Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-03-18
A BURGLARS GHOST.

NhWdJ.
Boston Globe.
A BURGLARS GHOST.
He was ghost, ndoubtetl1y. AS soon
rs saw him, lying at full length under
the dropping branches of mountain ash,
with its wildly green, pointed leaves look
ing curiously into his hooking face,
knew that he was not a creature of solid
parts. Why, as l stood, awe stricken, a
few yards away, could see the ground on
which he was lying clear through him.
He was absolutely transparent. He evil
IDENTIFY enjoyed my terror, and sneering
smile that rippled over his whole form, from
top to bottom, proved that, in his ghostly
way, he rejoiced in his uncanny appear
ance, and would not have been flesh and
blood if he could
The cold moonlight forced it's way
through the hanging clusters of leaves that
depended from the branches of the noun
tain ash, and seemed to shed congenial
glow over the shadowy presence stretched
on the greensward. The glow was chilly,
but it suited the ghost Your average
| ghost does not appreciate cheerfulness,
either in the shape of light or heat, and
though this particular ghost differed from
his fellows in that he did not disdain the
comfort of a recumbent position, it is rea-
sonable to suppose that he preferred to
have his uncertain outlines marked by the
sad blue white hue of Luna's rays, instead
| OF being shown up in the rosy glow of an
| early morning sun.
l came upon him quite unexpectedly.
The evening was still young, but in the
late September days darkness falls over the
earth very suddenly, and large mountain
ash throws a heavy shadow. | do not
know that had any real reason to feel sur
prised. The ash grew in the heart of a
thicket some distance from the road, and
if ghost was to be found anywhere in the
large, closely wooded grounds surrounding
Colonel Hinton's fine old mansion, surely
this was the place he would naturally
choose for his haunt. There was an ag
gressive silence-so deep as to seem to re
sent even the faint rustling of the leaves
of the mountain ash-prevading the spot.
The bark of the trees was rent into assures
of quaint designs, and gaped at the in
truder like mouths. Even the katydids
and bullfrogs that occasionally burst into
voice cut their remarks short as if oppressed
by the general quietude.
/ had often noticed the mountain ash
from afar, and had seen that it's bright
green leaves waved mournfully at times
when was not aware of the presence of
breeze. had wondered, in careless way,
what power it was that sent the heavy
clusters sweeping to and fro as monoto-
nously and persistently as the pendulum
of "a Dutch clock. l may have even con-
jectured as to the existence of super
natural agency in the vicinity. But never
for long. Whenever had occasion to pass
through Colonel Hinton's park my mis-
sion was one altogether distinct from the
dread influence of mysterious causes over
grewsome Objects and the weird results of
freaks by unknown forces of the neither
world.
went to keep love tryst.
Sweet Nellie Hinton and had met in
the regulation way at party. We had
been formally introduced, had talked, had
danced and-had met again. l do not
know exactly how it came about, but one
lovely August evening, when her face was
very close to mine, as we waltzed-one
couple among perhaps ffty-at hop in
Chautauqua hotel, told her that to which
one glance from her ever changing violet
eyes was sufficient response, and my love
romance had commenced.
There was no reason why we should not
have told her father at once. The colonel
liked me, and though knew he would not
relish the idea of parting with Nellie, who
was to him wife and daughter in one was
sure he would not raise any objection to
me on the score of worldly considerations.
Our families were on excellent terms But
then it was very pleasant to meet Nellie
secretly in the cool of the evening under
the trees, with the lights of her house Just
visible through the foliage, and to imagine
that all the world were against us. Of
course it was ridiculous, but l leave it to
any young lovers if it was not natural.
Love without persecution is but tame
affair after all, and verify believe that
should have been pleased to face opposition
for Nellie's sake-always provided that !
would heroically overcome it at last
We had never found ourselves near the
mountain ash before. There was some
wild story afoat that the spot was haunted;
that an ancestor of the colonel's had one
night found burglar in his house, and
being of a choleric disposition, had chased
him into the grove and felled him dead
with one blow of his fist under the noun
tain ash. There the dead man had lain all
night, with his white shirt glistening in
the dim light-for he had taken off his
coat and vest on entering the house-arM
there his ghost was to be occasionally seen
ever afterward, according to popular tradi
ton.
On this evening Nellie and had agreed
to meet under the mountain ash, as the re-
suit of laughing remark she had made
rs to the burglars ghost. Neither of us
believed in his existence, and we had re-
To IL
him forever.
stopped short, while wave of cold, that
knew came from the ghost, as if he had
breathed Jelly in my direction, sent SILVER
through me from head to foot With an
effort recovered myself and moved reso-
lutely forward.
HPshaW" said aloud. what fancy!"
aFancyp articulated a gurgling voice
as the ghost INDUCED in another of those
peculiar smiles that agitated him from one
end to the other. Fancy, am 1? Well,
like thatl Ha! hal hap
must say that the ghosts laugh was
most unpleasant thing. Not that it was
loud or harsh, but it gave one the impress
sion that he laughed from force of habit
contracted in the flesh, and not becau Sc it
afforded him any pleasure in his present
immaterial state.
Fancy, am II" he repeated
l had by this time reached that extrem-
ity of supernatural fear which reacts upon
itself and becomes bravery-or very good |
imitation. So answered boldly:
''Yes, you are fancy of course Do you
mean to lie there and tell me that you are |
really the disembodied spiritof man dead
in the fleshP admit that my eyes tell mo
you are ghost, but my common sense will |
not listen to such an absurd notion, and ] |
say that when proceed to investigate you
as intend to do at once, shall find that
you are, literally, mere moonshine.
Again stepped forward, and again the
Thing stopped me.
"Holdp'
There was kissing in his voice as he
issued his command, while a certain |
trembling in his legs, which lay straight !
and so close together that they looked like |
one, made me think he was going to get
up.
"Why should hold?" demanded in
dignantly, for was beginning to lose my |
temper. Besides I aynectpd Nellia ava,u |