The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-18
AN UP TO DATE GHOST.
6coRchES THROUGH LONG ISLAND
ON A PHANTOM WHEEL.
Blue Flame Crackiss From Its, Jainf~
Members OF the owl 4. ,b Are It's Vic

mcmpers OF the Owl CAtD Are It's tic-
Tins. 20, asiongugi on sci iiiH
A ghost mounted on ablcycte is the Tat.
est arrivals In WoodSbprg. *. \. Itmadei its
appearance several nights ago mounted on
phantom wheel aud wearing winding
sheet In lieu OF q bicycle suit. IL has becn
seen every night since then scorching over
fields and through woods, with the loose
ends of the winding sheet Tapping in tho
wind. With "a hideous grin 1t wheels
along, spreading terror from ono village tn
another. a pale light shines from its hol-
low eye sockets, while tho CHASTITY yisago
bears the stamp OF death.
Whether IL IL ghost of n new woman
who died before her time or the uneasy
spirit of some old time bicyelist is vet To
be- determined. But there's COMMITTEES
OF hardy spirits belonging TO the Owl club,
swell organization In the place. which
proposes going cunning for his or her
ghostship. This clubs gatherings are
prolonged far into tho night, and IL APP
pears that tho ghostly bicyclist takes a
particular delight in haunting this club
and tho members on their way home.
-Four members of tho Owl club first en-
countorcd the phantom while on their way
home from Valley Stream few days since.
Midway between fCnhurst and Woods
burg they were surprised To hear the tinkle
of IA bicycle bell behind them. AS they
turned 20 look figure, mounted Oh a
white wheel, swept silently by them. like
q fash OF light. It cavorted about in ths
rough roadway, cut figure 3, then sailed
gracefully over fence and went skimming
along over newly plowcd field and dis
appeared In patch of woods.
Tho clubmen stood aghast, and they
clutohcd one another in horror. No one
had venturcd 10 speak. When the figure
disappeared in the woods, they nervously
resumed their journey toward the club,
and In a few minutes had partly regained
their courage and began chiding one an
other for being afraid OF shadow.
From friendly chaff they went to heated
personalities, which were suddenly inter
rupted by the faint tivkle of a bell In the
road ahead. The discussion was brought
toan end in an instant. There, in the
open road, was the phantom rider, cutting
great capors Tho rider seemed to sail
around in the air, leaving IA wake OF blue
fame.
At length the ghostly rider headed for
tho terror stricken group. They fled
shrinking with terror. Over the frozen
road they went, with the horrible figure
close at their heels. In vain they tried 10
shake off the spccter 1t seemed 10 keep
an equal distance behind them, grinning,
blue fire swapping from out its joints, the
winding sheet tapping in the wind.
The cries ole the terrified men aroused
the slumbering villagers, as tho four fugi-
tives, with the ghost In pursuit, swept
through the streets.
The hunted men headed direct for the
Owl club house, where they tumbled
thorugh the door in a heap. With chat.
tering teeth and blanched faces they told
the story OF their adventure, and were
loudly ridiculed on all sides. a committee
Of meinbers volunteered 10 go in search az
the ghostiy bicyolist, but neither of the
four men who had encountered the appari
.ion could be induced TO show his head out
of doors.
The ghost continued to haunt the place
until moro than n dozen of the clubmen
had become convinced that IL was a real
ghost One after another they encountered
the OBJ ject Several of them endeavored to
give chase, but the ghostly rider simply
raised its machine in the air and seemed To
float away. Traps were set TO catch the
pnhHtOHl, Dut tIlty pIpNtu VI ho aNdii.
John W. Mitchell, with another mem
Der of the club, was entering the club
house the other evening when he was
startled bya white robed figure that leaped
out Of % window of the clubhouse. walked
across the lawn and disappeared In n
clump OF woods across the way. Mr.
Mitchell set up cry Of alarm "Thc
ghost! The ghost! The ghostl" he
shouted
Instantly there was an outpouring from
the clubhouse, and the frightened crowd
went hustling back and forth in search Of
the object. Between his gasps Mr.. Mitchell
pointed In the direction in which tho figure
had disappeared. Tho crowd searched In
that direction, but found nothing.
On reassembling in the clubhouse IL was
voted that something must be done TO
either run down and capture the appari-
tion or drive il 10 other haunts. With this
purpose in view the members have brought
their guns TO the clubhouse and laid i'm a
big supply of ammunitiosn They now
propose Co hunt the ghost with powder and
shot. Mr.. Carroll says his whiskers have
turned gray I'm spots through fright while
other members say they are no longer able
to keep theiF-hHir curled, rs the mere
mention Of the ghost is sufficient 10 take
the curl out of the hair of any club mem
ber
The general decision is that tho ghost
must lie suppressed, and unless the phan-
tom biCyclis; is shotproof IL had bettor go
out OF business Now Ork Herald t