The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-01-01

A NEW YEARS GHOST.
The wind races wildly through the
town, making weird, moaning sound in
desolate places near the coast, where
great dark rocks cast their uncanny shad-
ows, and around the village gables The
few stars which glimmer between the
heavy clouds look pale and shivering, but
the village windows are red with light,
and it is evident that an event of no small
importance is at hand. Lanterns CLEAN
along the main street, footsteps echo on
the ground, for there is only the lightest
sprinkling of snow over the rough hub
bles. But lanterns and footsteps all wind
toward the village store just now, where
every evening the sailor and farmer, and
even the squire, the aristocracy, as we'll
as the humber portion of the town, con-
gregate to discuss the weather, the crops,
the news, and to relate thrilling stories Of
adventures at sea.
Tonight conversation is unusually
brisk and interesting. The parson him
self is there, and condescends to joke q
little with the cOzy group at the back of
the glowing stove, while waiting for his
purchases to be weighed and tied mp in
separate brown paper parcels, and, in spite
of himself, waits a moment to hear the
denouement of thrilling ghost story,
told with the assurance that it is solemn
fact, by brown old sailor, who shakes
his gold earrings as he proceeds in his
recital, with q great deal of nervous en-
ergy;
"NOw, this is ez true as | set in this
cheer, gentlemen" he announces, gravcly,
at tho end of nearly every sentence.
And though he is not sitting at all, but
leaning his stalwart length over flour
barrel, no one seems to doubt. The squire
looks as gravsly interested as the boys
The parson smiles, but it is noticeable that
the smile affects only one side of his
mouth, and is as lacking in amusement as
is the open mouth of the man who is wait
ing for the forceps OF the dentist in the
advertisement of the toothache medicine
which adorns the smoky wall. The teller
seems to be as awe-stricken himself as his
hearers. The effect of the tale is height
ened by the dead silence of the place, the
dimness of the lamplight, the weird shad-
Ows in the corners, and meandering
wrsaths of smoke which curl up toward
the dingy rafters overhead, and encircle
the head Of the old story.teller, giving him
the look of an enchAnter or genii of old
working over the FIRE.
Outside there is the troubled voice of
the sea, the waillng Of the wind. The
story ended, q long-drawn breath goes
around the circle. The parson gives ut
teranoe to a nervous little laugh, then,
suddenly becoming alive to his dignity
and his duty, speaks against the folly Of
superstition, with which he declares the
whole town to be alive.
"Wall, 'ta'n't no wonder, parson, when
ghosts is seen walking these here streets
on dark nights," spoke up another old
fisherman. / seen John Norton's ghost
last night as plain as / see you this blessed
minute. went daown to my boat haouse
there to the landin' about eight O'Clock,
an . comm back, jest ex l wuz against
them tew tall pine trees afore you git
to haouse, there he was standin' m look
ing me in the face. The moon shone right
onto his features, n lor'! there want no
more mistakin' 'em than mistakin' my
brothers. didn't say nothin', was so
kinder took aback, not believin' in ghosts
afore, n he turned into the woods road
that leads to the old Norton place He
moved spry ernuff, but 'twan't like walk
in. He kinder glidsd off like shadder,
n his osaa looked sorter thin m white. {"
"Wall, nAow, if / ha'n't dashed" ex-
claimed . jolly-looking farmer, rubbing
his stubby chin, excitedly. "My wife n
her sister declared to Moses that they'd
seed the same feller last night, walkin'
past the house bout twilight, but since
that spiritualist woman has been here in
the village, they've been q seein' n hear
in all sorts O. things, m I didn't make
no account Of their ghosts, no more'n
n0thin' at all"
"Who was John Norton ?" inquired
the parsOn, who was . newcomer.
"a sea capin, who got wrecked some
eight years ago, and rs promising .
young man ~ We ever raised in the town," !"
said the squire, slowly. cit was his first
voyage % captain, and those who we're
saved say that he stood by the ship until
the very last minute. He was found fro
zen to death on the wreck after the storm
was over by vessel which was bound for
Boston. John was known by the captain
of this vAssel, and he brought the body
into port with him, and it was sent out
here to be buried"
"Then there is NO doubt but what the
man is really Dead" said the psrson.
"Sailors have sometimes the faculty of
coming to life again. you know; that il" !"
he added, with due seriousness there
are false reports of their death. How
many sailors have come back to Bar
msuth safe and sound, who have been re-
ported drowned ?"
"Neyer but one sence I've been old
enough to remember" said an old man,
who had hitherto been silent. "That
wuz Lake Higgins, m he'd "a done his
self N the taown both favor il he he'a
- died. It's them kind O. chaps what
dew turn up, not starlin' good fellows like
John. John, be was Q drstful loss."
"Oh, there's no possibility Of Johns
being being alive" said the squire, ner-
vously. II saw him buried myself, poor
fellow. He was engaged to my daughter,
Elsie, and she, poor girl, has done nothing
bat mourn for him Ill these years. OBJ
iectsd TO tho match at first, but before be
went away On his last voyage / became
fally alive 70 his good qualities He was q
brave, manly fsllow.na t''.ii ea .7a4 ~
Eutsr MIRA Blagg, the wife of fisher.
man. ouite ont OF -hraath, and looking
very Wild. ,,....,ra