Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-09-15
COL. BUGGPS BLACK GHOST.
The Chicago Inter-Ocean.
"A black or Ost in the daytimeI"

That's what l 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 eye
that always distinguishes the man who
has waited until everybody has told
their experiences and then comes in with
one that is intended to make all the rest
commonplace.
ga black ghost in the daytime. That
is what l saw. 1t was the strangest
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 ghosts that sweep into a mans
room at night and sit on his bedpost and
stare at him, garrulous ghosts that chase
a way farer along country road with an
internal clatter, ghosts that hiss through
their teeth, ghosts with their throats cut
from ear to ear, disemboweled ghosts,
and l once heard of a 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 the
Aged and Weak minded Spooks.
"But all the ghosts 1 ever read or
heard about were white ghosts, and ap-
peared invariably at night.
at was away up in the mountains of
Colorado that l saw this black ghost.
do you know the solitude, the awe
inspiring silence of mountain scenery
on summers afternoon? On all sides
tower sheer activities, and sun-gilt
precipices with their monster foreheads
peering into the Stygian gulf below.
Everywhere the same gloomy silence that
the solitary audible sound, the chatter
ing brook, renders only more desolate.
The garish sun strikes distant summit
with rays aslant, or plays among the
dead, gaunt yellow pines at the timber
line. At your feet fern is struggling
for footing In the crevices of broken
boulder, while here and there ragged
bush, with scant and lingering foliage,
fingers unhappily between life and
death.
at was on an afternoon something
like this that 1 suddenly realized that
was in the presence of singular shape.
am not man to be frightened as a
rule, and took careful survey of my
visitor. He was dark from head to foot,
but not black, for 1 could see objects
him, which, had he been man,
he would have obscured. He was dress
ed in miners boots and clothes. He
eyed me carefully and grinned.
"'Colonel Solomon Bugg?' he asked in
a hollow, choky voice.
81 nodded curiously.
".Bugg,' he said, impulsively, coming |
nearer, and audaciously striding right |
big boulder, would any we'll
bred person ask ghost question:"
"Now this was technicality in eti-
quette that had not studied up on. and
| was at loss what to say. l risked |
the negative mo" said.
mo, echoed the ghost; mo Bugg, a
we'll bred gentleman would never ask a
reputable ghost question. You are
well-bred, gentleman, aren't you Bugg?'
the ghost asked, anxiously.
81 hope So" said, in mock dignity.
"And you wouldn't ask me ques-
ton, would you, Bugg?'
"Not for the world"
"a look of great satisfaction settled
iown on the ghosts countenance.
"FYou'd like to know why l am a
black ghost, eh, BuggT
"Yes."
"'And why 1 appear in the daytime,
h, Bugg?
with pleasure"
"He was standing all this time, and,
IS he seemed to be a stickler on etiquette,
asked him to be seated. He shook his
lead sadly, and muttered in reply: Left
ny key
"Holy smoke" thought 1, "does he
ave to unlock himself to sit DOWN."
he ghost caught the look of inquiry in
ny eyes.
".Buggl Buggr he yelled, you are 60
ng to ask a question? Oh. BuggP
Indeed l was not" insisted.
"He quieted down then and proceeded:
".You see, Bugg,' he said, 4 was a
miner. l was born in mine, lived in
ne. and died there. l never saw much
f the sun, and the bright, blue sky and
he green trees. 1 don't suppose that 1
ad more than six months of outdoors
n my life. Well, you see, after l died
nd found 1 had to do the ghost act, 1
aised a kick then and there. Look
Iere,' protested, Il had to live in the
lark all my life, and I'm blamed if am
,oing to prowl around in the night
n death. Put that in your pipe and
moke it. 1 want to stalk in the day
ime'
"'Aha,' made answer the Grand Chan
ellor of the Ancient and United Order
# Spooks, but ghost couldnd't be seen
n the daytime A white ghost in the
aytime would be a dead failure, my
'oy'
"sYes' said 1, but a black ghost in
he daytime, what about that?
"'You might try it, said the Grand
chancellor.
"'That is my story and the dark
host shifted his feet and started away 1
if into the distance for fully two min ,
ties. {
"Bugg,' he said again, impulsively, I
low does my head lookY l
"All right" said 1, although it looked
II wrong, as bee sailed through it as
poke. 6
"'It hurts, Bugg,' the ghost said. -,
IN treating it for catarrh; my physi- 6
ian is, l mean. l don't believe he 1
nows what he is about. The first thing
nd it will run into consumption, and
lere will be another dead ghost round
"This information was astounding,
ut said nothing, \
0sNow fhiG morninU, the ghost cOn | T