Year: 1869

The Sturg Teller.


A GENUINE GHOST STORY.


Some years ago was laid up several weeks with
lame leg, in an obscure village in North Wales.
It was the dullest of places, and should nearly
have died Of enni were it not, being familiar with
the language, I was able to get acquainted with
the people and study their household habits and
household lore.


Many were the strange tales they told as we sat
around the cheerful peat-6re in the long autumn
eyeuings-tales Of fairies and gobGns; Of spirits
and demons; Of corpse candles and wraiths; OF
witchcraft and glamor of the evil eye. Most OF
these made little impression beyond the moment,
but the following, partly because the man who tod
it was intelligent beyond his station, partly because
it seemed to illustrate characteristic feature OF
Welsh superstition interested me 30 much that
the outline, and, with some exceptions, the exact
words, became firmly fixed in my memory. Ii
Robert Pritchard, this was the story-telers name,
still walks in the flesh, and should chance to see
these pages, he viii do me the justice to bear wit
ness that have faithfully reported him.


You don't believe in ghosts? lido. When you
have heard my story you shall Judge whether my
belief is well founded.


You know Welshmen are superstitlous. Ihe
belief in supernatural apparitions is sacredly en-
shrined every glen, and mountain defle, and RUIN
has its familiar sprite There is not town OF
hamlet-there is hardly farm house or cottage,


from the Dee to the Severn, but boasts its b,ogan.
To deny that the spirits Of dead men walk the
earth at night, is accounted the raukest heresy.
Yet was an unbeliever. I would argue by the
hours against the possibility Of such thing as
visitation from the other world. And it was not
mere brsvado. / can truly say that feared neith-
er man nor devil. Many anG many time have
nut NV hardihood to the test by visiting haunted
plaoes in the dead Of night, sometimes simply to
show my more timorous companions how superior
was to the eoramon iufrmities of mankind. !
spent one whole night lying in wait for the famous
demon, Cadsr Idris, on the very track OF his COB.
lin rounds. Another time slept in an old ruined
mill, where the spirit of the murdered Rolin Cock
held nightly revel A few weeks later, made
bet that would pass the small hours in the So
ciety of the terrible Bwgan Uchy Mypydd-a ghost
whose unearthly shrieks were wont, on stated
nights to disturb the sleep Of the good people tor
miles around-and won. Finally to cap the climax
of my audacity, I went out one wild night tomeet
the spectral smuggler of Maen Melit, who, accord
ing to universal report, was accustomed to ply his
old trade-anchor his shadowy craft in the cove
and land his shadowy cargo. Yet, nor ghost mol
goblin came near me.


But wss destined to have a far different
terrible experience. An old man named Hu Hlr'
wan was found murdered in his cabin one morning.
BE was strange creature-half savage, half idiot,
who lived alone, his only companion an enormous
ir[favored black cat He had the appearance ol
the most abject poverty, yet it was generally be-
lieyed that he possessed considerable money con-
cealed somewhere about the premises. The more
ignorant of his neighbors insisted that he had
dealings with the Evil One, and some went even
so tar as to affirm that he came to his death by nc
mortal hand. A belated peasant, going home from
the village tavern after more than usually heavy
orgie, declared that as he passed the hut he saw
tie old man struggling with his Satanic majesty,
in the shape of gigantic black cat; and as the
cat, his only companion, was seen no more after
the murder, the story gained considerable credence.
The authorities, however, took somewhat differ
ent view of the case. An examination Of the
body revealed an ugly wound on the side OF the
head, as if inflicted with bludgeon Suspicion
rested on worthless fellow, named Dick Wlrlon,
dick the foolish) who was seen prowiing about
the place on the evening of the tragedy He was
arrested, brought, according to the custom OF the
country, to the presence of the murdered man,
and made to stand over it Accordingto the time
honored test if the prisoner is innocent the defunct
'makes no sign" if guilty the wound opens and
squirt of blood flies on the person. Poor Dick
was hit square in the face with thin stream OF
gore, fell to the floor in fit and was carried back
to prison. A bloody club was found back of his
cabin, several sovereigns were taken from his pock
ct, which, added to the accusation of the corpse,
seemed to make the case against him clear as day
In those times-this, you must know, sir, hap
pened forty years ago-it did not take long to prove
a man fit for the gallows. Dick was tried, convict
ed snd sentenced at single sitting of the court
and a week later was comfortably and quietly
hanged.


Hardly was the poor devil under the groune
when strange stories began to bewhispered aroune
the peasant firesdes 1t was said the cabin of the
murdered hermit was haunted Unearthly noises
were heard inthe dead of night; sounds as ofmer
struggling in mortal conflict; shrieks and groant
such as never came from human lips; cries to-
help and peals Of demoniac laughter were testified
to by reputable witnesses. A fisherman swore be-
fore committee of investigation that, passing by
one night, he saw the spirit Of the old man stand
ing by the garden fall, the ehastly wound on the
side of the head bleeding freely, the hollow eyes
plaring wildly at him. A cattle drover deposed
before the same committee that, going home from
the market-town, shortly after midnight, he saw
near the scene of the murder, strange lights dane
ing, and heard distinctly the noise as OF heavy
chain dragged over pile of stones. Ayoung maj
who had been visiting his sweetheart, testified tha
while passing the place he heard his name callee
three times, and looking toward the hut saw Il
lighted up and the murdered Hu beckonlng hin
to come in. -,


The ghost became the absorbing theme Of th'
town. Nothing else was thought or talked OF: i
was made the subject of special meeting OF th'