New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-02

Not .ag
coming through il could not tell put iei. he'd
n change was taking place. and sat up on ni 2, my
in silent terror with that peculiar seilsaon ~
bod which persons OF an imaginative dlspoSi'lo"
are pleased to call goosenesh.' -. .,,,.s+orious
Fixing my g gaze rmy IRGh I bv little the as
nect of the door changed. II became VIII
bIcacbed as il were, and then. 10 my intense ~
ror, something seemed 10 pass tnIonsh 49, %rodn
ollv assumed shape and proportion. colu oo
thc head the body. the arms the form was tn It
of man. Them while my mar it tS Storn van
fdce its costume Of long bygone age It's lean am
,virbered arms and its attenuated legs. C0uu y,
be in the flesh No. clearE no az! tIi oor NJ
the back of il fast screwed up as hld ieli ~
This was no man in whom was the breath OF me-
a nbantom. a form, a show, merely an image, ana
SoPtr 1iinnexnressby CHASTITY and terrifcl When /
had fully realized this fact became prey 10 tne
most abiect terror. IL was true, then, about the
Ghost II was trick, no joke, that was 70
BE- subjected to, but before me was supernatural
shane for the first time in my life. became
seized with species of fascination as well as 10y
terror; gazed flXedly at the appearance, co'eieu
H. was the iguc of n tall. lean man LOT IL nau
by degrees risen far above the height OF the 10"
door from which i; had EMERGED and o,,or one Of
its arms ii carried number Of dark objects, 'hc
shape of which could not make out. u,,,,.
But, horror of horrors it was quietly nearing
." arose at once and stood erect, trembling IN
every limb. In vain tried to speak; my Ups IT,
fused to utter word could only stare H a>,rc
and in silence at the strange, glltterlhg Hguir,
The form, doubtless il was Of some creature WIZ
had walked the streets of Dummclshelnl III sn
flesh and lived in this house some two hlnGlrt t
and fifty years ago, still haunting Ill us dHO-'"'
shape the well-known spots -..o, botor,
never thought of using my pistol save at one
moment: but the fact that the figure was trans >
parent at once convinced me tlat 10 hIe "O ~
would be of no avail. -, IN, -
Still the terrible shape approached with a
silent, noiseless stride then, on reaching ine
middle of the room, il seemed TO motion Inc WIN
one of its arms toward the chair
Il hcsitated. Its action became lmperatEe,
and | was constrained TO obey. Once seated, inc
spectre which appeared to have acquired perfect
control over nay parayzed senses took
from over its left arm. and signed 10 me 10 setch
out my leg. | did so mechamcally-ahd lhen-
how can convey to you the feeling that came over
me as it proceeded to pull what seemed 10 pe d
stocking of ice upon my left lee? can even now
at times feel tile horrible icy GOODNESS OF that
spectral hose 1t was a stocking that the inquire
was pulling upon my bare leg and fo9t. was waJ
chilled TO the very bone, my hair brlsted, my heau
swan my heart ceased 10 beat for a moment,
higher and higher crept the ice-cold stocking upon
my leg The stocking was on ms accom- I a.,
the spectre mOtiOncd me to stretch OUT tile Quiet
leg Ny horror fairly broke the spell thaI
chained me. | fled to the door the Spectre gIded
after smoothly and silently as a 1ate ScIzeJ
the handle of the door-miserable! ] remembered
that | had fastened myself in with the ghost
Ny reason seemed to be escaping me. Inc steel
Like hunted and doomed animal fed round the
apartment | leaped at the window. crashed
through it, and fell into the street below.
must have lost consciousness at once, Tor the
ncvt thing remember was lying on my bed in
my own lodgings, with my good andlady ana me
lac1uaintanceS who had dared me TO tie terrible
trial standing around my bed. ,.. 49,. .,.o ,oo,
1t was said for some time after that the poor
Highlander was going mad, all the others who
had seen the ghost of the LederstraSse had done.
cheated them, however. My head was to92
strong, | suppose, for I got over my fright, and
after my broken leg had been set, could listen to
their recital of what lad taken place learned
that those who had set themselves to watch In
the street had heard first strange, low, grind
ing sound-my screws, no doubt-then, after u
long Interval, my frantic screams n crash, ana
the clatter of broken glass, and had seen me lall
as lifeeSs lump upon the street pavement.
They picked me up, and one OF them described
that as they did so he cEanCcd TO look upward
aud saw at the broken window above, shining
in the mo9mi34t pr ayes 'n"oo"S i'ce' ana '
1t is not strange to say that my right leg
was broken by the fall; but it is, think, some
what strange to relate that my lett was pic-l-
| cned to TIE knee, as If scorched; nay, II Is so
to this daX-See!"
My friend showed me his blackened leg.
And that is all ?" / asked.
All, lieber IIimme is not that enough? Can
you wonder after, what have told you that l
don't like the LederStrasse p ~.
Wonder; not would not 60 CO. near rst the
| place again after dark for grand dukes ransom.
| lut who do they say the spectre was =?
81 do not quite know. There is legend OF
some hoser who once lived in tnat house ana
was rich, who fell into some disgrace, and the
rcigning Duke Of SaNc-Dunmelsheim seized upon
him, and with a refinement in cruelty in order
| TO eXtort from him his money, caused him TO
| be put 10 torture something IN the manner OF
our ancient machine called the boot, when
crushed the leg of the victim. In this case the
| instrument was hose OF steel, when was at the
onset icy cold, and was then heated by IRE TO
almost a red heat. The poor hosier sank under
| the dreadful torture
1T is said that his ghost now seeks 10 avengc
| itself upon all who approach lis aEci'nt abode,
and that he tried them his CHASTITY hose II
| he succeeds in getting both hose on their legs
they uic and bis spirit is released from its wander
| ings."
| Such was the tale Of the queer old Anglo
| German. | went to my inn and to bed; there
| lay and pondered long upon the strange story
| | had heard. My sleep, when sleep came, was not
Of the best. Every now and again ] awOkc with
a start and a shuddcr, and fancied that a ghcstly
hosicr was pulling upon my own legs the spectral
| hose of the story.
was packing my pOrnanteau for my homeWard
| journey on the morrow, ! was startled by great
yellow light in the sky Soon after hc1rd the
| hoarSc and blatant voice Of the alarum bell.
| dressed and went out and found the whole pOpua-
! ton Of the place running IN one direction.
| followed the stream of folk. 1t was fire. some
one told me- in the LcdcrstrasSc the haunted
house was burning down. We arrived in tie
| ancient narrow street: the sight was magnificent
the whole dwelling was enycloped in flames Ne
| one took the slightest trouble or cndcavored t.
get the flames under. al were staring and
| 1T was bad place." some one said, land
| they were well content TO see it perish"
How, or by whom the fire was kindled l never
BRIVE PRIEST.