The Cecil Whig., 1886-03-20
ho"'"'e. :Anesaote. ] fi'tion.
THE STAR GHOST.

In 4 mountainous district of one Of
the Southern States, which need not be
named, is a very valuable wheat farm
that was for many years in litigation.
When at last the long pending lawsuit
was decided this farm became the prop
erty of an orphan girl but little over
twcnty years OF age, who, having it in
her power to indulge all her whms,
had acquired a reputation for eccen-
tricity. She decided without hesita-
ton to make the farm her home, not
withstanding its remote and isolated
situation
The buildings, including a commo-
dious BRICK dwelling house, were much
out of repair, for they had been long
abandoned, but the new owner sent a
little army of skilled workmen, who
very soon put the premises in COM
plete repair, and the beautiful Miss
Star, accompanied by an elderly lady
Of most imposing aspect, whom she
had secured TO act as chaperone, moved
in one day about the beginning of
summer. 1t was, however, by no
means Miss Stars intention to lead
rlcluse life, and in the course of week
the house was filed with gay company.
And now began those strange vista
tons for which no satisfactory eNplana-
tion-after more than twenty years
has Vet been found.
One evening, between s and 9
O'Clock, party Of Miss Stars guests,
two or three ladies' and as many gen
tlemen, were seated on the broad
piazza--or gallery, as it would be called
in the South-talking of the days
pleasure and planning excursions for
the morrow. There was no moon, but
the sky was clear and the soft light of
the stars rendered any large object
sufficiently visible. Suddenly there ap
peared on the flower border, directly
in front of the somewhat hilarious
party, and almost within reach, short,
stout man, decently clad in a suit of
rough cloth, with fur cap on his head.
He carried his hands in tie pockets of
his coat and stood staring at the little
group Of ladies and gentlemen with a
peculiarly sinister and defiant express
sion. When one of the gentlemen
spoke to HIM he instantly vanished,
and before the party had recovered
from their surprise he was seen walk
ing across the lawn at a distance i'm
possible for mortal man to have reached
in so short q time.
NIiGui hdS tllG CANIlClilCllt dllll CdSCl
the discussion that ensued. No foot
prints could be found in the flower
border nor en- the lawn, and upon in
quiry it was learned that no one about
the premises had ever seen or heard OF
such man. Miss Star offered a large
reward for his apprehension or detec-
ton, but without other result than at
tracing p1blic curiosity.
The aDpariton became a fomiliar
thing, and even on moonlight nights
he was sometimes seen, though he
showed himself less boldly on such
nights and seemed to court the shelter
of the shadows. The fame of him
went abroad and many people of the
neighborhood, mostly young men with
a thirst for adventure, repaired to the
farm to lie in wait for the Star ghost.
1t was soon observed that to parties
over ten or twelve in number the ghost
never appeared, but to a smaller party
Ee would boldly show himself with
that defiant, sinister aspect he always
wore, and every attempt to seize him
resulted in utter failure. He vanished
from the very grasp Of his captors and
kept them bewildered. One young
man of powerful build, whose only
physical defect was a lameness that
compelled him to carry 4 CrutCh, lay
out under the trees for hours one night
waiting for Miss Stars ghostly visi:ant,
and when the we'll known apparition
stood before him in search of his hand
he struck At him with force that shiv-
cred the Crutch to splinters; but 10
the man in the fur cap was gone Yet
another young fellow, famous marks
man, swore that he would do righ-
teous act in putting a bullet through
such tormentor, and he lay in wait
with loaded rifle for the man in the
fur cap. When the ghost appeared
this young brave, undaunted, took de-
liberate aim and fired, and as the
smoke cleared away, there stood the
man in the fur cap grinnng at the mar
F., with the rifle the next instant he van