Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-18
A HAUNTED LIME-KILN.
Experience of a Party Well Supp
 piled with Corn-Juice.
A Scene of Ghostly Terror That Rivals What Tam O'Shanter Saw on Anoway Kirk-Keep;ng Spirits Up by Pour
 ing Spirits Down.

ing SplrltS DOWn.
 | On the left bank of the Wichita are | the remains of an old lime-kiln that have for some years borne the reputa- | ton of being haunted, and in con l sequence of which have been avoided | after night-fall by the people about. l The negroes have such horror of the 1 place that they will make a detour of several miles rather than pass it except in broad daylight and in a party. | 1When questioned, however, about it they can not be induced to speak of it | save in general, awe-Stricken way, ac- companied by many ominous shakes of the head. General interest has lately been aroused in the haunted kiln owing to Robert B. Ca prominent farmer of :this vicinity) having organized a party to watch the place with him one night, l he having seen sufficient to convince him that either a party of mischievous boys were trying to frighten passers-by, or that tho kiln really deserves it's un- canny reputation. A correspondent of the St. Louis Globe called on MT. B. and heard the story of what he had seen. In the gentleman's own words l the narrative runs:
 | II was returning from town last Tues | day, having been detained unusually late, and found myself just at nigh tfall opposite the old kiln. had been rather earnestly thinking over some business l and scarcely noticed where 1 was, so | l am sure a heated imagination had noth- 1 ing to do with what I saw. My horse l jumping back suddenly was the first l thing that aroused me, and I looked to see the cause of his fright. The moon was shining brilliantly, and l had no l difficulty in making out a hideous object that was running through the grass 1 towards the kiln. It was on all fours, but kept looking back over it's shoulder 1 at mo. It was about the size of a l thirteen-ycar-old boy, but it's face was 1 that of an old, old man, with long gray l hair all over it, that fiuttered and 1 Streamed out as it ran. The eyes l gleamed like those of a cat in the dark. I disn- ounted quickly and tore after the creature, but just as I reached the place 1 where l had first seen it I felt hand l jerk mo backward and throw me violent ly to the ground, but in looking around l could see nothing whatever. Yes, I'll acknowledge it, I was afraid to stay any | longer, so 1 went back to where my horse was standing, and mounting him, left as quickly as he could carry me- MT. B ended his story by inviting me to become one of the party that was going to watch the spot that night, which invitation was eagerly accepted, 1 Wellarnod and provided with means for light and fire, as well as certain quantity of Dutch courage in case of our foilintr Spt ont inst and campcd beneath large pine grow ing within fifty feet of the old kiln. The night was still and our own voices were the only sound to be heard as we sat around the fire and talked quietly, until w; were all brought to our feet by 0 fearful yell, coming, apparently, from the trees above our heads. I can not de- scribe it, for it was uncarthly, and enough to freeze the blood of any living creature. 1 felt the hair rising on my head, and, on looking at my friends, 1 saw that they were equally affected. All stood as if struck motionless, until MT. N, ono of the most fearless men I ever knew, exclaimed:
 ''Tm going to know what that noise means. if I have to face the evil one himSclf,'
 AS uc Spol\c, i ucitll "1uu Dltc dllo white flames curling all about it ap- peared suspended in the air close to his own face. and grinned into it horribly. The spectral countenance was the em- bodiment of evil, and we all shrank back from it, while it slowly f1oated, laughing diabolically, toward the limc- kiln, which burst into leaping flames as the head reached it. A smell of birthstone and sulphur, 50 strong as to be almost stifing, filled the air as the head passed through it, though accompanied by neither smoke nor vapor. The burning kiln was now filled by dancing, screeching imns, black and scarlet, that climbed the flames and eus up every imaginable caper, the trunkless head l have spoken of sus- 1 pended high above them all. Detached 1 hands now began to snatch at us, sOli- tary limbs attempted to trip our own up, blows fell from an invisible whip on the backs of several of the party and voices hellowed in adeafening manner right in the ears of the rest In fact it would be l impossible to enumerate the annOyanceS vented cn the daring mortals who thus ventured to gaze on the revels of demons and lost spirits. But as these failed a last weapon was resorted to, for, without warning, all light was extinguished, and we found ourselves in utter darkness, and the very ground quaking under our feet. This was too much for us, and all hands simultaneously broke for the open road running toward town, where
 we gradually assembled to talk over the fearful experiences of the night. Each
 had some story to relate of what had happened to him in that moment of | darkness. OHo had been ridden by an imp that beat him about the head with his horned feet; another had had great punches of his hair pulled out, while a third exhibited purple marks on his body where he had heen prodded in the ribs by some sharp instrument.
 | Buttons Made of Leather.
 Leather is used good deal this sea- son in the manufacture of buttons, par ticularly of the large coat and cloak but tons. The leather is prepared in about the same way as it is for nail heads and
 the buttons have much the same appear. ance. They arc hard, smooth and high ly polished, in some instances heinz | cta ta,,,rnI ptlAHpf uri h