Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-10-10
THE GHOST OF WAYNE

AS the small sailing yacht drifted
slowly past the bluff at the entrance of
Presque Isle bay the two men sailing
her stood breathlessly watching the
strange lights which seemed to rise and
fall at intervals Oh the spot where tho
old blockhouse stood i'll the days when
Mad Anthony Wayne, with his troops,
was stationed at the fort and where he
was buried in 1896. AS the boat drew
close to the shore Herbert Manning, the
younger Of the men who had been striv-
ing in the semidarkness to make out
what the unusual lights were, grasped
his companion by the arm, exclaiming
excitedly: "Look! Look quick, captain!
There are three persons on the ground
where the old blockhouse was burned
down. How queer they look. You can
almost see through them. I move we
get away from here; it makes my flesh
creep" Captain Ross, who had most
profound contempt for the superstitions
most Of the sailors are imbued with,
looked long and earnestly at the group
before he spoke. At first he thought per-
haps some hot headed feud was being
settled with firearms at an hour of the
night when they could best elude the
vigilance of the authorities; but, no!
The figures which could be distinctly
seen through the mist We're unlike the
people of the present day. The military
man, standing with head erect and one
hand extended as if issuing command,
looked wonderfully like the old por-
traits of General Wayne. Standing be-
fore him, with folded arms, was
young man i'll the dress of lieutenant.
His face expressed defiance and despair.
kneellng before the general was a slight
girlish figure, with clasped hands raised
i'll supplication to the stern man whose
face looked hard and merciless in the
blue ghastly light which made the
scene SO weird that the captain as well
as his young friend began to have
weak feeling about the knees as they
gazed spellbound through the mist at
the uncanny pantomine. The woman,
who seemingly had pleaded in vain,
suddenly springing to her feet, threw
her arms around the young lieutenant,
and i'll that instant all three figures dis
appeared. No vestige of the scene enact
ed remained although the yachtsmen,
Stralning their eyes to trace shadow
of what they had seen, could distinctly
see the ground upon which the CHASTITY
trio had stood.
A moment later the moon, bursting
through cloud shone clear and cold,
showing the bleak spot where Mad An
fh0nx- Narna
"Who on earth were they, captain?"
again asked the younger man with
glance at the bluff they were fast leav-
ing behind as their sail, answering to a
stiff breeze, carried them toward the
lower piers. 81 do not know, Bert"
replied the captain with short laugh,
trying to conceal the nervous feeling he
could not shake off. Il doubt whether
it was any one ON EARTH If the old
story told by some of the sailors be true
about the bluff being haunted by the
spirits of Mad Anthony Wayne and
the young lieutenant he had shot as a
deserter, imagine We have seen the
spooks tonight. l have never believed
i'll ghosts, but this beats me. 1t is a
trlf1e too supernatural to suit my taste.
81 will tell you the story of General
Wayne and his favorite lieutenant as it
was told to me by an old resident of
Erie, who moved there from Pittsburg
at the time Anthony Wayne died and
was personally acquainted with the
facts.
'We all know from history that Gen
eral Wayne was one of the bravest and
most daring soldiers of the Revolution,
and as an Indian fighter had scarce his
equal. He did not know the meaning
OF the word fear, and as IA disciplinarian
he was terror to all who We're under
him. Among the young officers on his
staff the one he liked best was fair
haired youth of "a years, to whom he
had given leave of absence to visit his
bride, to whom he had been married
but Il few days when he received march
ing orders.
He was great favorite with General
Wayne, who sent him away buoyantly
happy with the permission to remain 4S
hours with the object of his affection.
AT the expiration of that time he was
to report promptly for duty. He started
ON his short journey with hearty good
wishes and congratulations of the other
less favored officers, who although they
might envy him, did not grudge him
the 4S hours freedom from duty, nor
the happiness before him. 1t seemed a
long time, but, alas, how short it was!
1.-The br1se, a dainty little woman un-
used to discipline of any kind, with
loving imperiousness so bewitched tho
heart and brain of the young husband
that the hours flew Oh uncounted and the
generals command to return in 4S hours
was unheeded-was actually forgotten
until four hours over the allotted time.
They had passed before the lieutenant
realized he had disobeyed orders, and
he was about to return and sue for par
don, trusting to his good standing with
the general to influence his granting it.
1t was hope that showed how little he
knew Anthony Wayne. There was not
upon record time when mercy was