Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-05-06
PILOTED BY A GHOST.
A LOST MAN AND A STARVING BABY
SAVED BY SPIRIT.
THE SHADOW OF DEAD FATHER LEADS A
WANDERING HORsEMAN TO THE DESC
LATE HOME WHERE LITTLE GIRL
WAS SLOWLY FAMIsHING.

WAS SLOWLY FAMISHING.
A TRUE STORY.
checked my horse, and after one long
| strsining look around owned to myself thu
| was lost. l had suspected the fact some
time since, but h ad stubbornly fought dowr
the suspicion, though my horsa evidently
realized 1t. With patient endurance he
piodded along, resignation plainly express
ed in the droop of bis tail and ears. In
place OF the ranch, the hearty welcome,
pleasant words, bed. supper and fire had
expected to reach by sunset, there was
nothing to be seen before, behind, On eth,
or hand, but the dead level eff the plain.
There ware paths in plenty; in fact, the
| trouble was there were too many-all mar.
row and winding, for whose meandering
there seemed not the slightest excuse, ex.
cept the general tendency to crookedness
most things, animate and inanimate, alike
possess. But it would have taken the in
stinct of bloodhound or trailing Indian
to have said which paths had been made by
horses' feet or those of cattle.
Now that the sun was gone, I found my
knowledge of tae point Of the compass gone
with it. AS sat perplexed and worried
the gloom of twilight gathered fast, and
the chill of coming rain smote mo through
and through, while in the distance there
was the roll of thunder.
AsPIRIT APPEARS.
It was now quite dark, and very da rk at
that, though short intervals close to the
horizon faint gleam of lightning showed
too distant TO cast brightness on nv path
and only sufficient to intensity the
blackness about me.
All at once l saw a man walking about
fifteen feet 10 front of me. Yes, know I
said it was intensely dark, but all the same
repeat it. saw q man walking in front
of me, and, furthermore, 1 could see that
he was large man, dressed in rough but
we'll fitting clothes; that he wore heavy
red beard, and that he looked back at me
from time to time with an expression of
keen anxiety on his otherwise relaxed fea.
lures.
"Hallo!" cried, but as he did not halt
concluded he did not hear me. AS second
hail produced no result l spurred my weary
horse up to Overtake the stranger. But,
though the gray responded with an alacrity
most commendable under the circumstances,
I soon found that this strange pedestrian
did not intend to let me catch up with him.
Not that he hurried himself. He seemed
without any exertion to keep good fifteen
feet between US.
Then began to wonder how, with the
intense darkness shutting me in as four
black walls, was yet able to see my
strange companion SO clearly, to take in the
details of his dress, and even the
expression of his face, and that at dis
tance more than twice my horses length,
when could hardly see his head before me.
| am not given to superstitious fauciss, and
my only feeling was of curiosity.
FOLLOWING A GHOST.
We went on in silence for nearly half an
hour, when, as suddenly as he had appear
ed, he was gone. looked around for him,
half afraid, from his instant and com plete
that had been dreaming,
when perceived that was close to small,
low building of some Sort I reined in
and shouted several times, but not the
slightest response could hear, and at last
I rode boldly up and tapped on tho wall
with the butt of my riding whip. Then, as
this elected no sign of life, I concluded that
had stumbled on soms deserted house or
that it was the abode of my eccentric
friend; SO, dismounting and tying the gray,
resolved to spend the rest of the night
under roof or to find some good reason
for continuing my journey.
I felt my way along the wall till reach
ID door, and trying this and finding that
i yielded to me. stepped inside, striking
\ match as did 30. Forum ately, carried
ny matches in an air tight case, and as it
was dry the one struck gave me light
st once. found myself in large room
,lose to fireplace, over which a rude sh elf
vas placed, and on this mantel sag an oil |
amp to which applied my match.
On the hearth Was heaped quantity of |
lshes, and over these crouched child, a |
girl of 5 or 6. At the end ef the room,
which was plainly and scantily furnished,
az a man across bad, and as raised the
amp | saw that he was the same had
been following, but there was something in
lis attitude and face that struck me as
peculiar, aud was about to go forward and
COX at him when the child, who had at first
'eemed dazsd at the light, fairly threw her.
'elf upon me.
"Have you anything for Nelly to eat?"
The said, and then, ''Oh, Nelly so hungry!"
THE DEAD MAN.