keeper, who was 80 much in earnest that ht
forgot to charge g. customer over 81 for {
team to Buckhannon. John, the hotel portel
related some hair raising experiences, anC
even Thompson, the dignihed city attor.
ney, Secretary OF 4 Sunday School and
teacher Of young ladies bible class, waxed
eloquent oyer-a thrilling .personal exper-
ienco." The children are reared on ghost
storiess and the most. incorrigible boy in
The place will come toterms II you whisper
.'Devil's Hollow lin his ear. did moi
visit, this siayoritsresor OF the disembodied
| regret t.that, opportunity did not offer
But at somestimeln the saccharine futur
ity hope to spend short season at the
headquarters OF the ghosts, and make the
acquaintance OF few oi the choice spirit
who congregate there.
SWEEPSTAKES GHOST STORY.
feel impelled to toreproduce the exciting
story related by Mr.. Thompson. 1t is ,
strangely weird experience, and the nara
tori escape from hotrlble fate was mira
culous. Devils Hollow is a somewha
wild and, naturally uncanny spot, situated
on the high way, mot far from town be
tween two great tllills. Shadows negin t
gather in It soon after 4 O'Clock, even il
che spmmer time, and. .tbe dense foliage o
the thickl growing trees, and shrubbery
only adds'to the9sombreness OF the spot
Huge7 dead, trees, blacksned stumps, and
great gray faced rocks on the hillside, all
increase the effect. II is here that the
headquarters Of the white robed disturbers
Of peace areSG xed. Allorthodox ghosts
wear white. They are very high church"
Almost nightly manifestations Of thu
spirits are 10 be:seen, and it is a stout
heart that will venture by that way aftei
night iall. Even the cattle, refuse 10 re-
main In the. vicinity after shutdown
AS one comes into town he is com.
PEELED to. descend the hill over long,
steep and somewhat crcuitous road. It l.
on this descent that the ghosts get in their
work on the almost paralyzed traveller.
Scarcely has he started down the bill,
before the curtain gops up on one OF the
liyeliest matiIees OF the season. The
"play" is given in full without "eut OF
"iake," despite the small "house" In front.
The scenic effects are perfect, and incom.
preheusible 10 the audience. But let Mr.
Thompson tell the story. "Ever since my
childhood, !" he began, II had felt in awe
of''Dsvil's Hollow 10 my mind, It was
the most dreadful spot on earth, except an
ice cream parlor. My childish vision pee,
pied it with the most horrid tenants, and
filled its very hreeges with the most terri.
Die hobgoblinJ a slalwart imagination
could picture. To me It was the Pan.
theon OF ghosts, 1.-The Valhalla oi
disembodiedl spirits. At thought Of It's
awful terivrs l. grew faint, and no reward
would tempt me near its iateiul precincts,
alone, past midday. But as the years wore
away, and l approached manhood's estate
these childish leArs gradually left me, and
finally l laughed at my folly. Ia time
DEVILS Hollow passed from my thoughts,
and j, never remembered it, save when
some tale Of prank, playing ghost came 10
my ears, and then quickly dismissed it
from my mind as something unworthy the
attention oi a q uian and the attorney OF a
growing cotporatfou. One day, two years
ago, | had occasion to return TO Clarksburg
from certain point in the country, aud
without any thought on the matter, either
way, found myself, Just at twilight, on
the crest Of The hill overlooking DEVILS
Hollow. A glance revealed the base OF the
hill hid in the shadow, the shrubbery ap.
pearing in its density, like black cloud.
The road, seen in tue half light, wound
down the decliyity, gary band in srt-
ting Of dark green. The bare trees and the
huge ROCKS stood boldly defined in the
weird twilight. An unaccountable dread
oppressed me, and even my hoyse appeared
uneasy, But started down the road, de.
tetInined to allow no foolish fear to disturb
me. Il .3Lygtl0 (. .sH p q. 81
STRANGE SIGHTS.
Ihad gone scarcely a rod when a ball of
fire, seething and Kissing, Suddenly barred
myiprogress. My horse reared in an agony
OF fear, and l .felt. as II paralyzed. Before
could collect yzsenBesthe sphere seem,
cd TO grow traugparpnt,. and In the center
saw, distinctly, forms Of human beipge
writhing in the torments Of hell. The view
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