Smyrna times., 1892-06-01
A TRUE GHOST STORY.
Jinx in Toronto BmDire


about telling mine only as l know it
is true 1 am strong in conscious inno-
cence. 1t all happened in a little viii
lage in Wales where l lived, and as l
do not wish to expose its real name let
US call it Priceville.
On the night my story begins four
young men were seated in Farmer Pin
nos parlOr. The first was Charles Jones,
a rather good looking young fellow,
with light hair. The second was Robert
Lyle, who would have been handsome
If it had not been for a heavy under
jaw, which gave an unpleasant charac-
ter to his face. Harry Griffith was the
third person. The son of an army Off
Ger, he had shown marked ability at
college, both for study and for unruly
conduct in the town, for which last he
was expelled, and his father soon
afterward dying he was left with very
small means and with the fixed deter
mination not to do any more work
than he was obliged to do. Handsome
and gentlemanly he would have stood
a fair chance for the hand of the charm
ing Miss PinnO if he had wished it, but
he never seemed in love with her in
the least, and used really to spend his
time at the house in chatting with the
farmer and his wife or watching with
keen enjoyment the maneuVers of the
two suitOrs, Jones VS.. Lyle, as each
tried to interest Miss PinnO more than
the other, with a view of finally GUST
ing his rival.
The fourth man was your humble
servant, who plays no more important
part in this story than to narrate it, so
no description is needed, and we will
pass to Miss PinnO, the most mportant
person in the room.
For miles around she was known as
the pretty Miss PinnO, and she did not
belle her name. A tall, fair girl with
blue eyes, rejoicing in the name of
GwendOline, shortened to Gwen, she
looked wLat she was, good and beau
tiful type of English girlhOod
The farmer aud his wife were also
there, but as they play no part in
this drama l shall not speak further of
them.
The conversation had turned OH
ghosts, and story after story was
poured forth by the various youths,
each one more grewsOme and blood
curdling than the last.
Finally Robert Lyle said with a
shiver that might have been real or
intended, Il never met a ghost, and /
hope aud believe | never shall, but if |
should ever chance ON one, | should
Immediately retreat TO the shelter of
my happy home and refuse ever to
walk on that road again at night"
"Ah but you forget" said Miss
Gwen, "that ghosts can come into
houses without opening the door, so
you would not be safe ever there"
mo, perhaps not but think "a we'll
lighted room would Grighten any ghost,
so l shall stick to my recipe until |
know of better one"
The conversation then changed, but
during those few sentences mischiev-
Gus, sudden look had come into Jones'
eyes, which, however, faded away
almost as quickly as it had come. No
one appeared to notice it but myself
| made no remark on it at the time,
but often thought of it afterward
Robert Lyle soon afterward took bis
leave refusing my offer to walk home
VILE nlAAg anu l. onOAAAH lOllOWGu uilu
not much put out at his surliuess, for
he was always strictly peculiar. And
now my story really begins. Some of
it know for fact the rest was not
hard to fill in.
Jones and Griffith left soon after ]
did. Once outside the door Jones
turned to his companion and requested
him to hel p him in a way he would
explain, or, if he did not care to do so
at least to keep his plan a perfect
secret. Griffith gave the required prom
Use, and then, standing under the lee
of hedge, Jones unfOlded his project
which was no more and no less than to
show Lyle ghost the next night that
he came to Farmer PinnO's.
The arrangements were absurdly
simple. They were that Griffith should
dress in white and stand in the church
yard until Lyle passed, when he should
give vent to his most unearthly veil,
jump the Tailings and disappear tow.
ard the village. This was to be only q
sort of byplay to unsteady Lyle's
nerves. Jones was suddenly to ap
pear, also dressed in white, on the
bridge over Lyle's own mill stream
Inside the sheet he wore he was tC
carry dark lantern, and he was ther
to wait until Lyle approached within d
few yards of him, when the slide was
to be suddenly opened, and that was
expected to be more than enough fOl
our friends nerves, already shaken.
After this small matter had been set
tied the two cOnspirators separated
Jones going along the road and Griffith
taking a shorter cut to the village inn
After they had both disappeared
Lyle jumped up from where he had
been lying behind the hedge and also
went home along the road. Next day
Lyle met Jones about noon, and casu
ally remarked that he thougt of going
over to Farmer PinnO's that night
Jones impaired this to his ally, and
they got ready for action. So die
Lyle.
About seven that evening Lyle lef
his home and passed the graveyard OF
his way. The foolish scheme now be
gan, and after the first ghost, ALA.
Griffith, had shown itself and disap
peared, Lyle, pretending to be fright
ened, began to run along the road tow
ard the bridge, well knowing tha
Griffith was behind some hedge nearly
choking himself with delight owe
the supposed success of the scheme
As Lyle came to the bridge his pac,
slackened and he began to cross it
when on the other side from under tn,
shadow of the parapets emerged
white figure with dim light shininl
from it and uttering weird grOans
which, however, were unexpected,
interrupted by a couple of pistO
shots fired by Lyle in quick success
sion.
Jones gave one scream and fell dead
Lyle bent over him to assure himsel
that he was really dead, and then, sup
porting his head, shouted for help.
This call was quickly answered, 70
Griffith, who had followed the who'll
proceeding from a small knoll as wei
as he could in the darkness, now ran vi
having taken the precaution to throw
away bis sheet, and together they car
ried the body home,
OF course Lyle was arrested, but tn
jury decided that Jones had onl,
himself to thank for his untimell
death, added a rider TO the effect tha
all practical joking should be stopped
and sympathized with the defenden
Lyle, who appeared heart t-broken.
The whole neighbOrhoOd took tn
same view as the jury, and Lyle found
himself as much feted as If Jones hal
been q dangerous rObber instead Of