The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-24

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at Knotty Ash my attention was sud-
denly arrested by the strange and un-
canny appearance of its graveyard The
time was shortly after midnight. The
whole burying ground seemed alive and
glistening with thousand small blush
lights, which appeared to creep in and
out of the different graves, as if the de-
parted spirits were taking a midnight
ramble. ] stood petrifed, not knowing
what to make of it, at the same time ex-
periencing feeling of horror which sud-
denly took complete possession of me.
Just at this moment the moon, which
had hitherto been more or less obscured
by moving panorama of passing clouds,
came, as it would seem, to my assist
ance, giving me for very short time
the benefit of her companionship. And
now appeared the most startling phe-
nomenon of ala phenomenon which
caused my hair to stand on end with
fright, cold numbness of horror para
lying me in every limb, for, advancing
up the road directly opposite to me,
came a funeral train, the coffin borne
along with measured tread, covered
with an immense black pail which fut-
tered up in the midnight wind.
At first l thought | must surely be
dreaming, and thereupon pinched myself
in the arm to ascertain if this were real
ly the case. But, no; | certainly was
not, for distinctly felt the nip, and was
thereupon satisfied as to my wakeful-
ness "What could it all mean" asked
myself, as the cortege gradually ap-
preached me and began to distinguish
the general outlines of the bearers.
These appeared to be elderly men and to
have lived in bygone age.
All were dressed in the costume of the
latter part of the Eighteenth century.
They wore tie wigs, and some had
swords, as well as walking sticks mount
ed with deathheads. observed only
one really young man among the crowd
of followers, walking just behind the
coffin.
A GHoSTLY CoRTEGE.
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 white
ness of his ruff1es standing out in marked
contrast to the somber nature of his gen.
eral attire. He carried sword, had
diamond buckles on his shoes, and wore
his powdered hair in a cue. The face
of this young man was deathly pale, as
were also the faces of all the others ac-
companying him. Instead of the pro-
cession advancing to the gate at which
stood, it turned suddenly and entered
the burial ground by the one situated at
few yards distance.
AS the coffin was borne through this
gate all the blue spirit lights seemed to
rise from the graves as if to meet the cor
tege 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 foated
over the coffin and heads of the mourn
ers. Slowly the procession glided up the
pathway, passing the main entrance of
the church, and, continuing its way in
straight line, finally disappeared at the
back of the edifce.
Where this most extraordinary funeral
went to or what became of it cannot
tell; but this much | distinctly aver,
that coffin, mourners and ights-even
the pale, fiickering moonlight-all dis
appeared as mysteriously as they came,
leaving me standing in the darkness
transfxed with astonishment and fright,
Upon gathering together my somewhat
scattered senses l took to my heels and
never stopped running till found my
self in my own house. In fact, l scarce
ly remember how got home.
AFTERTHoUGHTS.
After recovering a little from the
shock l Immediately aroused female
relative who had retired for the night
and related to her the above particulars
She assured me that | must have been
suffering 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
called supernatural phenomena, she came
to the conclusion that, after all, might
possibly have seen what has been oe-
scribed above.
The next day made inquiries in the
neighborhood of Knotty Ash. and ascer-
tained from a 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 midnight, In old Knotty
Ash churchyard. If so, was this ghast-
ly repetition of the event gotten up for
my especial benefit, or was it a portent
intended to foreshadow the coming of
the dread visitor to myself?
Now, as have before stated, am no
believer in ghosts, but certainly this re-
markable experience of mine has entirely
upset all my previously conceived no
tions of the subject, leaving me in
quandary of doubt. On the evening
upon which | saw the mysterious funeral
at Knotty Ash | was exceedingly wide
awake, had met several cyclists on the
Prescott road with whom | conversed.
Strange that few hundred yards farther
down the road | should encounter SO
ghastly an experience-an experience |
shall never forget to my dying day
Liverpool Post.
New Use for Diamonds.