The morning call., 1893-01-21
OUR BLACK FOREST
Supernatural DWellers i'm
Old Berkshire.
Credulous Settlers Unnerved -Mys-
terious Legends and Folklore
Recounted.
Boston Globe.

Boston Globe.
Fantasma, with her magic wand, Is once
thought to have reigned in old Berkshire.
II was back in the days Of cider brandy
and superstition, when the numbering stage
coach carried the United States mail over
the winding turnpikes.
The old legends aud mysteries linger, and
while II is not always wise to place credence
in fantastic things stories of superstitious
persons and times are interesting and go to
show of what vagaries the mind is capable.
The writer Of this weird tale Is indebted to
one of the silver grays, w. II. Wharfeld,
ex-Town Treasurer of Dalton, who knows
Berkshire by heart.
He said: There are probably few peo-
Pile living in Dalton at the present time who
have not seen or heard of the devils lam
tern, or the will-o'-the- wisp. 1t is mys-
terions light that appears at certain times
on the side of Days Mountain in full view
of the village. My theory is that 1t is
caused by gases or phosphorus that ignite
and cause light.
Certain conditions of the atmosphere
probably produce it, 1t has been seen
every night for spell. and then it would
fade out of view and perhaps not be seen
again for months. and sometimes years. 1t
could be seen plainly from the village, but
when a searching party reached the spot
where they thought the light ought to be it
could not be seen.
''The light is as large as that given by an
ordinary lantern, and has been seen IN re-
cent years. Tradition has il that about the
time of the revolutionary war military
general made tour with his troops from
the Hudson valley to Vermont. via Berk-
shire County.
ARRIVING on Days Mountain, In the
townof Dalton, the troops camped there
for the night. The story goes that the
general had a big sum of money with him,
the result of mining. Before morning
dawned il was apparent that the Yankees
knew of the encampmeDt Of the troops and
were rallying for an attack.
Fearing that they might be 0yerpowered
and their money be stolen. the general de-
cded to bury it in the ground. 1t Is said
that they killed negro boy, the generals
valet, and buried his body with the trea-
sure, commanding his spirit to guard and
protect the money until the generals re-
turn. and tradition has IL that this mysteri-
Gus mountain light marks the resting place
of the body OF the faithful colored boy.
Elisha Day, ex-Tsx Collector OF Daltou,
and man about 20 years of age, is among
those who nave seen the DEVILS lantern. In
the town OF Windsor, in Northern Berk-
shire, on lonely mountain road, fingers a
legend. The stages then trayersed this
country, and the farmers made and sold
charcoal.
"a kiln was In process Of burning in
Spaulding's woods, near the turnpike. At
certain stage OF the burning n kiln re-
Quires close watching and men have 10 sit
up over night.
Zone night rarity was watching kiln,
but all went well, so they sat down for a
game of cards. They lighted the tallow dip,
but 1t did not afford them sufficient ilIum.
ination. They had not been playing long
when they were surprised at the sudden
appearance OF stranger at one end Of the
table.
"They thought 1t was the devil They
were sure Of il. He took hand aud began
to play. Everything was silent, particu-
larry the devil. He never said a word, but
just played when 1t came his turn and took
all the tricks. That was singular. and, In
fact, all was mystery.
But nothing was more so than the fact
that after several hours of playing the
candle had not wasted particle. and the
pit watchers began 10 feel strangely alb out
tie tallow dip. Finally. toward morning,
they got exceedingly uneasy.
1T case the strangers turn TO play. The
pit watchers looked up and saw that their
mysterious visitor had vanished. The day
was breaking and itmusG have occurred to