St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-26
A Weeping specter.
r G1Ohn-DamOcrat

Houston (TeX.) Cor. Globe Democrat.
The community is much exercised
over a ghost which has been seen fire.
quently of late in the northern su burbs
of our city. 1t is apparently the spook
of an old woman. who walks toward the
close of day down Young avenue weep
ing audibly, though in low voice, and
wringing her hands. On her first
appearance, aboutten days ago, she was
accosted by Officer John Burklin, who
incurred of her if she was in trouble,
and. receiving no reply. allowed her to
proceed; but on her passing him the
next mig hit, still evipcing the same dis
tress and Discrimination to reply. he en-
deavored to halt her. Having no idea but
that she was some person demented, ne
put out his hand to touch her on the
Shoulder. but was instantly nearly par
lived by blast of air so icy as to seem
to really CONCEAL the blood in his veins.
Ae fell back as if from a blow, and for
some minutes was unable to com mand
himself sufficiently TO explain the cause
of his condition to friends who came to
his assistance.
The specter in the meantime cOntin-
ued her way down the avenue without
once lifting her head, which was closely
swathed in black shawl, well drawn
I'D over it. AS nearly as can be seen in
the dim light of the evening hour she
chooses for her perambulations, the rest
of her dress is that of a person III
humble circumstances, scant and i'll
fitting, while her bent figure and slow,
painful gait show her to be advanced in
wears. She was lam in wait for the fol-
lowing evening, when il was seen that
she came from the direc ton OF the
Huston IL Texas Central ma chine shops,
and reaching Washington street paused,
appearing to glance uncertainty
down it, then beginning her low
moaning and wringing OF the hands,
turned off into the avenue and disap-
peared at its end among the trees grow
ing on Buffalo bayou. She was ac-
costed repeatedly by different persons,
but made no sigu that she heard them,
never ceasing her weeping for mo-
ment. The phantom has been seen
frequently since, though she will some
times miss a night, but after thus fail
ing to appear will, the following even
ing, seem ! to hurry, as it trying
to make up for lost time.
Speaking of the ghost, George Griffin.
who owns small grocery store on
Young avenue, says: :" l waited for
her one evening near the place where
she is usually first seen, and, growing
impatient, had turned my face toward
home. when just in front of me saw her
limping along. Now, am positive she
did not pass me, and the moment before
| had glanced down the sidewalk and
Sc en- that there was no one in sight but
a child playing some dozen yards ahead;
so how that old woman got there puZ-
Zles me, unless she was spun out of thin
air. The child saw her too, and, run
Ing I'D, seemed to catch her by the
skirt, when saw it tum BILE over, and
by the time | reached it was living on
the pavement kicking in fit, with the
old woman going on as if she was
deaf, dumb and blind.
The mother of the child came run
ming, and took after the ghost, catch
ing it just as it got to the corner of
Washington street, where it stops every
time its walks. stopped, too, when 1t
did so-within four or five feet of it
and, as | am living man, saw skel-
eton's bony face peeping out of that
black thing it wears over its head as it
looked down the street. That is, it was
skeletons face. all except the eyes
they were there, burning like two Goals
of fire. / can tell you it was an awful
sight,
The only explanation that can be
found for the ghosts appearing is the
fact that about the time it was first
seen quantity of hnman bones were
disinterred near the end of Young S
avenue by the men employed in laying
a new curbing, and which were some
what thoughtlessly thrown into the
baVOn