The new North-west., 1890-03-07
-O'-LANTERN TOWN.
GHOSTLY GLIMMERlNGS IN THE
LACkAWANNA VALLEY.

Strange Night Scenes In the Town of Arch
bald-Good Material for Ghost Stories.
Phil Crchan al,l His Turkey-The NIys-
terry Easily Explained.
Havo you ever heard of the moving
lights" of the I4ackawanna valley? They
present an interesting phase of n phenomenon
which has exerted strange influence over
the minds Of many persons III the mining
hamlets Of northeastern Pennsylvania, and
particularly i'll and about the village of Arch
bald, which stands little to the north Of
midway between Scranton and Carbondale
The mere mention of the ''lights'' to any resi-
dent Of Archibald is sufficient to convey the
significant meaning which usually attaches
in that neighborhood to the mysterious mid
night gli1nmerings that nre frequently seen
lowering over the shallow river that runs
through the town, drifting along the noun
tain side or floating over the tops of the
houses.
These mystic lights have been seen Mt all
hours Of the night by persons who firmly be-
lieve that they are manifested by ghostly
hands. A certain old lady who has frequent
ly seen tho "lightsn solc,nnly AYERS that at
various times she has observed candle held
by spectral hand, and carried swiftly nlong
the mountain side and over the house tops in
the dead Of night. That she saw the light
there can be no doubt whatever, but the hand
was furnished by her imagination-that is
certain.
These lights have been seen most frequent
ly emerging from the mouth of an old, nban-
tioued coliery called the Sebastopol mine,
where it is said several parsons met violent
death several years ago. Others have seen
them dancing across the village graveyard,
and others yet ut the dilapidated water
wheel 1t is needless to say that these par
ticulnr landmarks have been regarded with
no small degree OF awe for years past, but the
terror is not so great now as it was ten or fif-
teen years ago, when the flights" were
usually spoken OF with bated breath by those
who actually believed that they were mnnpu-
lated by the spoois and hohgoblins, who took
n sort Of tiendst delight in frightening the
poor mortality that were not we'll versed in
the scientific causes from which such phe
Nomena proceed.
The ''oldest inhabitants could of course
tell some hair raising stories concerning the
ghostly lights and the thrilling experiences
of the pioneers who encountered them.
Among the stories current of hygone days,
or rather nights, when these haunting lights
were first observed, is one of mysterious
glimmer that actually spoke to one Of the
'sold settlers'' OH his way home from the
upper end Of the village OF course it was
past the midnight hour, when churcbyards
yawn,; and the hero of the adventure, Phil
Crchan By name, was returning from rattle
with fine fat turkey he had won under his
arm. Just Us Mr.. Crehan was passing the
''Bottomless mine light started up from the
mouth Of the shaft, and, after lowering about
for Il few seconds, us If undecided as 70 the
i Sb6 t.l-a jiit.l,n IA
his side Phil Crehun was u man of power
full physique and rare courage, but he con-
fesseu afterwnra that when he saw the ul-
canny light keeping him company for hum
tlrcd rods or 50 it made him feel rather shaky.
This was nothing however, until the light
began to talk to him.
''You are out rather late, Phil, for Il man
OF family" it began.
Thinking silence was golden under the cir
cumstances, MIR. Crehan made no reply, hut
hastened forward. As he did so the light
darted ahead Of him, and with laugh, which
he described as q light laugh it said: sOh,
not so fast, Phil; am not 50 easily left be-
hind sec you had good luck at the rattle, =
said the light rather sarcastically, and as it
spoke it fastened itself to the head of Mr..
Crehnns turkey, giving the gobbler the
ounnt appearance Of having nn illuminated
head.
By this time Phil plucked up some courage,
and he replied, with slight show of temper;
''Well, what if l dids l don't see that its
any of your business
'tIt wouldn't be if you played fair" re
torted the light, '.but you know you won the
turkey by cheating, and if you attempt to
eat the bird it will choke you.a
Mr.. Crehan knew that his playing had not
been entirely fair, but it startled him to think
that this Pickering intangible thing with q
voice should be aware of his conduct. The
threat Of choking 50 terrified him that he nc
tually lost his appetite for turkey. In his
desperation he blew at the offending light
with all his power of lung, hoping to extin-
guish it, but the result was that instead of go
ing out, as he intended it should, the tiny
light burst into great sheet OF fame, which
entirely enveloped the turkey, and Mr.. Gre
Ian in his terror flung away the blazing bird
aud ran home as fast as he could Instantly
the light disappeared, leaving the darkness
more intense than ever, and there was loud
peal Of mocking laughter which echoed al
along the mountains,
When next Phil Crehan met the men who
were interested with him Mt the ratile lie no
tced that they grinned rather suspiciously
when they asked him how he enjoyed his tur.
key, but he did not care about investigating
ASSoAAS@N1pAA ~
his experience with the spooky light was any
thing but pleasant.
The queer lights have been seen by scores
of others, and good many believe that they
are carried about by spooks and hobgoblins
| Those who lnnde study Of the movements Of
the luminous visitors noticed that they wert
frequently observed moving from lonely
spot where man was found dead, to dilapi
dated shanty in which poor woman wa!
burned to death some years ago. Another
favorite spot for the lights was around tht
haunted dwelling In which widow was founc
dead in her bed Other equally grewsom.
scenes are mentioned, including the bottom
less shaft, in which party OF men Wer,
drowned long ago, and which is situated a
the foot Of the abrupt slope called Dutcl
| Hill.
The mystery Of the haunting lights is easil,
explained. They nre nothing moro nor les
than the old fashioned ill-o-the-wisp, some
times spoken Of as the ignus fatuus The,
arise from the gases generated in the oil
mines, where tho decaying timber of th
props aud other prolific causes contribute t.
their existence. Rising out OF the mines a
night and floating about like tiny comets
they present strange study and ure wei
calculated to strike fear to the stoutest heart
The town Of Archibald is probably not NOR
subject to these luminous visitants than othe
mining towns, but its sheltered situation be
tween two hills gives it sl'ecinl opportunitie
for studying the phenomenon that has givel
rise to many ghost story and weird tra
Gition.-Scranton Cor. New York Times.
| Dom Pedro us IL Republican,.
As number of American gentlemen wer
recently discussing The overthrow OF the Bra
lillian empire, one of them expressed u,