Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-01-22
THE DANCE OF DEATH.
A Merry. Laughing Brides Last
Waltz.


ghostly character as to stamp itself In
delibly on the minds of ali connected
with it. Many are still living who can.
according 10 the st. Louis Globe Demo-
crdt, vouch for the truth of the story.
incredible in all its supernatural details
as II may appear. Mrs c., the wife of
one of the officers stationed here at that
time, had young sister of her husband
visiting her from an Eastern CITY.
This girl, so beautiful and fascinating
as 10 win hearts almost without an ef-
fort, was of light and careless nature
that recked little of what pam was
caused TO Others as long as her own
pleasure was secured. Lieutenant o.
one OF the most gallant and bravesl
young officers in The service, was one of
her earliest victims, and became COM
pletely infatuated with the young lady,
who, while she found only amusement
IN his earnest devo ion. still allowed
him to hope that he might ultimately
win her hand.
While she WAS pursuing this heart
less sport news Was received at the fort
Of an Iudian raid on a defenseless farm
house some twenty miles away, and as
the treacherous Araches had psrticu-
larly distinguished themselves on this
OSCdSAcA AOA NlutIlE anu OulTdBc, Qc-
tachm-nt was at once detailed 10 find
and punish them. Lieutenant O. was
placed in command, and "a his errand
was one of dan-er and from which he
might never return, he resolved to as
certain his real position with the object
of his affections. Whether 1t was from
a lack of principle or weak desire 10
send her lover off with light heart,
was never known-but Miss 9. un-
doubtedly gave him her promise to
marry him, should he return, or to re-
main single for his sake should he lose
his life on the eXpedi, ion. AT any rate,
Lieutenant .. was heard TO say, as he
bade his sweetheart goOd-by:
"If L cannot have you, no one else
ever shall. L will come hack to claim
| you, dead or aliye.n
In a few DAYS the detachment re-
| turned, but the gallant young Lieuten-
ant was not with it. The Indians had
been encountered in a narrow canyon,
and won the fight, the soldiers being
compelled to beat a hasty retreat
When they collected themselves they
| found that the Lieutenant, dead or
wounded, had been ieft on the field OF
battle, and though his men returned
next day TO look for him, no trace Of
/ MS DOuy cOulu DS IOunu-
Miss. G. seemed utterly Indifferent
| to the tate of her lover, ana soon an
nounced her intention of marrying at
an early date a young man who had
/ followed her from the East. The oc-
casion WAS to be made one of great
| festIyity, and all the fashionable ele-
ment of the post was invited TO partici-
| pate.
/ The narriapa ceremOnv was foliovveui
| by a ball, and the merriment was at its
| height when the loud banging Of door
! WAS heard above all tho sar-shinaf nsi-.e
I OF Ine band and the RJise OF inc lev
elers. \ cold wind, icy and unnatural,
swept through the rooms, causing the
/ lamps to burn as blue as corpse lights,
| and a dreadful cry, half human, half
weird, was heard echolng all over the
/ house. The guests, awed and terrified, !,
though they could as yet give no red-
son for the uncanny feeling, huddlet
| close together, shuddering and looking
at each other with white faces
While they stood expecting, they
knew not what, figure came gliding
into the room, al the sight OF which
MANY OF the ladies tainted, and the
men felt themselves turn cold and the
hair rise on their heads. 1t was that oil
a man that had lain dead and unburied
for a lorg time, for the corroded flesh
VI dropping foul and discolored from
his hands and face, while tat.ooeC
uniform, covered with blood and mold,
hung rot.ing about a swollen, horrible
figure.
The eyes of this apparition were wid'
open, with the fixed stare of the dead
but in their CLASSY depths burned Z
light not of earth, but lurid and dread
ful beyoDd descrlpt on. Thick drop
of coagulated blood were slowly fallin!
from the skull, from which the haI
? was gone, showing the Indian scalper
work, and on the left temple was tn
crisscross mark of tomahawk, but II
: spite of its Disagreement all recognize,
. without difficulty the figure TO lie tina
, of Young Lieutenant o. 1t Wen
straight to the bride, who shrieke'
> aloud and clung to the arm OF her well
|, nigh insensIble bridegroom, but tn
. bloody, ghasIly form drew her into II
, embrace and dragged her forward ont
! tie floor.
The musicians, who afterward dt
clar i that they were unconsc Gus
what they were dong, began TO play
; sort of music unearthly and welId, al
I the specter, clasping the fainting woI-
A
\ nideous mockery of gayety. The gues-
; with the bridegroom. CO aid only loz
q on, [ o horriied of move. Round al
. round went the pair until the conVulsi
Il features of tie woman were seen 10 :
come fixed and pallid with the r'gldy
II and pallor of death, and then, aud pt
n till then, did the specter relax It's hd
and suffer its victim TO fall to the hT.
- The lights were suddenly extinguiS5d
~ aud the whole house was left Ia uer
!, darkness, while the fearful cry htru
= uefore was repeated again and aen.
Then a light was finally obtainedail
= trace of the phantom lad disappeed
n and only the dead body of the wmaI
la WAS found.
In The incident was looked upon s
: remarkable and beyond belief tha
M party of gentlemen who had been pre-
NJ ent and witnessed that dance of deal
~ resolved TO satisfy themselves that ]
&c trick bad been peTpetrated. They a
lie cordingly went in person to the sp
sr where Lieutenant o. was supposed
"A have lost his life. Careful search E
ally revealed half-decayed body haI
A. ing in the branches of a tree that j.
Mt ted from the wall of the canyon h
hit way down the cliff, over which 1t
de evidently been thrown. This body,
al. being recovered, was unmistakal
at that of Lieut.. o., and presented
of identical appearance, even to
scalpe1 head and the mark or
1T tomahawk. which was a peculiar o
as the specter wedding guest had do
The body was brought back to
M place and buried by the side of
of false woman whom the unfor:un
nd Lieutenant had loved so well. III
ho graves are yet to be seen by any v
art care to search them out.