The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-09-03
The BLACK GHOST.


Ghtehgo iiHtf V'tah'
"a black ghost in the day timel"
"Thafs what said" declared Col.
Solomon Bugg, of Kansas, as he sat on
the Lake Front and watched the light
breeze belly the sails Of the numerous
yachts in front OF him. "a black ghost
in the day time" And he paused
again with that triumphant glitter in
his oye that always distinguishes the
man who has waited until everybody
has told their experiences and then
comes in with one that ia intended to
make all the rest commonplace.
"a black ghost in the daytime. That
is what l saw. 1t was the sLrangest
ghost experience that any man ever
had. People have met with all kinds
OF ghosts; ghosts with long hair; ghosts
with armor on, fat ghosts, lean ghosts,
silent ghoats that sweep into mans
room at night and sit on his bedpost
and stare Ut him, garrulous ghosts that
chase wayfarer along country road
with an internal chatter, ghosts that
hiss through their teeth, ghosts with
their throats cut from ear TO ear, dis
embowled ghosts, and once heard Of
ghost with only one leg, who spent
all his spare time weeping because he
couldn't stalk, and was finally confined
in the Home for tho Aged and Weak
Minded Spooks.
"But all the ghosts ever read or
heard about were white ghosts, and ap.
peared invariably at night.
at was away up in the mountains OF
Colorado that saw this black ghost.
$40 you know the solitude, the awe
inspiring silence OF mountain scenery
on a summers afternoon? On all sides
tower sheer activities, and sun-gut
precipices with their monster foreheads
peering into the Stygian gulf below.
Everywhere the same gloomy silence
that the solitary audible sound, the
chattering brook, renders only more
deselate. The garish sun strikes dis
tant summit with rays aslant, or plays
among the dead, gaunt yellow pines at
the timber line. At your feet tern is
struggling for footing in the crevices
of broken howlder, while here and
there q rugged bush, with scant aud
lingering foliage, fingers unhappily be-
tween life and death.
at was on an afternoon something
like this that ! suddenly realized that l
was in the presence of singular shape.
| am not a man to be frightened az a
rule, and / took careful survey of my
visitor. He was dark from head to
foot, but not black, for could see OBJ
iects through him, which, had he been
man, he would have obscured. He
was dressed in miners boots and
clothes. He eyed me carefully and
grinned.
"'Colon6 Solomon BuggF he asked
in hollow, choky voice.
81 nodded curiously.
"Bugg,' he SAID, impulsively, COM
ing nearer, and audaciously striding
right through a big bowlder, would
any well-bred person ask ghost a
question?
"Now this was technicalty in Ell
quette that had not studied up on, and
/ was at loss what to say. / risked
the negative. No. l said.
"'No,' echoed the ghost; no, Bugg,
well-bred gentleman would never ask a
reputable ghost aquestion. You are a
well-bred gentleman, aren't you, BuggT
the ghost asked auxiously.
"I hope So l said, in mock dignity.
"'And you wouldn't ask me ques-
ton, would you, Buggf
mot for the world
"a look OF great satisfaction settled
down on the ghosts countenance.
"You'd like to know why am
black ghost, ell, Bugg?
"'Yes.'
".And why I appear in the daytime,
Ell, Bugg?
"rWith pleasure
"He was standing all this time, and,
as he seemed to be stickler on ETH
auette, l asked him to BIO seated. He
shook his head sadly and muttered in
reply, Left my key.
"iHoly smoke, thought /, does he
have to unlock himself TO sit DOWN.
The ghost caught the look OF inquiry
in my eyes.
are going to ask question? Oh,
Bqggr -.
"He quieted down then aud pro-
ceeded:
"'You sec, Bugg, he said, 4 was a
miner. l was born in a mine, lived in
one, aud died there. ] never saw much
Of the sun and the bright, blue sky and
the green trees. l don't suppose that l
had more than elk months OF outdoors
in my life. Well, you see after died
and / found had to do the ghost act,
raised kick right then and there.
Look here" l protested, II had to live
in the dark all my life and I'll be
blamed If I'm going to prowi around in
the night In death. Put that in your
pipe and smoke it. want to stalk in
aha" made answer the Grand
Chancellor OF the Ancient and United
Order Of Spooks, "but a ghost couldn't
DO seen in the daytime. A white
ghost in the day time would be dead
failure, my boy"
"Yes, !" said j, "but black ghost in
the day time, what about that"
"You might tly it" said the grand
chancellor.
"That is my story" aud tho dark
ghost shifted his feet and stared away
off into the distance for fully two min
utes.
"Bugg," he said again, impulsively,
show does my head look?"
"All right" said l, although it looked
all wrong, as a bee sailed through it as
/ spoke.
at hurts, Bugg." the ghost said.
'I'm treating it for catarrh; my physi-
clan is, mean. l don't believe he
knows what he is about. Tho first