The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-06-26
CONTINUED from Last week.)

CONTINUED from Last Week.)
IN this manner 1t continued to pass
and repass, while remained as if glued
to the spot on which sat. Though the
fire was burning now very low, I either
forgot to feed it or did not offer to stir
through my apprehensions and fear of
attracting the phantom in my direction,
I forget now which. So low did the
fire fall that at length with difficulty
sould distinguish the moving shape as
1t passed and repassed. One of my seals
crept up to mo and uttered one of its
cheerfulest and friendliest cries.
The noise made by this poor animal,
utterly unconscious apparently of any
dread presence in the cavern, recalled
me to myself. I laid little fresh drift
wood on the fire, and when the blaze
shot up saw clearly once more the appa-
rition moving from the entrance to-
ward the interior-from my right hand
to my lett. l waited for its return,
but it did not return. I looked at my
watch. 1t was little after quar-
ter to 5 a. m. When the ghost had
commenced to walk, did not know,
save that it was somewhere about mid
night. remained awake for hours aft
er this and at last fell into broken
slumber, haunted by disagreeable i'm
ages, SO that I was pleased to be again
awake. Next night when the hands of
my watch approached the midnight
hour sat up observant, though alarm
ed and trembling. Of course appre-
hended that this dread elder tenant of
the cavern, in spite of his past lnnocu-
GUS behavior, would at some time chal-
lenge my right to be there or in one
way or another attack me. Now,
though l don't wish to boast of my cour-
age, and indeed I believe it is no proof
of chicken heart to be afraid of
ghost, yet, having had many hours to
reflect over this singular phenomenon, l
was determined, come what might, to
resist it, at least not to permit this
man, for indeed man he seemed, to
brighten me out Of my senses and then
destroy mo at his leisure. I knew that
ghosts, if any such existed. were insub-
stantial, not to be injured by weapons
and presenting no purchase even to the
bravest hands, yet it never occurred to
me that this ghost could have been of
chat insubstantial nature. Though he
made no sound whatsoever beyond what
presently recognized to be the mere
Pigment of my imagination, creating
for the phantom football whenever its
foot seemed to touch the hard ground,
yet otherwise it seemed perfectly sub
stantial, a solid mass of apparently hui
man flesh. It quite concealed the face
Of the rock as it passed by, obliterating
in its passage the illuminated points
and projections there, which instantly
shone out again after it had gone by.
More than that, I remembered having
distinctly seen its shadow. I DON t say
that these reasonings passed through my
mind then, and only refer to them now
to Justify the conviction which enter
tanned that this being was not a ghost
in the ordinary sense of the word, but
substantial thing that might lay hold
on me and drag me by the hair through
the cavern, perhaps to its den. Ineve1
doubted that it was thing which could
hold me, and also upon which I might
lay hold, and with which I might
struggle, and possibly, God helping
me, overcome. Indeed did not forget
my prayers while firmly resolving in
my own mind not to be destroyed with
out struggle. I prayed necessarily,
and, though I felt greater calm, self
control and even strength as the result
of my prayers, did not observe that the
use of the sacred names exercised the
least influence on the apparition. It is
true indeed that my murmuring of
those holy names was quite inaudible.
I felt that to stand up and in the name
Of Jesus Christ bid the specter go would
be an act of war, SO to speak, and that
as long as it should leave me alone and
not come nearer it would be more pru-
dent not to proceed to such extremities.
This was no doubt weak, but allow
ances must be made for my very help
less condition, immured here, far from
men, in this tomb, with fellow tenant
of that horrible character. So far the
ghost had not interfered with me. On
this the third appearance of the specter
its shape, outline and the interior lines
and colors We're completely and distinct.
~ visible. saw now pass before me,
with long, steady and even stride, not
indeed the tallest man have ever seen,
but among the tallest. I have never
seen nor ever cared to see one Of those
unfortunate human beings who are
hawked about the world as spectacle
and show on account Of their prodi.
gious size. The man who now almost
exactly at 10 o'clock began to pass and
repass, few yards away from me, wac
as tall as one of the taller of the Dub
lin policemen, Of proportions CORE.
spending with his height and indeed
very finely formed. The something
which had formerly noticed as glitter
ing upon his breast I now saw to be
round wheel, seemingly of gold, but
why the man wore wheel on his breast
! could not at first understand. After
he had passed and repassed few times
I discovered that it was brooch.
could see the two ends of the pin of this
brooch. one knobbed on the mans right
shoulder and the other pointed on his
left. They went straight across his chest,
of course piercing the mantle and keep.
ing it close to his figure at this point.
His head was quite bare. His hair, yell
lowish or rather sandy, neither lustrous
nor curling, fell on his shoulders. His
beard and mustache, the beard espe-
cially, were not exactly red, but more
Inclined to red than the hair of his