The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-06
WILLIAMSBURG GHOST STORY.
Felix Determines Not TO slight the An
cient Capital.


cient Capital.
That Williamsburg, the ancient capital
Of Virginia, should have ghost story is
purely in the "eternal fitness OF things,
for il is n very sepulchre Of departed spirits.
It's atmosphere Is still full Of the spectre
nerrlmes of colonial elegance. and lie
there seems 10 stand still and gaze back
ward at the retreating shadows OF the past,
and il is from such locality that comes
one of the oft-told tales Of ghostly terror.
A Judge. well known in Virginia, ana
hearing a name both familiar and distln-
ouishod. was riding in the direction of W IL
liamsburg. a sultry summers afternoon IN
the long ago. Suddenly the glaring, heat
ING sun was covered with densely black
curtain hung across the Western horizon,
which gradually unrOlled until the whole
sky was darkened by the menaclng clouds.
Neither horse nor rider seemed able to flee
the pursuing storm which had marked them
for its prey in the most desolate and de-
serted road in all the isolated surroundings.
If was not long before its near approach
came in the herald voice OF deaienlng mum
der; then the lashes Of the Infatuated WIND
the spit-fre anger Of the lightning, and the
torrent fall of water followed. The Judge
feeling the danger OF such storm, rode
hard and fast for some mode Of shelter, the
first being the chosen. and il was deserted
church. He tied his horse against the most
protected wall and went in. feeling glad OF
any refuge, le sometime visitors TO the
historic locality know the ghOstly SEM
blance Of that ruined edIfice, perchance can
listen moment and once again hear the
smothered signs and whispered means that
sound always and forever among the tall
close growing pines that stand guard around
that lonely spire; or can see the mould and
moss-cOvered tOmbs, the graves ragged and
sunken. the vaults tOtterlng to pieces ana
half revealing the dust to dust within
their keeping.
The windows Of the church were like
rough patces tightly sewed in by the tang
| ling shreds Of dark and gruesome ivy, the
glass all gone. leaving rents through which
The vine could pierce its dark tendrils TO the
interior. Owls booted from the mesh OF
such "a perch. and startled bats would fly
forth and flap their black wings dOlefully
at any unusual noise Of disturbance. And
such was the shelter which the Judge
sought from the storm. The rain fell
| through the dilapidated roof Of the church
as though il were a sieve. The gal
| lery had half fallen in decay, but
i'm some way the pulpit stand seemed
the dryest and safest retreat, so there on the
elevated dais against the heavy remnants OF
a massive reading desk the judge bethOught
him to await the ceasiug Of the storm. II
was growing late and naught Of the rows OF
empty bOX-shaped pews were discernible.
save for the alternate strips OF dull shadow,
and shadows gGunt and gloomy were upon
all sides of him. The thunder had ceased Ia
peal in fury and had only begun 10 roll in
grOwling anger. and once in the sound OF
this muttered growl there came another
sound of human muttering. His
| blood ran cold and his ears listen
ed tensely. and again there fell upon his
hearing the mingled horror Of l0udest
thunder. and a strained muttering sound of
human incOherencies. The lightning cast
forked glare a moment through the vine
tangled apertures, and as quickly jerked its
electrical sparks back, leaving only "A start
| ling recollection Of the light il threw
Again it darted its zig-zig, piercing ray
within the trembling stOrm-shaken ruins,
and that time it fell with awful clearness
upon wild and white shrouded figure,
swinging in mid-air.
The Judge was sickened and dazed by
! the unaccOuntable apparition, and listened
and strained his eyes upon the object unit!
| he felt pOWerless 10 move; frIght mad
seemingly paralyzed MIN. He was keen
| IN sensible to every distorted impression
as he gazed, but. still with every flash o.
! lightningtO behold the same white-rObed oh
| iecl swinging backwards and forwards fan
out from the deserted belfry, and in betw eel
the titful illumings came the hollow voice 81
one idly mutterng in tones fan
away. BY and 10y a wave d
sheet lightning spread its pale light
| for a little longer in the church, and
revealed the Judge covering in the pulpit
10 the swinging object With a wall, long
despairing and wild it leaped from its mid
air flight to the pews beneath, and with a
(springing motion started towards the pull
pit. The Judge was no longer immoyabe
but finding himself i'm reality pursued leaped
to the open door and once again was out
into the binding storm. Fast following
him flew the shrouded object, its muttering
| hollow voice, if not its light, weird tread
uneven graveyard, across its broken slabs
and Wondering fencing, through the vale
of moaning pines, on, on they new, down
the public road they sped, sight weird
and startling TO behold, until just
beyond the limits Of williamsburg
the race ceased, for the Judge
was overtaken and fell in dead swOOn-
while the ghOstly pursuer fell upon him in
merciless fury, tore his clothes with It's
Jagged teeth and scratched his flesh with its
long claw-like nails. But this did not last
| long. The storm was over. some one In
passing rescued the Judge, and an escaped
| lunatc, who thought she was the bell OF
:he deserted church, and there went to swing
on its rope from the empty beliry, was
returned TO its ward in the asylum at vii.
| liamsburg. FELIX.