The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-09-02
A NEW FASHION IN GHOSTS.

Ara time when we begin to realize
that science, philosophy. even theology,
have had their phantoms and COLLINS
that vanished at the dawn and the
of new knowledge, 1t is
entertaining to see what different
form superstition itself has taken.
There is distinctly new fashion In
ghosts. The old-fashioned ghosts OF
clad in long, white garments,
who always ''glided''-the readers OF
Frank Stockton's stories will remem-
Der the difficulties with which the hob
goblin who invariably skipped kept
Step with the ghost who glided when
they went for a walk together-and
who solemnly waved their hands for
adieu when they disappeared through
barred and bolted doors, or vanished In
open space, are lost to us forever. The
etiquette of No Mans
Land, that twilight wonderland, has
been rudely overturned. A skeptical
young friend of mine once suggested
that the characteristics of its code
perfect noiselessness of entrance and
exit, subdued step and demeanor, ST.
lence until addressed-savored too
much of departed buffers or the shades
of "gentlemen's gentlemen" But,
however this may be, all is changed,
and 'smotley's our only wear" In the
late developments of the societies for
psychical research we see not even but
lers and Wallets but a lower set, presum-
ABLY kitchen menials from their habits,
or, at the best, the tramps and clowns
of the spirit-world. Science has dealt
the last blow to our glider and van
Usher, our ghost of awe and mystery.
Not even spectral finger has been
left to beckon, not vestige of his robe
to fiutter in the galleries at dusk or on
the winding stairways of the draughty
and dilapidated mansions which he I'M
accountably preferred to frequent.
Modern ghosts are addicted to practi-
cal joking. One was heard ''gobbling
about like turkey-cock close beside
the bed''-we quote the narratives laid
before the aforementioned societies
and, again, stumbling over boots and
shoes, though there were none there"
One account begins well. The ghost is
"a tall man, with very pale face, and
dark hair and mustache; the express
sion of his face is sorrowful." But,
alas, he shows the same propensity.
Sometimes he is seen peeping around
the side of an open doorway, sometimes
he steals up behind the lady of the
house and slaps her Familiarity on the
back"
The like disappointment meets us in
the following-also one of the best au-
thenticated stories: 60 The latch of the
door moved up and down; the iron case
ment began to clatter, and also the lid
of a warming-pany' Ghost of a depart
ed inn-maid! Perhaps murdered by a
sensitive traveller for gathering real
lid as he was about to sink into blissful
slumber.
The unseen guiders of planchette are
notably given to bad habits "Espec-
tally when the hand of the automist is
exhausted by long and somewhat bar
rem effort. the word devil will some
times be written over and over again
with an energy that shocks the unsus-
pecting writer" An English vicar tes-
titles that planchette is sadly addicted
to evasion and subterfuge, and shows
"a total indifference to truth for its
own sake, coupled with what looks like
a morbid dread of seeming to be ignor-
ant of the reply to question" The
frequency of fbs and bubbles in the
misunderstanding of this serious cler-
gyman again-suggests the tendency
to make game of the experimenter and
play practical jokes at his expense.
Intelligent purpose or relevance are
totally lacking, and it is well that the
ghost of science is supposed to possess
the charm which in Miss Matilda
Stubs mind raised her lover above all
other young men-''he was therefor
he has no other. In fact, we are told
that 1.-The ghost usually acts in a man.
ner indicating insanity or idiocy." "a
man in a frock coat" and % woman
in a veil' (see Report on Appari
tions''), are in the habit of entering a
particular chamber at night and gazing
upon the occupants of the bed, but
nothing comes of it. Another woman
Is dlWdyS SCCA do SnC 10 III oiiC dCb VI
turning corners" In many cases the
only known occupation of the ghost il
making night hideous with the crash
of breaking glass or china. Another
displays fondness for heat-has this
any reference to the climate of it.
habitual standing neal
the fireplace or stove, but vanishing
when addressed. In Short" says the
compiler somewhat impatiently, moi
a single ghost of all that are brought
before us seems to have any purpose te
act in a rational manner to accomplish
anything"
Brought before us!' What a re
versal of ancient law and precedent
when even ghosts may be summoned
by science. and examined like a house
maid rs to moral character and general
intelligence. But it does not yet appear
what fines may be levied or penaltie.
enforced for misdemeanors proved. /,
is new fashion with a vengeance