The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-05-02
A SPECTRE.
The Ghost IN Black that Has Crossed the

There is living in Hartford O butcher,
who, although possessed of a horrible
hulluclnation, does q thiving business.
lie is a young man, has been twice mar.
MED, and yet declares life is burden
to him. Several years ago he told his
Immediate friends that a tall man.
dressed in black, followed him every,
where; on the street, to the theater, to
church, in fact every movement of the
butcher was accompanied by a similar
II on the part of the ghostly visitant.
Finally when life was almost a torture
to him he decided to start for Califor-
ma, hoping that he would thus elude
the phantom shape. The trip west was
made without incident of any kind, and
as mile by mile was passed over and rs
the days waned into nights he began to
breathe freer, and when San Francisco
was reached he believed that he was
ridden of his ghost. He went to the
mines and for weeks felt happy, gained
in flesh and decided to start in business.
One day while walking ON the highway
he CHANGED to glance over his shoulder
and was Mortified to discover the dread
ed being. The latter was clothed in
the same suit of black, his face wore a
demoniac smile, and his whole appear.
ance seemed to say "You cannot elude
ne" The butcher started on q run and
now and then turned around only to dis.
w the shadow tapping his footsteps.
At the entrance of the town he again
glanced behind and found himself alone.
The visits after that required only mt in
t%ervals, but sufficient in number to as
sure him that he was not free. His
stay in California lasted several years.
He ven from town to town, from mine
to mine, always accompanied by the man
in black.
He married q worthy young woman
with the belief that by taking a partner
to his joys he might also have some one
to share his SORROWS. The result was
in no way satisfactory as regards either
of his beliefs, for his Joys wore few and
his sorrows many. Again the thought
came to him that it would be we'll to
start for the east. This was done with
the same results on the journey home
that accompanied his western trip. Ar
irving in Hartford he took up his resi-
dence near his relatives, aud in q few
weeks opened a butcher shop. Two
months had barely elapsed when he
was again visited by the phantom and
thereafter it eve left his side. A
year after his return his wife
died and several months later he remer-
ried. Hehss moved from house to house
with the hope of gaining rest but all to
no purpose. In conversation he said,
ut follows me everywhere. At nightI
wake up to find him standing over me,
slowly moving his index finger up and
down and his lips moving as though he
was talking. Some nights the sewing
machine will run for hours INCREASINGLY,
operated by the ghost. At breakfast,
behind me, and wherever I go he is by
my side. Life isa fearful burden and
| don't know what to do about it. He
is now standing alongside Of me. He
is about six feet tall, very slender, of
a pale yellow appearance. He is
dressed in black throughout. l can't
place him among any of my friends or
relatives who have died, and don't know
of a soul l have ever injured.
The m~ost'curious phase of the whole
tale is that recently the butchers wife,
mother and brother have seen the phan-
tom, but only when the victim was
present.