Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-08

the 0ni8Dic lazy OF tne ".s'S - 49,
20 cook breakfast tradition docs not say
hut from tbe fact that nothing IL re-
lated OF suffering by the Livinsstones
from hunger, Il II 10 be presumed tnat
the spook let up on them for little while
and allowed them TO get something 70
eat. A..
Worn out, scared. and disconsolate. the
han,csa Livingstone walked down TO the
road that passed his house, and was I'M
rncdiateIy greeted by a rough wagner.
who had stopped his team, and VINO
wanted TO know why the devil LIVING
stone had stretched rope across the
highway and fastened IL 10 tree on
either side, so as to impede travely' Lav-
ingstone knew that there were trees, as
the wagner said, on both sides Oh me
road. but he cav no rope. ana wonaeIeu
what the apparently drunken teamster
meant by accusing him Of such an apsura
thing. The driver angrily demanded ,nat
the obstruction be removed at once, ana
Livingstone, disdaining TO make any re-
ply, the Infatuated teamster drew khi,e
and sashed at the rope. but the piaoe
met with no resistance, and while the oo-
struction was paipable 10 MS eye W.
but an airy nothing to his touch. IL was
now the wagoner's turn TO be amazed.
He knew not whether to offer an apology
or not. and while he was stu ponderihs
the matter, another team arrived, ana 's
driver went through the same performance
as the other, with the same result. -.
length Livingstone mildly suggested 'hat
they should drive on regardless Oh nv
intangible rope. and so they dIn. anu
passed along without difficui'y at,ripu.ns
their delusion, no doubt. TO the pad
whIskey of the neigbborhood. Soon, how
ever. other teams arrived, and again me
spectral rome was In the way. ara agai'i
were repeated the perplexity and the pro-
family of the first encounter. Every ne"
arrival brought the luckless Livingstone
a fresh cursIng. and so II was kept up
for several weeks.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE CLIPPING.
In the course of time the demon now
acknowledged 10 be around the pace
adopted new method OF annoyance =,
sharp, clipping noise. as IL from pan
of invisible shears. was heard all through
and around the house. and. worse yet
all the clothes of the family. their tapIe
cloths, and bed coverings were cut anu
gashed, the Sits being all in the shape
of n crescent. or course the news OF
these unearthly doings soon spread. ana
people from all directions crowded 10
see and hear what was going on. There
are still preserved in some families
pocket handkerchiefs that were folded IN
the pockets Of their owners when they
visited the place, but yet were cut ana
marked In his peculiar way by the
Demon of the Scissors, that kept up his
clip-clip' around them while they were
condoIing with the afflicted family. one
lady visitor was complmenting Mrs.
Livingstone on a fine flock of ducks tina,
were waddling through her yard on their
way, perhaps. TO the neghboring Ope-
lit. Ill he
invisible shears, and, one after another.
the ducks were all Clearly decapitated
in broad daylight. before the very eyes
of the ladies' and many other witnesses.
BROKE UP A PARTY.
At that time there lived In Middleway
n German tailor who. though fully I'M
bued with the mysticism of his country
men. yet regarded with contempt all
vulgar superstitions or what ne con-
sidered to be such. He boasted that he
would stay all night, alone, In the house
supposed to be haunted, and that, II he
had time enough to spare for the purpose
he could expose the imposture or the
wizard clipping. He had just finished
suit of broadcloth for neighporing
planter, and had made up the CLONES
in neat package, when. on MS way
to deliver them. he passed Livingstone
house. grinning at the folly OF ms heiSn'
bors in believing that the place was
teranted by an evil spirit. Clip-cip went
the terrible scissors around the ears or
the German. who, in the plentitude OF
his incredulity, invited the author OF
the sounds to Ego for damn He pro-
ceeded TO the house OF his employer
opened his bundle with professional con
fdence and pride 10 exhibit MS nouei
suit. when 10, and behold! he found the
clothes full Of the crescent-shaped shts'
and utterly ruined 100,
The excitement continued 10 spreai.
and far and near extended the fame ot
"Wizard Clip" One night n party VI
Youngsters, of both sexes, assembled at
the house for frolc, got up by the YOUNG
men of the neighborhood, who desired 10
show to the world, and especially to their
sweethearts. that they were not AFRAID
whoever else might be So and curiosity
led many young ladies TO the scene IN
spite or the terrors Of the place. 1hey
were. perhaps, DESTROYS to test the cour-
age of their lovers, and trusted for pro-
lection TO the big crowd In attendance
one rough, clustering fellow came all the
way from Winchester, bringing with MN
his rife. He was counting girl OF the
neighborhood of Ilvingstones place, ana
he determined To show of TO the best
smoothly for awhile. and the young peo-
pie were engaged in q dance when sud-
denly clip-clip went the goblin shears.
and the Winchester hero felt something
flap against the calves OF his legs He
reached down to investigate, and found,
to his CONSERVATION, that the most im-
portant part of his neither garment had
been cut loose from the waistband. and
that there was nothing left for him to do
but to sit down and keep on sitting till
the festivities were over. His condition
soon became known to the others, and
great as the terrors Of the situation were.
nothing could prevent the company from
tittering until the hapless hero found his
plight so painful that he resolved to leave
the house, which. for the sake of delicacy.
he was obliged to do by backing TO the
door, while the ladies coyly looked in
another direction.
EXERCISED THE SPIRIT.
Numberless are the tales related of the
queer doings of the demon with his in
visible and diabo,cal scissors. Poor Liv-
ingstone lost heart. and even his wifes
masculine courage gave way. The whole
neighboring country was. of course. in
tensely excited. One night Livingstone
had dream. He thought he was at the
foot Of a hill, on the top OF which was n
man dressed in sacredotal garments and
appearing to be engaged in some religious
ceremony. While looking toward this
strange man the afflicted dreamer became
aware of the presence with him OF some
disembodied spirit that whispered TO him
that the man in the priesily garb could
relieve him from his great trouble. He
awoke and Immediately formed the rersou-
ton to appeal to some minister OF the
Gospel to exercise his tormentor-the
fiend of the Clip" He applied to his
own pastor, Lutheran preacher. who.
OF course, had heard Of the affair. as
had everybody in the State. To please
Livingstone the reverend gentleman visit
ed the haunted house. but he experienced
reception so hot that he concluded not
to try issues with so potent spirit and
he left without accomplishing anything
Livingstone now remembered that the
minister of his vision wore priestly vest
ments, and, on the failure of his own
pastor, he concluded that the party to
help him must be one who was usually
arrayed with such adjuncts in the per-
Torrance of his rites. The Catholic or,
perhaps. the Protestant Episcopal must
therefore be the denomination for him to
seek aid from, and he found out from the
Minghinis and the McSherrys that
Father Cahill. who used robes such as he
had seen In the dream, would, on a GER
tain day, be at Shepherdstown. about ten
miles away, to hold Catholic service.
They promised him an Introduction IN