Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-05-02
CAPTURING A GHOST.
How the Terror Of Branch Bridge
Was Removed.

"There, Uncle Ben, now are y0u gong 10
get round that!" / said, in half joking and
half triumphant tone as l laid down a paper
in which had been reading aloud q well
authenticated ghost story. What the paper
stated could be vouched for by a half score
of respectable citizens, who the editor de-
clared were ready and eager TO give their
oaths to what they had seen with their eyes
and heard with their ears
Uncle Ben, TO whom l had addressed the
question, was an old man, one of the first
settlers of our part of the country; and, un-
like great many other old men, he took a
great interest in what was going on in the
world; and now that his eyesight had in a
measure failed him, he was dependent upon
others to read to him the news, and for his
edification l had read the current ghost
story that was then going the rounds of
newspaperdom, and then demanded his
opinion on-the subject, as l have already
chroniCled.
There is way to get round every thing
of that Sort if you only go the right way to
work, and amt afraid of seeing any thing
be it in the flesh or not. A man sometimes
sees that which he is afraid he shall, even
with his eyes shut / don't believe that
there was ever one of these stories but that
could be sifted to the bottom and found that
natural causes had to do with it. In my
young day., Just after l settled here, we
had ghost that frightened half of the peo-
pie out of their wits; but l unraveled the
mystery after awhile when it got so that
nobody dared to cross the bridge after dark,
for fear of seeing or hearing something
from the other world"
'Was the bridge thought to be hauntedl"
ayes. Branch Bridge; and the people
l. - 4t,& 81, n
not account for, and it was not to be Won
dered at Strange sounds were heard at
night, and several times a tall figure
wrapped In sheet, with eyes that seemed
TO burn like fire, had been seen walking to
and fro, while groans would be heard, as if
the object were in deep distress; and things
came TO such pass at last that those
who had to cross the stream after
dark went down below and forded
it; and even in the broad daylight
there were those who would not trust them
selves upon the bridge, but gave it a wide
berth, as an uncsnny thing. The good Par
son Brown tried what preaching would DO
towards iaving the disturbed spirit; but that
seemed to do no good; and it looked as
though he hardly felt himself q match for
the strange mystery. For one night when
he had valiantly determined to keep watch
and ward over the bridge. he deserted his
post and came running into the neighbours
nearest tie bridge, minus his hat, and with
his hair standing upright on his head, and
almost breaJhless from his half-mile run
ming. And when at last he was so far re-
covered that he was able to speak, he de-
clared that he had seen the gentleman with
horns that he had been battling with all his
days; and, as on other occasions, he was
more than his match; and a good many be-
lieved that the parson spoke the truth.
"After the scare of their shepherd, whose
version of what he had seen agreed with the
statements of others who had witnessed it
the rest of the flock gave up all hopes of
solving the mystery. And thus matters
stood on my return home, after six months
absence, and for the first time learned that
the bridge was haunted. but by the spirit of
whom it passed the wisdom of them all to
determine.
II was young man then, and made my
home at fathers, though l worked out a
good deal of the time. 1t was the summer
before l was married, and it CHANGED that
she who was to be your aunt lived some two
miles distant. and to reach her home must
cross the bridge. or else ford the stream.
As / had not been at home for six months.
and had not seen her during that time, felt
called upon to pay her visit that night
even if were to meet ghost wrapped in
sheet at every turn of the road. Mother
mistrusted my intentions as it grew towards
sunset, from divers preparations was max
ing, and she tried to prevail upon me to
start before it should become dark, or
should be sure to see the ghost / had taken
but little stock in the story, as l was not a
believer in such things; and l laughingly
told her that had never seen ghost, and |
II there were any such things, / wanted to |
get q glimpse Of them Father also put in |
a word, saying that l had better take an |
early start; but to convince them that was |
not In the least afraid, did not leave the |
house until it was fairly dark.
s'The land Immediately about Branch |
Bridge does not look much now as it did |
then At that time il was covered with |
thick forest on either side for nearly quar- |
ter OF mile, so that it was as lonely q |
place as woods could make it, either in |
summer or winter. The high banks on !!
either side Of the stream are much the |
same now as they were then. though per-
haps they have been dug down somewhat |
at each new construction of the bridge, and |
ND and down the stream the huge trees, that |
psed to lean over the water as it dashed |
among the rocks below, are gone-swept
away by the spring floods. or, having lived |