Year: 1874

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Explained


In a famous haunted house on the
road between Yellow syringe and Xenis
superstitious exhibitions we're specially
noted. The people throughout that region
hesilated to speak about the place, and
its peeuliarities were mentioned in whis:
pers. Hence my curiosity was aroused,
and after preparing myself to resist any
danger that might occur from the pres
ence of desperate characters, l proceed
ed to the place and provided an excel
lent point for viewing the premises. 1t
would have been a tedious business to
wait until midnight, the time when
ghosts are said to appear.


But | did not have to wait 30 long.
About eleven o'clock warm stream of
air blew up from the south over the creek
and quarter of mile or more of rich
warm bottom land. AS the vapor struck
thy hillside it condensed, and small fly
ing balloons of mist flew hither and
thither. The warm air fingered over and
fermented an old pile of compost, decay
ing straw, and a few old boards that
we're lying about.


Then there arose a vaporous, luminous
body. which, with its base on the ground,
and conical or round, fiery, cloud-like
head in the air took the head of woman.


Crimson and livid blood like spots and
streaks we're about her neck and scatter
ed over her dress. She waved her hands,
and her hair foated about in clouds of
light, while her eyes glistened like cold
moon. Rising slowly from her hideous
bed, the spectre moved about, as if the
wind toyed with her and she cared not
whittier she was taken. At last she
moved as if to visit me 10 my retreat;
then turning corner of the stable, she
nearly disappeared, there being nothing
left visible but a long dirty, white trail.
In moment the phantom turned again,
and crept into the broken doorway,
stopping as she retired. Several min
utes elapsed, aud concluding that she
had collapsed or worn out her vaporous
strength, when she came through the
opening of the doorway and crevices be-
tween the logs Then, after walking or
floating about awhile, her light went out
and she became thinner and finally dis
appeared.


The shape of the apparition was such
that it was easy for an imaginative per-
son to see in the form a sad faced or
angry eyed, restless woman. Then how
easy to create legend filled with details
Of a mysterious murder, and make this
the unhappy victim, whose shadow must
haunt the place of her taking off until
her names are appeased in some legal
and effective manner But my evidence
makes this baseless fabric of vision the
mere result of the vaporous exhalations
of a compost pile. | had very fine
pair of field glasses, and could see clear
ly the effects produced by the stream of
air when it came In contact with the
compost The vapor began at that mo-
ment to arise, and this result would oc-
cur in all seasons. Then the luminous
jets and variagated colors sprang up
from the laboratory wherein Natures
chemistry was at work, and finally the
vaporous cloud, which really had not
any definite shape, was carried at the
caprice of the soft zephyr winds which
fitted about, and did not blow sufficient
ly strong to carry this heavier body out
of the regular draughts through the
openings of the dilapidated house.-Lip-
pincott's Magazine.