The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-02-22

ana the WlLcn IN conversation upon the
house-top, surrounded by flames and
laughing fiendishly in the lurid glare as
they shook their fists at the plague
stricken village sleeping below, his tale
found ready credence. The fact that
he was an habitual drunkard. and had
on moro than one occasion rolled from
his horse in drunken stupor and
| passed the night in a ditch, dreaming
wild dreams, did not in the least de-
tract from the belief of the villagers in
his account of this scene; and when he
related how this pair of demons had
bounced upon him. and had first tor
tured and then thrown him senseless
into ditch. their Indignation became
uncomfortable.
Old Barbara was tried, condemned
and hanged, though she protested in
her innocence to the last. The little
sum of money found in her possession
was used to buy that grave-stone-as no
one would dare appropriate it-and to
this day if any one were bold enough
to go to her grave at midnight on the
same day of the year on which she was
hanged and say: Barbara, believe
you were innocent, at the same time
stretching ost his hand over the grave,
she would appear to him and place in
bis hand talisman.
This talisman would bring good fort
une as long as he retained it, but at
some time in his life the witch would
return to him and claim her own.
The old woman ended her story in
low, impressive monotone, which, with
her earnestness and sincere belief in
what she said, almost carried convic-
ton to me in spite of reason. As
sauntered away, ridiculing these igno-
rant and superstitious village folk, /
found myself almost unconsciously
wandering back through the old burial
ground to the witch's grave. Careless
ly glancing at the inscription, was
surprised to find that very day was the
one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of
her death, and still more surprised
when the thought occurred to me of
watching at her grave that night. |
ridiculed and scoffed the idea. Where
was my boosted common sense and in
cred6lity? But, still returning ever,
came that wayward thing called fancy
and it conquered.
The world was wild and weird that
night, when Istole forth from the vii
lage. The wind was moaning through
the trees and sobbing piteously; the
black clouds were driven in broken
patches across the sky, now letting
| down the moonshine, and again STROUD
ing all in blacklist night, and making
the shadows chase each other about
and steal around corners upon one in
manner that made me vince in spite
of myself. Climbing the low stone wall
rather nervously, contest stole
away through the old, down-trodden
graves, pushing through the weeds and
briars as silently as possible, and MAX
ing my way towards that dark and
dreary corner where the old witch re-
posed. A graveyard at noon is very
different spot from graveyard at mid
night, especially if one is there to seek
an interview with spirit.
reached the place and stood by the
tomb. 1t still lacked few minutes of
twelve, and as I stood there watching
the moonlight fitting over the graves [
longed for little ray to creep in with
me. But approaching and receding
and wavering all about me, it never
touched this grave, but fled away as Oft
en- as it approached, as though fright
ened at the black shadow forever lurking
there.
BY and by the village clock tolled
| twelve. AS the slow, tremulous tones
stole out on the night the wind ceased
moaning, the clouds covered the face of
the moon, the insects stopped chirping,
and when the last stroke was finished
the almost unbearable silence was brok-
en- only by my own breathing, which I
| strove in vain to suppress. The dark
ness was intense and [ could see moth
ing. A terrible feeling of guilt and ter
ror seized me, that /, a mortal, should
be intruding there at such an hour
Mechanically | strove to speak the
words had been told, but my lips re-
fused to form a sound.
Still l stood in that awful black 81
lence, chilled with fear, until with a
mighty effort I reached out my arm
over the grave and grasped a hand.
1t was only for an instant not that,
for it was jerked away in twinklingA
but long enough to feel how warm and
velvety it was and how small. Not that
| fingered there to reflect upon these
novel qualities in the hand OF a ghost,
and an old witch at that, for YOU alto
gether mistake my bravery in suppos-
ing it; but it was after l had cleared
the old wall at bound and was on the
moonlit road, walking at rafting good
pace towards town, that I recalled it.
From state of intense cold [ had
changed to burning heat. The touch
of those soft fingers thrilled me through
as with an electric shock, and | walked
faster still in my excitement. Gradually
the consciousness forced itself upon me
that held something in my clenched
hands. There was first a glitter and
then sparkle, as the moonlight fell
into the hollow of my appraised hand,
and | saw there q glittering ring set
with flashing stones. The icicles began
slipping down my back again, and
hurried on.
Some persons may be inclined to de-
ride my nervousness on this occasion.
but assure such that am not natural
ly timid man. have medal hang
ing in my room at home which asserts
that | am not'a timid man, and above
all had always been particularly void
OF superstitious fear; but truth compels
me to say that not only lighted all the
lights on reaching my room at the little
inn that night, but turned them very
high into the bargain; and that 1 made
q systematic inspection of all the clos
cts and removed from its peg long
cloak that was hanging in very sug-
gestive position on the wall This done,
l sat down-with my back against the
wall-and examined the ring.
1t was a quaint old ring, curiously |
carved and massive. The setting was
composed of several small colored
stones set in circle about large dia-
mond. My financial circumstances had
rendered it unnecessary for me to ac-
quaint myself with precious stones and
their values, so that l could only sur
mise that the ring was somewhat valua-
BILE. Considering the exciting condition
OF my nerves by this time, it was not
strange that should start when nv eve
fell up0n the mama that ,xvo 9 ;,,ror;bod |