The Democratic advocate., 1907-06-07
New Ghost Story Crop Offers Queer
Novelties

Ghost stories and hair raising tales of
queer dreams, mysterious rappings and
other things of that sort have been bobbing
up with great frequency of late. A few
months ago the Sun printed collection of
l5 or more Since then the ghost and
spook editor has collected 81 others. Some
are old stories in new dress, and Sd are
scarcely worth repeating. But others are
new, aud some of these are here set down.
The first comes from a little town in
faraway Wales, 40 miles from Cardiff. 1t
concerns ghost which haunts Welsh
man who was recently married. The trou-
bic began by the bridegroom finding him
self lying one morning in the middle of his
bedroom floor. Naturally enough, he put
this down to nightmare. The morning
after, however on awaking he found him
self at the other end of the room, and he
then became somewhat uneasy. His wife
on both occasions had slept peacefully.
The third night, however, both kept
awake, and their vigil was rewarded by
sight of their mysterious visitor, who ap-
peared shortly after the traditional hour OF
midnight. A trustworthy correspondent
ascertained from the victim that the spirit
took the form of his own mother, who is
still alive and we'll He says that his
mother opposed his marriage with the lady
of his choice very strong gly, and he thinks
that the nocturnal visits are acts of re-
venge.
In order to drive forth the unwelcome
intruder the victim persuaded several OF
his male friends to remain in his house one
night, but, although the ghost appeared
as usual to the young man, his wife and
his mother in law, the other watchers were
quite unable to discern the strange pres
ence.
The young man mother-in-law declares
that on one occasion she approached the
specter, who said quite distinctly, ''Well,
what do you want p She also says that
she temporarily lost the power of the right
side of her body at the meeting.
The victim declares that the spirit has
several times accompanied him part of the
way to nearby village, where he is en-,
gagged in business. His friends are greatly
perturbed by the frequent appearances OF
the specter and believe firmly in the vic
tim veracity. The vicar of the parish
and several others have visited the house
and tried in vain to elucidate the mystery.
Stephen Phillips, the distinguished Eng
lish poet and dramatist, figures in a host
story which is now engaging the English
courts. From the documents in the case
it appears that in 1908 Mr.. Phillips rented
a country house at Egham, near London.
Hardly was he settled in his new home
when all the members of the household
began to hear mysterious noises. The
poets young daughter told her father that
she had seen an ''uncanny little man
creeping about the house, Sinking down
the stairways, and through the halls, dodg
ing into rooms and closets as she ap
preached He appeared to the girl not
once but several times.
Mr.. Phillips himself never saw this ap
partition, but he had other evidences of a
mysterious being in the house One day
while he was sitting at his desk in the Ii
brary the door leading into the hallway
opened. There had been no noise what
ever, and when the door swung back or
its hinges the poet was greatly surprised
He called aloud, and, receiving no reply
rang. A servant came. Questioned abou
the matter, the servant declared that sh'
had been in another part Of the house TO
nearly half an hour and that, so far as sh
knew there was nobody else in the build
ing
Although unable to dismiss the curiou
occurrence from his mind, Mr.. Phillip
dipped his pen again and resumed writing
In less than half an hour the door opene'
again 1t happened that Mr.. Phillips ha
Just looked up from his desk and saw tn
door swing back. He walked to the doc
and examined it. Then he looked dow
the hallway There was no indication tina
there had been visitor.
The servant whom Mr. Phillips ha
called and questioned about the openin
| door told the other servants about it, an
that, with the story of the uncanny littl
man which Miss Phillips had told, decide
them to get out of the house as quickly a
possible. Mr.. Phil. IS demonstrated wit
them and begged them to stay, but the
refused. As a matter of fact, the poe
could not argue with them convincingly
because he himself shared their fears.
Since his departure from the house nc
body has been willing to rent it, and ii
owner has brought an action for damage
against the newspapers which made tn
story public.
1t appears that Mr.. Phillips really be
leves that his house was haunted.
At village bearing the queer name {
Lonesome, near London, England nois
ghost has been playing high jinks of late
The Lonesome specter haunts meado'
between large wood and what is know
as "the Deserted Village''-a number {
half finished villas that have stood empty
amid tangle of giant weeds and shrubs
for 20 years. A tortuous lane skirts tn
woods.
'T was passing through the lane abou
s O. clock one night" said a resident c
the neighborhood to a London reporter VIII
went down to Lonesome to investigate
"when l heard a cry like that of a woman
I peeped over the hedge and saw in th
middle of the field figure all in black wit
the exception of the arms and the left foot
which were pure white. l could not te
whether it was man or woman, bu
when the figure saw me it shouted loudly
used strange language and fell down in
heap as if exhausted. | crept toward 1t
but it rose to its feet and disappeared In
barn. 1t hit every obstacle that came i
its way with mighty crash. | had nc
.bo oour.oa to anter the barn alone. bu