The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-13
A TRUE GHOST STORY.


telling mine; onlyas 1 know it is true am
strong in conscious innocence 1t all hap
pened in a little village in Wales where
lived, and as l do not wish TO expose its
real name Let US call it Priceyille.
On the nightmy story begins four young
men were seated IN Farmer Pinno's par
lor. The ffrst.was Charles Jones, Q rather
good looking young fellow, with hight hair
The second was Robert Lyle, who would
have been handsome if it had not been for
a heavy under jaw, which gave an I'M
pleasant character to his face. Harry
Griffith was the third person. The
son of an army. officer, he had shown
marked ability at college, both for study
and for unruly conduct in the town, for
which last he was expelled, and his father
soon afterward dying he was left with very
small means and with the fixed determine
ton not TO do any more work than he was
obliged to-do. Handsome and gsnLlemanly
he would have stood a fair chance for the
hand of the charming Miss Primo if he had
wished it, but he never seemed in love with
her in the least, and used really to spend
his time at the house either in chatting
with the farmer and his wife or watching
with keen enjoyment the maneuvers of the
two suitors, Jones VS.. Lyle, as each tried to
interest Miss Primo more than the other,
with view of finally ousting his rival.
The fourth man was your humble serV-
ant, who plays no more important part in
this story than to narrate it, so no descrip-
ton is needed, and we viii pass to Miss
Primo, the most important person in the
room.
For miles around she was known as the
pretty Miss Primo, and she did not belle
her name. A tall, fair girl with blue eyes,
rejoicing in the name ofGwendoline, short
ened to Gwen, she looked what she really
was, good and beautiful type of English
girlhood.
The farmer and his wife were also there,
but as they play no part in this drama
shall not speak further of them.
The conversation had turned on ghosts,
and story after story was poured forth by
the various youths each one more grew
some and blood curdling than the last.
Finally Robert Lyle said with a SILVER
that might have been real or intended Il
never met a ghost, and hope and believe
never shall, but if l should ever chance
on one | should Immediately retreat to the
shelter Of my happy home and refuse ever
to walk on that road again at night"
'Ah! but you forget" said Miss Gwen,
that ghosts can come into houses without
opening the door, so you would not be safe
even there"
''No, perhaps not; but I think a well
lighted room would brighten any ghost, so
! shall stick to my recipe until know of a
better one"
p The conversation then changed, but dur
ing those few sentences a mischievous,
sudden look had come into Jones' eyes,
which, however, faded away almost as
quickly as it had come. No one appeared
to notice it but myself. made no remark
on 1t at the time but often thought of it
afterward
Robert Lyle soon afterward took his
leave, refusing my offer to walk home with
him, and l shortly followed him, not much
put out at his surlineSs, for he was always
strictly peculiar And now my story real
~ begins. Some Of it 1 know for fact;
the rest was not hard to fill in.
Jones and Griffith left soon after did
Once outside the door Jones turned to his
companion and requested him to help him
in . way he would explain, or, if he did not
care to do SO, at least to keep his plan a
perfect secret. Griffith gave the required
promise, and then, standing under the lee
OF a hedge, Jones unfolded his project,
which was no more and no less than to
show Lyle ghost the next night that he
came to Farmer Pinno's.
The arrangements were absurdly simple
They were that Griffith should dress in
white and stand in the church yard until
Lyle passed, when he should give vent to
his most unearthly yell, jump the ratings
IL y I'll Z
was to be only a sort of bypIay to unsteady
Lyle's nerves. Jones was suddenly to APP
pear, also dressed in white, on the bridge
over Lyle's own mill stream. Inside the
sheet he wore he was TO carry dark Ian
tern, and he was then to wait until Lyle
approached within q few yards OF him,
when the slide was to be suddenly opened,
and that was expected to be more than
enough for our friends nerves, already
shaken.
After this small matter had been settled
the two conspirators separated, Jones 60
ing home along the road and Griffith tax
ing . shorter cut to the village inn
After they had both disappeared Lyls
jumped up from where be had been lying
behind the hedge and also went home
along the road. Next day Lyle met Jones
about noon, and casually remarked that
he thought of going over to Farmer Pin
nos that night. Jones impaired this to
his ally, and they gOt ready for action. So
did Lyle.
About7 that evening Lyle left his house
and passed the graveyard on his way. The
foolish scheme now began, and after the
first ghost, alias Griffith, had shown itself
and disappeared, Lyle, pretending TO be
frightened, began TO run along the road
toward the bridge, well knowing that Grit
fifth was behind some hedge nearly choking
himself with delight over the supposed
success Of the Scherae. As Lyle cams to
the bridge his pace slac&ened and he began
TO cross IL, when on the other side from
under the shadow Of the parspets emerged
g white figure with 4 dim light shining
from 1t and utteVing weird grcans which,
however, were Unexpectedly interrupted
by couple of pistol shots fired by Lyle in
quick succession
Jones gave enc scream and fell dead.
Lyle bant over hin - assure himself that
he was really dead, and then, supporting
bis head, shouted fo- help.
THIS cali was quickly answered for Grit
filth, who had followed tao whole proceed
ing from q small knoll is well as he could
il tho darkness, Esw rRa up, having taken
the prosecution 10 ta,oH sway his sheet,
and together they slowly carried the body
home.
OF course Lylewas arrested, bat the Jury
decided that Jones had only himself &c
thank for his un5imely death. added q
rider TO t.e effect that all practical joking
should b. stopped, and sympathiEed with
the defendant Lyle, who appeared heart
broken.
The whole neichborhood took the same