Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-07-16
Williamsburg Ghost Story.
FELIX DETERMINES NOT TO SLIGHT THE
ANCIENT CAPITAL.


ANCIENT CAPITAL.
That Williamsburg, the ancient capital
of Virginia, should have ghost story is
purely in the ''eternal fitness of things"
for it is a very sepulchre of departed spirits.
Its atmosphere ia still full of the spectre
perfumes of colonial elegance, and life
there seems to stand still and gaze bach
ward at the retreating shadows of the past,
and it is from such locality that comes
one of the oft-told tales of ghostly terror.
A judge, well known in Virginia, and
bearing a name both familiar and distin-
gnished, was riding in the direction of Will
liamsburg, a sultry summers afternoon in
the long ago. Suddenly the giaring, 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 menacing clouds.
Neither horse nor rider seemed able to
flee the pursuing storm which had marked
them for its prey in the most desolate and
deserted road in all the isolated surround
ings. 1t was not long before its near ap-
prOach came in the herald voice of deafen-
ing thunder; then the lashes of the infuri-
ated wind, the spit.fire anger of the light
ming, and the torrent fall of water followed.
The Judge feeling the danger Of such a
storm, rode hard and fast for some mode
of shelter, the first being the chosen, and it
was deserted church. He tied his horse
against the most protected wall and went
in, feeling glad of any refuge. Ye some
time visitors to the historic locality know
the ghostly semblance of that ruined edi-
fee, perchance can listen moment and
once again hear the smothered sighs and
kHnk oil ov,1
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 tottering to pieces and half revealing
the s'dust 20 dust" within their keeping.
The windows of the church were like
rough patches tightly sewed in by the
tangling shreds of dark and gruesome ivy,
the glass all gone, leaving rents through
which the vine could pierce its dark ten
drills to the interior. Owls hooted from the
mesh of such q perch, and startled bats
would fly forth and flap their black wings
dolefully at any unusual noise of disturb
auce. And such was the shelter which the
Judge sought from the storm. The rain
fell through the dilapidated roof of the
church as though it were sieve. The
gallery had half fallen in decay, but in
some way the pulpit stand seemed the
dryest and safest retreat, so there on Chs
elevated dais against the heavy remnants of
a massive reading desk the judge bethought
him to await the ceasing of the storm. It
was growing late and naught of the rows
Of empty box-shaped pews were discern
ble, save for the alternate strips of dull
shadow, and shadows gaunt and gloomy
we're upon all sides of him. The thunder
had ceased to peal in fury and had only
begun to roll in growing anger, and once
n the sound of this muttered growl there
came another sound of human muttering.
His blood ran cold and his ears listened
and again there fell upon his
,earing the mingled horror of loudest |
hunder, and a strained muttering sound of
human incoherencies. The Lightning cast |
forked glare moment through the vine- |
angled apertures, and as quickly jerked its |
electrical sparks back, leaving only start |
ing recollection of the light it threw
Again it darted its zig-zg, piercing ray |
within the trembling storm shaken ruins, |
md that time it fell with awful clearness
lpon a wild and white shrouded figure,
winging in mid-air.
The Judge was sickened and dazed by |
he unaccountable apparition. and listened
nd strained his eyes upon the object until
10 felt powerless to move; fright had SEEM
ngly paralyzed him. He was keenly
ensible to every distorted impression as he
,azed, but still with every flash of light
ing to behold the same white robed object
winging backwards and forwards far out
rom the deserted belfry, and in between
be fitful illum;ngs came the hollow voice
f one idly mutteripg in tones far away
81 and by wave Of sheet lightning spread
Is pale light for little longer in the
hurch, and revealed the judge covering in
be pulpit to the swinging object. With
rail, long, despailing and wild it leaped
rom it's mid air flight to the pews beneath,
nd with springing motion started to.
7ards the pulpit. The judge was no
onger immovable, but finding himself in
eality pursued leaped to the open door and
nee again was out into the binding
torn. Fast following him flew the
hrouded object, its muttering, hollow
dice, if not its light, weird tread, assuring
i'm of its fleet pursuit Over the uneven
raveyard, across it's broken slabs and
loulderng fencing, through the vale of
roaming pines, on, on they flew, down the
ublic road they sped, sight weird and
;artling to behold, until just beyond the
mits of Williamsburg the race ceased, for
he Judge was overtaken and fell in dead
Voon, while the ghostly pursuer fell upon {
i'm in merciless fury, tore his clothes with i
s Jagged teeth ard scratched his flesh with
s long claw-like nails. But this did not
st long. The storm was over. Some cne
passing rescued the Judge, and an es-
,ped lunatic, who thought she was the
ell Of the deserted church, and there went
swing on it's rope from the empty belfry, {
as returned to its ward in the asylum at
FELIX,