Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-10-17
GHOSTS SEEN TO PASS.
A story That Has Created Some Excite
ment in England.

LlpeFpO0t F0st.
Having been concerned in most re
markabIe and altogether inexplicable
adventure the other evening, which hap
pened to me in Thomas lane, Knotty
Ash, had been induced, at the earnest
solicitation Of my friends, to commune
cate the following particulars OF the
same to the Liverpool public OF being
more than ordinary interest.
Twas proceeding leisurely on foot to
Broadgreen Che proceeds), when, on
passing the church at Knotty Ash, nay
attention was suddenly arrested by the
strange and uncanny appearance OF lts
graveyard. The time would then be
shortly after midnight. The whole bury
ing ground seemed alive and glistening
with thousand small blue lights,
which appeared to creep in and out OF
the different graves, as If the departed
spirits were taking midnight ramole'
stood petrifled, not knowing what TO
make of il, at the same time expert
encing a feeling Of horror which SUD
denly took complete possession OF me-
Just at this moment the moon, Wnlcn
had been hitherto more or less ooscureo
by a moving panorama OF passing
clouds, came, as il would seem, 10 my
assistance, giving me for snort Time
the benefit OF her companionship. ana
now appeared the most startling phe-
nomenon of all, a phenomenon whicI
caused my hair to stand on end WIFI
fright, a cold numbness or horror par
alyzing me in every limb, for, adVanc-
ing up the road directly opposite to me,
came a funeral train, the collin borne
along with measured tread, covered
with an immense black pail, which hut
tered up in the midnight wind.
At first I thought I must surely De
dreaming, and.therefore, pinched myself
in the arm TO ascertain if this were
really the case. But no, certainly was
not, for l distinctly felt the nip, ana was
therefore satisfied as TO my wake1ulness'
"What could it all mean?" l asked my
self. as the cOrtege gradually approached
me, and began to distinguish the gen
eral outlines Of the bearers. These ap-
peared to be elderly men, and TO nave
lived in a bygone age. All were dressed
in the costume of the latter part OF the
Eighteenth century. They wore tie
wigs, and some had swords, a well as
walking sticks mounted with deaths
heads. 1 observed only one really young
man among the crowd Of followers,
walking lust behind the coffin. His
youth, in comparison with the others,
perhaps made me take especial notice OF
him. He was dressed in what appeared
to be black velvet, the whiteness OF his
ruffleS standing out in marked contrast
10 the sombre nature Of his general at
tire. He carried sword, had diamond
buckles in his shoes, and wore his pow
dered hair in a queue. The face of this
Young man was deathly pale, as were
also the faces of all the others accom-
papying him. Instead Of the procession
advancing to the gate at which l stood,
it turned suddenly and entered the bur
ial ground by the one situated at a few
wards distance. AS the coffin was
borne through this gate all the blue
spirit lights seemed to rise from their
graves as if TO meet the cortege for the
purpose Of escorting the body TO its last
resting place. These awful lights added
considerably TO the ghastlineSs Of the
scene as they floated over the coffin and
heads of the mournerS. Slowly the pro-
cession glided up the pathway, passing
the main entrance of the church, and,
continuing its way in straight line,
finally disappeared at the the back of
the edifce.
Where this most extraordinary funeral
went to or what became of it, can not
tell; but this much / distinctly aver, that
coffin, mourners, and lights-even the
pale, Pickering mOonlight-all disap-
peared as mysteriously as they came,
leaving me standing in the darkness,
trans6xed with establishment and fright.
Upon gathering together my somewhat
scattered senses, took to my heels and
never stopped running till l found nv
self safe in my own house. In fact, !
scarcely remember how got home.
After recovering little from the shock,
]. Immediately aroused female relative
who had retired for the night, and re-
lated to her the above particulars. She
assured me that must have been Suf-
fering from mental hallucination, but,
seeing the great perturbation OF my
mind, and at the same time knowing my
natural skepticism, with regard to all
so-ca!led supernatural phenomena, she
came TO the conclusion that, after all,
| might possibly have seen what has
been described above.
The next day l made inquiries at the
neighborhood Of Knotty Ash, and as
certained from q very old woman that
she remembered a story in her youth
having reference to the mysterious and
sudden death of an old occupant Of
Thingwall Hall, who was hastily and
Quietly buried, she thought, at mid
night, in old Knotty Ash churchyard. If
so, was this CHASTITY repetition of the
event got IN for my especial benefit,
or was it a portent intended to fore
shadow the coming of the dread visitor
to myself? Now, as l have before
stated, l am no believer in ghosts, but
certainly this very remarkable expert
ence of mine has entirely upset all my
previously conceived notions OF the SUBJ
iect, leaving me in quandary Of doubt
On the evening upon which saw the
mysterious midnight funeral at Knotty
Ash, 1 was exceedingly wide awake; had
met several cyclists on the Prescott
road. with whom / conversed, and had
likewise refreshed myself at the public
drinking fountain placed at the top OF
Thomas lane, Strange that few hun
dred yards further down the road l
should encounter so ghOstly an expe-
rience-- an experince shall never for
get 70 my dying day.