Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-11-19
WATERFORD'S GHOST


old log house In Wsterford's clearing
Lights had hem seen danclnR about tho
place for uc1rly fortnight
Yet during tho day everything about
looked as lonely A. ever, and ono man. 60.
Ing across and climbing up 90 the clear.
ing, reported no signs " human hnhltN
tion.
This las, report gradually quickcnod
public curiosity. and many eyes were now
turned ~ tho clearing every night Not
IN vain either, for the light or nghts-iur
there were now scyCral--cnntlnucd Co ic
soun. now flashing out AZ different points
now paling and darkenlng, 10 burst forth
again with runcwed brightness
To any that this luminous display caused
quito sensation In town would but faint.
" describe the actual excitement Tho
plncc was now involving daily visits ffum
armed parties, but scaruh ~ thuy might
they could discover nothinn--not even n
drop n tallow from the ghostly candica--
while the succeeding night was aurr 20
witness q stlll brighter display.
A youth some 10 or thorcabout might
have bcen .,cn hoolinR ~ down the village
siruct md makinga hcc line for the stu.
dents boarding house HacinR up the
stairs h. rushed into No. ~, and hastily
closing the door exclaimed Ia mn oagvr
whisper
~ ay, jed, old Amcs aud tho sheriff
and big crow arr going up there tomor.
~, dit What's 10 b. done now shall
w try II on themi"
Twas my worthy chum and schoolmntc.
Tom Mathews The neat day was -atur.
day. We devoted IL 10 preparation
Among Toms hereditary treasures was
n Speaking trumpet which had descended
from an uncle IN tho navy. Prom this by
slightly nodulhting the voice, tho most
scpuichrnl tones could h. olicitod Taken
IN conjunction with u mi winding sheet
wo Judged it might provo valuable huKli.
ihry.
Toward night we locked our room and
departed unbcknown for tho clearing We
got up there Just NJ dusk and made our
arrangements NJ fast ~ possible, for thor
was no knowing how soon tho scloctman
might come
We fl1cd tho candles boforr tho window
holes NJ bofuro, with newspaper curtains IN
draw up or LET fall nj plcnsnr, This done.
w allied the old stone chimney with dry
Ernss, birch hTk and paper. rcndy % touch
on when oooa-ion called
A portion Of tho floor II tho cabin near
tho doorway whs gone, leaving nm opcn
hole Into tho cellar So we allowed tho
ghost, In his fearful winding shc-t. Co
hang In the collar, suspended BY q cord ict
down from over the dour and ryady 20 rlso
up and M the doorway when such a move
should BECOME necessary. The cord passed
backward through crcyicu and extended
away Ia "a dwarf hcmiock somo rods un.
IAN ready for the sheriff, said Tom,
Surveying tho pVpamtion. Guess we'd
better light up. rs getting prtty dark.
and They'll nccd II 10 guido them Touch
the candles and ave the chimney till they
svt into the opening"
Tho effect of our light wns Immediately
audible from tho pcoplu down ut tho village
aud ON tho other side uf the lake First
halloos, followed by n series oil vocal tolc.
Huphings, showed that We wcro attracting
universal attention.
We hoard wagons mttllng up tho rad
on tho other sldo Of the lake, one. two,
thrcc. And while they werc coming up
through tho woods We prnctlcod tho ghost
once more, % b. aurc that no was all right
"Now touch tho chimney" Whispered
Tom, and Il was soon ruaring away az u
fr,ut rutc. Pccring round tho end u tho
house. we watched them come up Into tho
opening Their torches made oil tholr
movements plainly visible.
Tho Investigators oamo up within seven
or eight rods, but did not sem inclined 10
Immediately approach. We caught frng.
mcnts OF their talk above the roaring Of
the ilno.
Almighty hot looking chimney" said
ono What s'posc they m cooking there
witches broth perhaps" rCplicd an.
other
Come, boys, let's move NJ" said the
sheriff.
hut the boys didn't move up much. on
tho contrary, tho whole party seemed n
have come Ia n standstill Meanwhile tho
hrc In the chimney lcRnn 10 nlatc little.
more birthstone here. you imps, ruard
Tom In hollow tones through tho trumpet
II toll you, boys, this Is all trick %
Gaid Amcs "Let's move up
Quick ns a wink wo lot tho curtains
fall, making all dark. while Tom cried IN
terrible voice.
"Mortals, depart depart, depart, or woi
BE- unto youi"
They wcro right In thinking tina, No
mortal lungs could have produced such
sounds unns-istcd. I never saw men NOR.
completely nonplusci Scared they nm
doubleday wcrc, but shame kept them FROM
ptuating
"Do ready with tho ghost, " whispered
Tom.
one fellow had more nerve than thoo 9th
er1 lie slowly edged up within TOW fcol
Of the door, and, raising his pistol dis
charged it through tho aperture In M
Instant tho ghost rose through the floor
confronting him with the garments o
murder
Mortal, thy days nro numhercd. trum
pcted Tom, while tossed up hcnyy
stone, which, falling on the rielsuty roof
bounced on pretty close 10 him.
Twas u little too much. Iuturned nnl
scamrrrcL The whole party followed
Ames bringing up tho rear And sucl
shrieks ~ now issued from the old trum
pet would have appalled, hrnvrr men thar
they, We heard them crashing dow
through tho brush, and pptty soon tn
sound Of oars came up frum tho water,
We carefully removed every trace OF GU
presence and went home triumphant
Tho story told by tho Investigating part,
WINS quite an improvement on tho nrtuA
facts as seen by Tom and myself from GU
standpoint II Tom and had only dnrci
IN EXPOSE them, II would have put IN
climax On tho Joke hut prudence for
babe, We held In and laughed nights un
der tho bcdclothos Now York NowS
saaaa=
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