The Hypochondriac Gentleman And The Jack-ass
Scary Books: Apparitions; Or, The Mystery Of Ghosts, Hobgoblins, And Haunted HousesA sober gentleman of very great respectability, who was low-spirited and
hypochondriac to a degree, was at times so fanciful, that almost every
rustling noise he heard was taken for an apparition or hobgoblin.
It happened that he was abroad at a friend's house later than ordinary
one night; but, it being moon-light, and having a servant with him, he
seemed to be easy, and was observed to be cheerful, and even merry, w
a great deal more of good-humour than had been observed in him for some
time before.
He knew his way perfectly well, for it was within three miles of the
town where he lived, and he was very well mounted: but, though the moon
was up, an accident, which a little disordered him, was, that a very
thick black cloud appeared to him to come suddenly over his head, which
made it very dark; and, to add to his discomfort, it began to rain
violently.
Upon this he resolved to ride for it, having not above two miles to the
town; so, clapping spurs to his horse, he galloped away. His man (whose
name was Jervais), not being so well mounted, was a considerable way
behind. The darkness of the night, and the rain together, put him a
little out of humour, and made him ride rather harder than his usual
pace.
In his way home, there was a small river for him to pass; but there was
a good bridge over it, well walled on both sides, so that there was no
more danger than in any other place. The gentleman kept on at a good
pace, and was rather more than half over the bridge, when his horse
stopped all on a sudden, and would not go on. He saw nothing at first,
and was therefore not much discomposed at it, but spurred his horse to
go forward. The horse then went two or three steps; then stopped again,
snorted, and started; then attempted to turn short back. The gentleman,
in endeavouring to see what frightened the horse, saw two broad staring
eyes looking him full in the face.
He was now most heartily frightened; but, by this time, he heard his man
Jervais coming up. When he came near, the first thing he heard his
master say, was, "Bless me, it is the devil!" at which exclamation the
man was almost as much frightened as his master. However, the gentleman,
a little encouraged to hear his man so near him, pressed his horse once
more to go forward, and called aloud to his servant to follow; but
Jervais, being much frightened, made no haste. At length, with great
difficulty, he got over the bridge, and passed by the creature with the
broad staring eyes, which he positively affirmed was the devil.
Though Jervais was near enough, yet fearing his master would order him
to go before, he kept as far off as he possibly could. When his master
called, he answered, but proceeded very slowly, till he observed his
master had gone past; when, being obliged to follow, he went on very
softly till he came to the bridge, where he plainly saw what it was his
master's horse snorted at, which the reader will be made acquainted with
presently.
The gentleman, having now past the difficulty, galloped home as fast as
possible, and got into the house long before Jervais could get up with
him. As soon as he alighted, he swooned away, such an effect the fright
had on him; and with much difficulty they brought him to himself. When
he recovered, he told the family a formal story, that at such a bridge
he met with the devil, who was standing at the left-hand corner of the
wall, and stared him full in the face; and he so fully expatiated on
this subject, that all believed, at least, he had met with an
apparition.
Jervais soon after came home, and went directly to the stable to take
care of the horses; where he told his story in the following manner to
his fellow-servants: "Finding," says he, "that my master was in danger
of being thrown over the bridge, I fearlessly rode near him; when, to my
very great surprise, I found that my master's horse (which was young and
skittish) was frightened at an ass, which stood grazing near the corner
of the wall." "Are you sure it was an ass, Jervais?" asked the servants,
staring one at another, half frightened themselves. "Are you quite sure
of it?" "Yes," replied the man; "for, as soon as my master had got by, I
rode up to it; and, on discovering the cause of our fear, I thrashed it
with my stick, on which it fell a braying; and I rode home after my
master." "Why, Jervais," said the servants, "your master believes it was
the devil." "I am sorry," said the man, "my master should have been so
much deceived; but, really, it was nothing more nor less than an ass."
The story now got vent; and the first part of it flew all over the town,
that Mr. ---- (mentioning his name) had seen the devil, and was almost
frightened to death.
Shortly after, the man's tale was circulated, that Mr. ----'s strange
and wonderful apparition of the devil was nothing more than an ass;
which raised the laugh sufficiently against the master.
However, poor Jervais lost his place for gossiping; and his master
insists upon it to this day, that it was the devil, and that he knew him
by his broad eyes and cloven feet. Such is the power of imagination over
the weak and credulous!
More
-
The Dovecote
This is a department, in itself, not common among the farm buildings, in the United States; and for the reason, probably, that the domestic pigeon, or house-dove, is usually kept more for amusement than for profit—there being little actual profit abo... The Drummer Of Cortachy
What ancient Scottish or Irish family has not its Family Ghost? A banshee--the heritage of Niall of the Nine Hostages--is still the unenviable possession of his descendants, the O'Donnells, and I, who am a member of the clan, have both seen and he... The Drummer Of Tedworth
There have been drummers a plenty in all countries and all ages, but there surely has never been the equal of the drummer of Tedworth. His was the distinction to inspire terror the length and breadth of a kingdom, to set a nation by the ears--nay,... The Drunken Bucks And Chimney-sweep
On March the 19th, 1765, four bucks assembled at an inn in Grantham, to drink a glass, and play a game of cards. The glass circulating very briskly, before midnight they became so intoxicated, that not one of them was able to determine how the gam... The Dutiful Son
At the foot of the Oriental-Perfume-Mountain, in one of the most beautiful places of this celebrated district, the passers-by could see a small lodge. Chou The-favourable lived there with his mother. He was still young, being only thirty years old... The Dwarf Hunters
The heavy summer in the South is particularly hard to bear for those who are ill. The damp heat keeps them awake, and thousands of insects trouble their rest. Wang Little-third-one, stretched on his bed made of bamboo laths, where a low fever k... The Eight-mile Lock
It was in the August of 1889, when I was just arranging my annual holiday, that I received the following letter. I tore it open and read:— "Theodora House-boat, Goring. "Dear Mr. Bell,— "Can you come down on Wednesday and stay with u... The Fakenham Ghost
The lawns were dry in Euston Park; (Here truth inspires my tale) The lonely footpath, still and dark, Led over hill and dale. Benighted was an ancient dame, And fearful haste she made To gain the vale of Fake... The Fault And Its Consequences
When Dawning-colour was on the point of dying, he called his mother to him. "Mother," he said, "I am going to die. I do not wish White-orchid, my young wife, to feel herself bound to keep the widowhood. When her mourning will be finished, she w... The Female Fanatic And Heavenly Visitor
The following curious affair happened a few years since at Paris, and is well attested by a gentleman of the greatest respectability. A widow-lady, aged about sixty-two, who lodged in a two-pair-of-stairs floor, in the Rue de la Ferronnerie, wit... The Female Sprites
In September 1764, the following extraordinary incident happened in the family of a clergyman then living in Bartholomew Close. The gentleman and his wife returning home about eleven o'clock from a friend's house, where they had been to spend th... The Floating Head Of The Benrachett Inn Near The Perth Road Dundee
Some years ago, when I was engaged in collecting cases for a book I contemplated publishing, on Haunted Houses in England and Wales, I was introduced to an Irish clergyman, whose name I have forgotten, and whom I have never met since. Had the inci... The Floating Wonder Or Female Spectre
The bridge over the river Usk, near Caerleon, in Wales, is formed of wood, and very curiously constructed, the tide rising occasionally to the almost incredible height of fifty or sixty feet. The boards which compose the flooring of this bridge be... The Four-fifteen Express
AMELIA B. EDWARDS The events which I am about to relate took place between nine and ten years ago. Sebastopol had fallen in the early spring, the peace of Paris had been concluded since March, our commercial relations with the Russian Empire we... The Fresco
In the Great Highway of Eternal Fixity, Mong Flowing-spring and his friend Choo Little-lotus were slowly walking, clothed in the long light green dress of the students. They had both just passed with success their third literary examination, an... The Frightened Carrier
In October 1813, a little before midnight, as one of the carriers between Nottingham and Loughborough, was passing near the village of Rempstone, he was extremely surprised at meeting what he thought was a funeral procession, marching in a most so... The Ghost In Love
On the 15th day of the First Moon, in the second year of the period of "Renewed Principles," the streets of the town of the Eastern Lake were thronged with people who were strolling about. At the setting of the sun every shop was brightly lit up... The Ghost Of Miser Brimpson
BY EDEN PHILLPOTTS I Penniless and proud he was; and that pair don't draw a man to pleasant places when they be in double harness. There's only one thing can stop 'em if they take the bit between their teeth, and that's a woman. So there, you ... The Ghost Of The Hindoo Child Or The Hauntings Of The White Dove Hotel Near St Swithin's Street Aberdeen
In the course of many years' investigation of haunted houses, I have naturally come in contact with numerous people who have had first-hand experiences with the Occult. Nurse Mackenzie is one of these people. I met her for the first time last year... The Ghost On Ship-board
A gentleman of high respectability in the navy relates the following story. "When on a voyage to New York, we had not been four days at sea, before an occurrence of a very singular nature broke in upon our quiet. It was a ghost! One night, when... The Ghost Seen By Lord Brougham
It is comparatively easy, when seated before a roaring fire in a well-lighted room, to sneer ghosts out of existence, and roundly affirm that they are without exception the fanciful products of a heated imagination. But the matter takes on a very ... The Ghost That Got The Button
BY WILL ADAMS One autumn evening, when the days were shortening and the darkness fell early on Hotchkiss and the frost was beginning to adorn with its fine glistening lace the carbine barrels of the night sentries as they walked post, Sergeants... The Ghost-extinguisher
BY GELETT BURGESS My attention was first called to the possibility of manufacturing a practicable ghost-extinguisher by a real-estate agent in San Francisco. "There's one thing," he said, "that affects city property here in a curious way. You... The Ghost-ship
BY RICHARD MIDDLETON Fairfield is a little village lying near the Portsmouth Road, about halfway between London and the sea. Strangers, who now and then find it by accident, call it a pretty, old-fashioned place; we who live in it and call it h... The Ghostly Adventurer
About thirty years ago, some labouring mechanics met one Saturday evening, after receiving their wages, at a public-house, near Rippon, in Yorkshire, for the purpose of enjoying themselves convivially, after the cares and fatigues of the week. The... The Grey Piper And The Heavy Coach Of Donaldgowerie House Perth
Donaldgowerie House, until comparatively recent times, stood on the outskirts of Perth. It was a long, low, rambling old place, dating back to the beginning of the seventeenth century. At the time of the narrative it was in the possession of a Mr.... The Hammersmith Ghost
In the year 1804, the inhabitants of Hammersmith were much alarmed by a nocturnal appearance; which, for a considerable time, eluded detection or discovery. In the course of this unfortunate affair, two innocent persons met with an untimely death;... The Haunted Ale-house
'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,' so Donald Macgregor muttered to himself as he strode cautiously down the water of Coquet, halting at the many crooks of that wayward water to spy out the land as he went forward. He had already good... The Haunted Beach Or Power Of Conscience On A Murderer
BY MRS. ROBINSON. Upon a lonely desert beach, Where the white foam was scatter'd, A little shed uprear'd its head, Though lofty barks were shatter'd. The sea-weeds gath'ring near the door, A sombre path displ... The Haunted Bed-room
A young gentleman, going down from London to the west of England, to the house of a very worthy gentleman, to whom he had the honour to be related; it happened, that the gentleman's house was at that time full, by season of a kinswoman's wedding, ... The Haunted Castle
The castle of Ardivillers, near Breteuil, was reported to be haunted by evil spirits. Dreadful noises were heard; and flames were seen, by night, to issue from various apertures. The farmer who was entrusted with the care of the house, in the abse... The Haunted Photograph
BY RUTH McENERY STUART To the ordinary observer it was just a common photograph of a cheap summer hotel. It hung sumptuously framed in plush, over the Widow Morris's mantel, the one resplendent note in an otherwise modest home, in a characteris... The Haunting Of The Wesleys
The Rev. Samuel Wesley is chiefly known to posterity as the father of the famous John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, and of the hardly less famous Charles Wesley. But the Rev. Samuel has further claims to remembrance. If he gave to the world Jo... The Hauntings Of ---- House In The Neighbourhood Of The Great Western Road Aberdeen
The following experience of a haunting is that of Mr. Scarfe, who told it me some few summers ago, expressing at the same time great eagerness to accompany me on some of my investigations. I append it as nearly as possible in his own words:-- ... The Heroic Midshipman Or Church-yard Encounter
At a respectable inn, in a market-town, in the west of England, some few years since, a regular set of the inhabitants met every evening to smoke their pipes, and pass a convivial hour. The conversation, as is usual at those places, was generally ... The House And The Brain
LORD EDWARD BULWER-LYTTON A friend of mine, who is a man of letters and a philosopher, said to me one day, as if between jest and earnest: "Fancy! since we last met, I have discovered a haunted house in the midst of London." "Really haunted?-... The Hypochondriac Gentleman And The Jack-ass
A sober gentleman of very great respectability, who was low-spirited and hypochondriac to a degree, was at times so fanciful, that almost every rustling noise he heard was taken for an apparition or hobgoblin. It happened that he was abroad at a... The Ideot's Funeral
The following extraordinary affair happened about ten years since, at a village in the north of England. About midnight, the minister of the parish was not a little alarmed at hearing the church bell tolling. He immediately dispatched one of his... The Inextinguishable Candle Of The Old White House
There was once a house, known as The Old White House, that used to stand by the side of the road, close to where you say the horse first took fright. Some people of the name of Holkitt, relations of dear old Sir Arthur Holkitt, and great friends of ... The Innocent Devil Or Agreeable Disappointment
The following story is extracted from a letter I received, some time since, from a friend, on the subject of apparitions. "Returning, one evening in the summer, to my apartments, at a short distance from town, I was invited by my landlady, a bri... The Lady And The Ghost
BY ROSE CECIL O'NEILL It was some moments before the Lady became rationally convinced that there was something occurring in the corner of the room, and then the actual nature of the thing was still far from clear. "To put it as mildly as poss... The Lady Of The Black Tower
BY MRS. ROBINSON. "Watch no more the twinkling stars; Watch no more the chalky bourne; Lady, from the holy wars Never will thy love return! Cease to watch, and cease to mourn; Thy lover never will retur... The Last Ghost In Harmony
BY NELSON LLOYD From his perch on the blacksmith's anvil he spoke between the puffs of his post-prandial pipe. The fire in the forge was out and the day was going slowly, through the open door of the shop and the narrow windows, westward to the... The Laughing Ghost
Siu Long-mountain was one of the most celebrated students of the district of Perfect-flowers. Having mastered the mysterious theories of the ancient Classics, he took a fancy in the researches of the Taoist magicians, whose temples may be found in... The Leaden Ring
"It is not possible, Julia. I cannot conceive how the idea of attending the county ball can have entered your head after what has happened. Poor young Hattersley's dreadful death suffices to stop that." "But, aunt, Mr. Hattersley is no relation ... The Lord Warden's Tomb
My companion had surprised me by a sudden change of demeanour, for which I could not account, and I was watching him out of the tail of my eye from behind a pillar in the nave of the church which we were exploring. We had just been viewing the rec... The Lunatic Apparition
The celebrated historian De Thou had a very singular adventure at Saumer, in the year 1598. One night, having retired to rest, very much fatigued, while he was enjoying a sound sleep, he felt a very extraordinary weight upon his feet, which, havin... The Maniac Or Fatal Effects Of Wanton Mischief
Some years ago, a very intelligent, handsome, and promising youth, whose names is Henry Pargeter Lewis, the son of a respectable attorney, in the town of Dudley, was placed for a probationary time, previously to an intended apprenticeship, with a ... The Marble Arch
When the troubles began to break out in Hankow, many families were alarmed. Those who were not ignorant of the powerful organisation of the revolutionists left the town as soon as possible, anticipating that it would soon be plundered and burnt. ... The Merewigs
During the time that I lived in Essex, I had the pleasure of knowing Major Donelly, retired on half-pay, who had spent many years in India; he was a man of great powers of observation, and possessed an inexhaustible fund of information of the most... The Milkman And Church-yard Ghost
A man much addicted to the heinous sin of drunkenness, in coming home late one winter's night, had to cross Stepney church-yard; where, close to the foot path, a deep grave had been opened the day before. He, being very drunk, staggered into the g... The Mother Of Pansies
Anna Voss, of Siebenstein, was the prettiest girl in her village. Never was she absent from a fair or a dance. No one ever saw her abroad anything but merry. If she had her fits of bad temper, she kept them for her mother, in the secrecy of the ho... The Mummy's Foot
BY THEOPHILE GAUTIER I had sauntered idly into the shop of one of those dealers in old curiosities--"bric-a-brac" as they say in that Parisian argot, so absolutely unintelligible elsewhere in France. You have no doubt often glanced through the ... The Muniment Room
My uncle had succeeded late in life to the family estate in the north of England, which was situated on the wild moorland of north-west Yorkshire. With him the entail would end, and though it was known that the estate had been much impoverished... The Mysterious Island
In the beautiful Chu-san archipelago there is a small island where the flowers never cease blooming, and where the trees grow thick and high. From the most remote antiquity nobody has been known to live in the shade of this virgin forest; the fern... The Mysterious Mr Home
"So you've brought the devil to my house, have you?" "No, no, aunty, no! It's not my fault." With an angry gesture the woman, tall, large boned, harsh visaged, pushed back her chair and advanced threateningly toward the pale, anemic looking y... The Mysterious Sketch
ERCKMANN-CHATRIAN I Opposite the chapel of Saint Sebalt in Nuremberg, at the corner of Trabaus Street, there stands a little tavern, tall and narrow, with a toothed gable and dusty windows, whose roof is surmounted by a plaster Virgin. It wa... The Mystery Of The Circular Chamber
One day in late September I received the following letter from my lawyer:— "My Dear Bell,— "I shall esteem it a favour if you can make it convenient to call upon me at ten o'clock to-morrow morning on a matter of extreme privacy." At the a... The Mystery Of The Felwyn Tunnel
I was making experiments of some interest at South Kensington, and hoped that I had perfected a small but not unimportant discovery, when, on returning home one evening in late October in the year 1893, I found a visiting card on my table. On it were i... The Nocturnal Disturbers
The following authentic story is related by Dr. Plot, in his Natural History of Oxfordshire. Soon after the murder of King Charles the First, a commission was appointed to survey the King's house at Woodstock, with the manor, park, woods, and o... The Open Door
MRS. MARGARET OLIPHANT I took the house of Brentwood on my return from India in 18--, for the temporary accommodation of my family, until I could find a permanent home for them. It had many advantages which made it peculiarly appropriate. It wa... The Patch Of Lamb's Skin
In the twenty-fourth year K'ang-hsi lived in a remote district of the western provinces, a man who could remember his former lives. He was now a "tsin-shi," "entered-among-the-learned," renowned, and much considered by his friends. When speakin... The Phantom Regiment Of Killiecrankie
Many are the stories that have from time to time been circulated with regard to the haunting of the Pass of Killiecrankie by phantom soldiers, but I do not think there is any stranger story than that related to me, some years ago, by a lady who de... The Philosopher Gassendi And The Haunted Bed-room
In one of the letters of this celebrated philosopher, he says, that he was consulted by his friend and patron the Count d'Alais, governor of Provence, on a phenomenon that haunted his bed-chamber while he was at Marseilles on some business relativ... The Princess Nelumbo
Gleam-of-day was sleeping; his round face and high forehead denoted the scholar's right intelligence. All of a sudden he saw a man standing before his bed who appeared to be waiting. "What is it?" inquired the sleeper, getting up. "The pri... The Prior Of Tynemouth
Prior Olaf stood on the central merlon of the gate tower that protected the little cell of Tynemouth from assault on the landward side, and gazed intently over the sea below him to the eastward haze wherein he feared to descry the red-brown sails ... The Prussian Dominoor Fatal Effects Of Jealousy
An officer of rank in the service of the late King of Prussia, having lost an amiable wife whom he tenderly loved, became quite inconsolable. Deeply wounded with his affliction, his mind was so absorbed in melancholy, that the transient pleasures ... The Red-haired Girl
A WIFE'S STORY In 1876 we took a house in one of the best streets and parts of B----. I do not give the name of the street or the number of the house, because the circumstances that occurred in that place were such as to make people nervous, an... The Residence At Whitminster
Dr. Ashton--Thomas Ashton, Doctor of Divinity--sat in his study, habited in a dressing-gown, and with a silk cap on his shaven head--his wig being for the time taken off and placed on its block on a side table. He was a man of some fifty-five year... The Rival Ghosts
BY BRANDER MATTHEWS The good ship sped on her way across the calm Atlantic. It was an outward passage, according to the little charts which the company had charily distributed, but most of the passengers were homeward bound, after a summer of res... The River Of Sorrows
Along the path leading to the city of All-virtues, in the obscure night, a poor coolie, grumbling under a heavy load of salt, was trudging on as fast as he could. "I shall never get there before the hour of the Rat, and my wife will say again; ... The Roll-call Of The Reef
A. T. QUILLER-COUCH "Yes, sir," said my host, the quarryman, reaching down the relics from their hook in the wall over the chimneypiece; "they've hung there all my time, and most of my father's. The women won't touch 'em; they're afraid of the ...