Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-05-09
A Ghost.

an adjournment of the Historical So
ciety, the other night, related the fol-
lowing story to a party of friends who
fingered in the chamber Of odd, old
manuscripts:
While a young man, I was not looked
upon az one Of those Woodworking,
plodding boys who never fail to make
a reputation in youth and lose it in
manhood. The fact is 1 was rather
wild, and, by certain people whose
hyes were spent in the sLrai ht-jacket
of narrow-minded opinion, not regarded
as particularly truthful. One Or two
OF our most prominent farmers went SO
far as to say that 1 sometimes drank too
much, but what quantity in those days
was regarded as too much, I was not at
that time, and neither am I now, able
to determine. -. 5-r-t u. 80
One day [ went to town, a little vii
lage in the northern part of the State,
and yielding to the allure rents OF met
ropolitan life, 1 remained until late in
the evening. Night came ON shortly
after started home, and with the dark
ness, a heavy rain. About half way
between town and my fathers house,
stood an old log church, dismal enough
IN tine day, to say nothing of a ght like
this, but 1t afforded the only means of
shelter from the downpour of rain, I
stopped, dismounted and stood in the
doorway, holdinggm my bride reins. least
my eye around rather nervously and at
tempted to penetrate the deep gloom
OF the interior, for although 1 was not
afraid, yet l felt that strange, UNI
speakable dread which occasions often
cause to settle upon the most cour-
ageous of men. After awhile, lust q
vivid flash of lightning lit up the place,
Hooked around again. Standing near
the pulpit. with long hair disheveled,
with ghastlyface and staring eyes, stood
a woman, dressedin robes Of flowing
white. l was startled, but a moment
afterward, when total darkness came
again, I persuaded myself that it must
have been only a fancy, still I kept my
eyes turned back, in dreadful fascina-
ton. Another flash. The figure, with
arms outstretched, with face Of deathly
pallor, and with hair streaming in
tangled masses, approached slowly
down the aisle. l knew that if I ran
away and ever told my experience,
people would laugh at NE, and though
by his time l was somewhat frightened,
yet 1 was determined to wait awhile
longer and be fully convinced. 1t was
some time before there was another
flash, but l stood, gazing intently. The
church was again lit with a dazzling
glare, and the woman was in a few feet,
from where l 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 may have
been a fancy, my hair pushed my hat
off. Anyway, the hat fell. and too,
terrified to regain it, I sprangl
away, letting the animal out, as
the saying is, How 1 ia he'd over logs
and among trees without being killedis:
a wonder. but reaching the road the:
horse seemed to fly. About three miles;
from the church lived old Mr.. Gantling, .
with whom I was acquainted, and reach
ing his house, I~dismounted, hitched my
horse and almost burst into the room.
The old gentleman had not gone to bed,
ana seeing me bareheaded and doubtless
noticing my fright, he started up and
exclaimed:
"Why, Andrew, what in the world is
the matter?"
give seen q ghost" %
"Wh9t!' with surprise, for he knew
that I was not given to superstition.
"Have seen a ghost?"
eyes, sir; at the old church." Ithen
related my experience, during which
recital the family gathered around me.
"That was certainly very strange"
said the old man when [ had finished,
'tbut are you certain that it was not q
fancy?"
81 would bet my life on it's being a
fact. 1t was a ghost just as sure as you
live"
.'Well, let's put up your horse. Stay
all night, and in the morning, We'll go
and investigate"
[ couldn't sleep. Every time T sue
ceeded in %persuading myself into a doze,
that face, with it's startling eyes, I'M
earthly expression and deathly com.
| plexion, came up before me. No one
ever welcomed the sunlight more than
l did that morning, and yet I dreaded
to go back to the church.
After breakfast, partaken of heartily
by every one but me, the old gentleman
and I mounted our horses and proceed
ed toward the church. 1 must have
presented q comical appearance, for I
wore a child's hat above an agitated ex-
preston. My. hat had not fallen off
where I thought it had, or perhaps the
wind might have blownit, but we found
it in the road, almost covered with the
damp earth, which the heavy rain had
beaten around it. just before reaching
the church, we met a man who lived in
the neighborhood. He seemed greatly
distressed. Turning to my companion
he said:
"Have you seen anything Of my poor,
demented daughter? She left home
several days ago, although we watched
her closely, and has not been heard of
since. I,could never give my consent
for her to be taken to an asylum"
A flash of intelligence, instead of a
flash of lightning, now appeared, and
Mr.. Gantling, turning to me Remarked:
"Andrew. she is the ghost you saw in
the church last night"
We proceeded to the church, and there
behind the pulpit, knelt the poor girl.
She had gone crazy on the subject Of re-
ligion. If my freight had not been thus
ayn1ainad No raaooninr avon unto