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"Company G of the 8th regiment is troubled with a
ghost. Just who the ghost is, and why he should haunt the armory, is a
matter of speculation. It has been conjectured that it may be that it is a
specter of some of the departed officer's decapitated by Col. Pew. At any
rate the ghost is there, according to some; members of the company are ready
to declare on oath that they have seen him.
This ghost displays considerable temerity. Besides
the militia company, the police station and the police court are in the same
building, and it is thought the spook takes much risk of being sent up if
caught.
This ghost it is [professed] has been doing guard
duty for more than a month. He has been plainly seen by Duncan at and the
rear of the armory building, so veracious witnesses assert. He has been
observed [fluttering] from window to window of the armory by those on the
outside. In appearance he is said to be a white fellow, and he fades into
nothingness from the waist down; the regulation ghost.
He is quite musical. In the armory there is a
piano, which is always kept locked while not in use. But the specter
evidently has a key, for the company guardsmen say that one of the
diversions of the spook is to open the piano and furnish musical selections.
A few evenings ago some of the officers and men
were in one of the side rooms awaiting the arrival of Col. Pew, "Get ready
to salute the colonel!" said one of the officers as footsteps were heard,
followed by a loud knock on the door. The officer in question sprang up and
opened the door in order to admit his superior, and the men stood in line
ready to salute.
Imagine the surprise when no one appeared at the
door. The officer went into the corridor a distance, in order to ascertain
the cause of the noise. When he returned the men say he had a frightened
look, and his eyes were bulging from his head. He did not tell what he had
seen. Three of the officers determined to investigate the matter. So they
had themselves locked into the armory at night, and awaited the coming of
the spook. He came on time, and so frightened did the men become that they
burst the door in fright and fled from the building.
It is rumored that the company is trying to make
the ghost walk up at city hall, that is, they would like an appropriation
for a new armory.
A large crowd, attracted by the knowledge which
quickly spread that a watch was to be set for the ghost, gathered around the
armory tonight and made much noise and comment concerning the matter.
Promptly on time the figure of a man as described
was seen by every one of the watchers to go by the windows as [usual],
accompanied by a weird wind-rushing sound. All classes were represented in
the crowd, and all saw it. Many are convinced that they have actually seen a
ghost. No doubt it is some sort of physical phenomena, but just what cannot
be determined. Those who believe in the ghost yarn think it somewhat
singular that the spook should appear at just such a time, usually in the
evening.
In this respect, that of early hours and crowded
localities, this ghost is unlike the ordinary every day spook, he courts
publicity. As described by a cool eyewitness the ghost had the appearance of
a man in his shirt sleeves. First he appeared at one window, then at
another, returning to the same window. Then the crowd made a break for the
armory and the lights were lighted, but the ghost had disappeared. Here is a
fine drama for the society of psychical research, whose specialty is ghost
hunting. |
