Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-03-04
THE GHOST OF MAMMOTH CAVE
me CHICAGO ntDuns.

Nam m0tn cave gh0Sty asked tue tAil
man Of the party, who had listened Ia
silence to score OF yarns with a SUI
pernatural flavor to them. Nobody bad
heard the story, and the tall man teld
IL.
81 will not mention the names OF the
persons in this story" he began, "be-
cause there are one or two newspaper
men here, and 1 know these persons
would not like to have their names mix
ed up with a ghost experience, even
though they are convinced IL is q true
record Of events which really happened.
In fact, | know these people believe
their own eyes in this case, aud am IN
clined to think they are right in believ-
ing they saw ghost. They are sensi-
BILE persons, and could not be imposed
upon by any practical joker.
ITO begin with, away back when the
big Mammoth Cave. In Kentucky, was
discovered, the first man TO explore its
depths, and who was known as the hrst
guide to the cave, was slave named
Lewis. One day il was rumored that
there were two entrances 10 the cave.
This meant that the resources from WIS.,
itors would be divided, as the two en-
frances were on different estates. The
man who owned the one entrance, the
land on which II was and the guide,
Lewis, was quietly told one day BY
the old man that he had discovered the
second entrance 10 the cave. Lewis'a
owner st once told him he would give
him his freedom II he would show him
and another man the second mouth 10
the cave.
Lewis agreed TO do the job. One
morning the slave entered the mouth
OF the cave-the present entrance. by
! the way. The arrangement WIS that
the owner and another man were TO re-
main on guard and see that the old
slave did not come oat the way be had
gone 10. Ten hours later old Lewis
| trance to the cave. He had used IL as
an exit and came 20 his owner over tho
hills. That night three men are said TO
have silently effected THE entrance,
and. although IL is known In the neigh
| borhood OF che Mammoth cave that 10
! did exist, no man has 10 this day been
able to find IL, so there is only one en-
trance TO the wonderful cave.
Years rolled on. Old Lewis died.
He was made free, but he would not
leave the cave. He explored IL fully
and knew more OF It's mysteries and
beauties than any other soul. Then he
was buried in the old cemetery up near
the hotel. His widow is still alive. Az
any rate, she was few years ago, when
the story OF the ghost was made known.
Now for the ghost story. A new
manager took hold OF the cave and the
hotel there. He heard about old Lewis
and his wonderful history. So he con-
cluded II would be good idea TO dig up
the old fellows bones, renter them as
the mouth OF the cave. and erect tall
white marble monument over them ss-
cred TO the memory OF the first guide 70
the cave.
"When the old mans grave was
opened the negroes down there say, HE
widow went down into the pit and gath
cred up the fragments OF bone and
placed them in the new coffin Then
they were placed In a new grave at the
mouth OF the cave aud the monument
was erected over them.
zone night 10 the summer few years
ago party OF men and women, six In
number, came out OF the cave 0t nine
o'clock. They looked 90 the big monu-
ment and talked about old Lewis. tnen
they told their guide TO 20 on 10 Rs
hotel. They were In no hurry ala
would loiter about the mouth 0f the
cave. An hour and n half lates they
started 10 90 10 the hotel
They had gone buta few steps when,
a few yards 10 front, ihcy saw man.
lie was dressed no a white shirt 6aa
dark trousers and wore no hat. one OF
the men remarked casually that the
guide had been l0a0ng around near
them, and be stepped forward 10 ask
the man why he had not gone 10 tho
hotel when told to do 20, As be left the
party and moved toward the man the
latter suddenly turned aud faced bin.
lie saw I'm an instant that u was not the
guide, and he asked the man what he
wanted. There was no reply, and In an
instant the figure had vanished.
THE man returned 20 his party and
was laughed al when be told his story.
Then the men ard women went TO the
hotel. They found that their guide had
been asleep FOR over an our. Then they
were puzzled. No other person had
been near the cave and nobody could
explain the peculiar occurrence.
Next day the affair was discussed.
A party was made up OF men VINO agreed
TO 20 10 the cave and see n the affair
was repeated. They sat on the ground
near the monument until IL o'clock,
1 when one OF them Rrasped his nearest
neighbours arm aud whispered: DO
YOU see that man2 AZ the same
time pointing 20 a thick part OF
the wood near. All the men looked and
saw the figure OF the night before. 10
was floating by the group and To an In
slant each man spranE 10 bis feet. One
Of the men drew a revolver and shouted;
60 II you do not stop and tell as who
| you are, instantly, / will shoot you.
/ give you fair warning.
There was no response. The man
took aim and fred. lie discharged the
five chambers Of his revolver, aud then
tue party rushed 10 the spot where tho
| figure had been seen. There vas no.
/ body In sight, and after securing the
woods 10 every direction the men start
cd toward the wood
They bad gone but short distance
when, 70 their surprise, close Ia front,
boncs more appeared the figure. Iels
! time they rushed toward it, but -
second IL had again disappeared. IL
uen we're mystihed. Some Of them
we're frightened and all went - bed.
Then the story came out The col
ored people heard tell Of IL. They said
/ old Lewis Wasn't resting easily 10 bis
new grave. Several o. the more super
sttlous left the cave and could not be
persuaded 20 come back. Macy men
and women saw the figure add 20 this