Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-07-20

.par or two ago several individuals, at DIFF
irr.nt times. were scared out OF seven
years growth BY catching glimpses, alter
ni";!fall, of a son.brs- clad tall figure, sup
pus,.: 10 ba If lhs feminine PERSUASION
whose wont 1t was to glide nois'elessly along
the pavement in front Of ST. Paul's church,
or TO suddenly emerge from either OF The al
leys on that thoroughfare and stand in front
of some belated pedestrian until each ses:-
arate hair on the latter's Uranium assumed
q perpendicular position. From whence II
came or whittier it went-hades, the ABODE
of the blessed, gehenna or sheol-none were
able to tell. The spook, or whatever IL may
have been. rendered many creduious per-
sons nervous, and caused others TO go out
Of their way on more than one occasion
rather than risk a sight OF Inc supposed
spirit by walking to their homes over the
dreaded square. All sorts OF suggestions
intended to clear up the mystery were al
vanced. the generaliy-rcceived theory DelnS
that the "apparition" was nothing more
than IL harmless colored woman, slightly ue-
mented, who was accustomed to leave her
home in the witching hour OF night anu
walk around that neighborhood. Inc SEN
sation, however, like all mundane thugs,
died ont, until last Saturday night, When IL
was once more revived by the ghost" max
ing its appearance to Mr.. James WOOD, VINO
was on his way home at the Tune: Mr.
Wood lives on the north side OF Wolfe,
between Pitt and St Asaph streets. 1t
was twelve midnight, that lonely hour
when grave yards yawn, and lunar's glib
hous fjlm had Just sunk behind the western
hills. when this gentleman, with 4 box OF
fried oysters under each arm, started from
the Onera House restaurant for his home.
He had arrived at the southwest corner OF
Prince and Pitt streets, intending to pass
over tie square opposite st. Paul's church.
when directly in front Of him there sudden
" apnrarcd The irrepressible figure he OIL
had heard of--not in sable habilments,
however, hut snowy white. Mr. w. claims
to be a ilsheIever in ghosts, hobSohlins,
fairies or eenii SO he determined to catch up
with and critically survey whoever or what
ever i. was that glided--not walkcd-so
stealthiiy before him. Accordingly he ac-
celebrated his gait to the utmost to overtake
the spectre, but despite his every cXertlon
he could get no nearer than five feet of tho
apparition. He smoked up vigorously on 81
cigar he had in his mouth, for The purpose
of shedding as much light on the sceneas
possible, when, in the twinkling of an eye,
the spook vanished rs suddenly as ring OF
smoke or burst soap bubble. AT this
dcnouencnt our hero, sultry as the weather
was, felt cold chill meandering down the
spinal column which soon eventuated IN y
tre,nor throughout the frame, and conclud-
ing that he had had enough Of that adven-
ture, became panic-striken and beat lively
retreat back to the restaurant he had pre-
viously left, arriving at which he rushed up
to the proprietor in such a disturbed state
OF mind that the latter imagined him TO &c
in bellicose humor and prepared himself
to act npon the defensive. Mr.. Wood, how
ever. soon explained himself by giving. ~
thrilling account of his adventure, which lie
closed by informing some of the bystandeTs
that they would have to accompany him to
his home as he was completely unnerved.
4 "commitee" kindly volunteered for that
purpose and in The course of half an hour
Mr.. W. was safe within his own domiclle.
His disbelief in visitants from the unseen
world is not SO strong now as formerly.