The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-04-25
A Ghost.

1 DeSt known Jur1SlS In ArkanaaS, atter
an adjournment of the ! istorical So
ciety. the other night, related the fol-
lowing story to party of friendi VINO
FINGERED in the chamber of odd. old
manuscripts
| Will. young man, was not looked
upOn as one ol0those Woodworking,
plodd ng boys who never fail to make
a reputation in youth and lose it in
mannool. The fact is I was rather
wild, and, by ce tain people whose
lives Were spent in tn, 8 raight-jacket
of narrow minded opinion, not regarded
rs part ularly ruIhful. One or two
of our m st prominent arm RS went so
far as to say that sometimes drank too
mach, but what quantity in tn ,se days
was rega ded as too much, was not 4
t. at time, and ne.tner am L now, able
to determine.
One day I went to town, a little vii
Ia n he northern pa of the state,
and yielding to the allure ents o met
ropolitan Ii e, remained until late in
the evening. Night came on she, tly
after started home, and with the dark
"ess, h avy rain. About half way
between town aud my fathers house,
stood an old log church. small enough
n The day, to say nothing of night like
this. bat 1t Afforded the only means of
sht tier from the downpour of rain, L
stopped, dismounted and stood in the
doorway, holding my bri,ile re rs. cast
my eye around rather nervousy and at
tempted to penetrate the deep gloom
of the interior. for although l was not
afraid, yet / felt that strange, I'M
speakable dread which occasions often
cause to settle upon the most cOur-
ageous of men. After awhile, lust q
vivid flash of Ii htning lit up the place,
l looked around again. Standing n ar
the pu p t. W tn long hair di heyeled,
with ghast yfa eand staring eye stood
a woman, dressed in robes of fl wing
white. was startled. but 4 moment
afterward, when total darkness came
again, persuaded myself that It must
have been on fancy, st II kept my
eyes turned back, in dreadful fascina-
q n. Another ash. The figure, with
arms outstretched, with face of deathly
pailor, and with hair streaming in
tangled masses, approached slowly
down the aisle. / knew that # i ran
away and ever told my exper ence.
pc pie would laugh at me, and though
| ny HIS Llt Il WAS SOfltWlldt
yet was dete mined to wait awhile
longe and be fully convinced. 1t was
some time before there WIS another
fash, but stood, gazing inhntly. The
church was again lit W tn da cling
glare, and the woman was in a few feet
ON W ere | stood, just in the act of
throwing her arms around me. My
horse snorted and pulled me from the
doorway. There was no longer any
mistake. and, though this ma have
been fancy, my hair pushed my hat
off Anyway, the hat fell. and too
terrified to regain It, L sprang
IL on my horse and dashed
away, lett NO the animal out, as
tie saying is, H w da he'd ov, logs
and among trees without be NC killed is
wonder. ut rea hing the road the
horse seemed to l.y About three miles
from the hurch lived old Mr.. anti NO,
with whom l wa Acquainted and rea h
n hi house dsmou ted, htched my
no Sc and almost burst into he room.
The old gentleman had not gone TO bed,
ana >eeing me ba eheaded and doubtless
noticing M rig ht, he started up and
ex la med:
"Why, Andrew, what in the world Is
the matter?'
81 We seen ghost"
"N hat" with surprise, for he knew
that was not giveI to superstit.on-
..Have seen ghost?''
Eyes, sir; at the old church" Ithen
related my experience, during which
rec. tai the family gathered around me.
| THAT was certainly very strange"
| said the old man when had finished,
'but are you CERTAIN that it was not ?
fancy" r...... .
81 would bet my life on it, beng d
fact. 1t was ghost just as sure as yoa
| live"
well. let's put up your horse Stay
all night. and in the morning. Well so
and investig ate.''
cDuldn't eep. Every time 1 sue
ceeded in persuading myself into doze,
that face, w tn it's startling eyes, IN
earthly OPPRESSION and death Y COM
PIE ion, cane up b, fore me. NO one
ever welcomed the sunlight more than
did that morning, and yet l dreaded
| to back to the church.
After breakfast, pa taken of heartily
by every one but me, the old gentleman
and mounted our horses and proceed
ed toward the church. l must have
pre,ente a 'mical appearance. for
wore child's hat above an agitated ex-
preston. My hat had not fallen off
where thou hit it had, or perhaps the
wind might have blown it, but we found
it in the road, almost covered with the
damp earth, which the heavy rain had
beaten ound it. just before reaching
the church, we met man who lived in
the neighborhood He seemed greatly
distressed. Turning to my companion
he sad:
Have you seen anything of my poor,
demented daughter? She lett home
severa. days ago, although We watched
her closely, and has not been heard of
since. could never give my consent
for her to be taken to an asy um."
A flash of intelligence, instead of
flash OF lightning. W appeared, and
Mr.. Gantling, turning to me remarked:
"Andrew. she is the ghost you saw in
the church last night. f...
We proceeded to the church, and there
behind the pulpit. knelt the poor girl.
She had gone crazy on the sub; Jet of re-
ligion. If my fr ght had not been thu.
explained, no reasoning, even unto
this day, could have convinced me that
i had not seen q ghost.-Arkansas
Trareier.
"A Chicago b lie at Jacksonville.
Fla, found herself in need of pair oi
1907. cd pnstat into naaro-t