PHOTOGRAPHED A GHOST A.n Actor's Adventure While on a Ranch in Australia. Ha Took Refuge In a Deserted Chore* and Met a Htrange Creature Whom Everybody Considered an Uncanny Spirit. Actor* necessarily travel a great deal find neio much more of the world than ordinary people. Some of them have strange experiences, too. Herbert Spar ling, who IU one of the stars of John 11 Uoger*' comedians and who plays Capt. Courtney and Miss Brown in "The Strange Adventures of Miss Brown,** ran well claim to be a cosmopolitan. Some years ago in Australia Mr. Spar ling had an adventure which was con sidered out of the common order of things. He had purchuscd a sheep ranoh and lived for two or three years on the out skirts of ci\ ilization. lie is a very ex pert amateur photographer, and while ranching lie made many pictures of ranching !i*e which afterward attract d notable attention in England. While leading his pastoral life he oft en heard from his herders weird stories of a ghost which haunted a ruined fhnreh in a deserted village some miles "np the country** from his ranch. A number of tire herders claimed to have Keen the apparition, which was that of n ivomnn, and several of them declared that they had heard her scream in the most unearthly fashion. Mr. Rparling is a non-believer in spooks. In fact, he is of ratlier a scien tifio turn of mind, and is naturally skep tical about, the existence of uncanny -.hings. In his frequent rules about the oountry Mr. Rparling generally carried his "picture box,'* as his herders called his camera, with him, and he amused himself by "snapping" views of the country and Its animals, which he found jar• or interesting. While on one o' these rides he WHS overtaken by U heav\ thunder-storm. Happening to be )nly a mile or *o from the deserted illsge spoken of, he dug his spur* ir PERCHED ON TIIE PULPIT. his horse's side, and rode with all speed for IU shelter. The church scemo 1 10 offer the best protection, and not re membering or coring anything about Ihe stories of its being haunted, Mr. Sparling availed himself of it. ll hitched his horse In the vestibule, and then, feeling somewhat tired, lie la\ down In one of the pews. As he did so a wild laugh rang out loud and uncanny. A flash of lightning momentarily illumined the church, •ind perched on the pulpit was what ap peared to l>e a human figure. The horee whinnied with terror and Rparling, despite bis skepticism, wns fnr from being comfortal.le in his mind. Through t.he semi-darkness he coulo discern the uncouth figure waving it? srms. "Be it what it may," said, the aetor lAiichman-photogTapher, "I'll try and snap ik" His box was swinging by its strap upon his back. He had hardly ar ranged it and aimed it at the top of the pulpit when the lightning flashed long and bright. The figure was as plain as day. Sparling "pressed the but ton." Again did the wild thing laugh until Ihe church rafters reechoed itscachina tions. Then it spoke: "Flash, lightning! Hiss and sputter, and thunder roar. I care naught, for you. Once 1 feared ye. Yes, I cowered when 1 saw and heard ye. You robbed me of my love. Even when I was 011 my knees pray ing for safely, you struck down and murdered my lover, but you can't hurl me. No, I defy you. Strike me if you (411). You coward, to rob a poor wom en of her love and her all.** As if In response to this awful de fin nee the lightning again flashed so sudden and so vivid that Rparling was pot only blinded, but shocked into in sensibility. How long lie remained unconscious he enn't tell, but he was revived by the rnin falling on him. When oblq to re grn:vi his feet he found that the light ning had struck the church and had nearly destroyed it. The pulpit was a wreck, but cut of its ruins he dragged the body of a kn!f-clotlied woman. Iler defiance had l.ern answered. She was (lend, but on Ifr lips was a scornful smile. Mr. Sparling placed the body or: his horse. Ind as the storm had exhausted itself lie wns able to reach his home by mid t iglit. His herdsmen w*re much lightened when they found that he wns accompanied by a corpse. The oody was washed and prejxired for burial by one of the herders' wives snd then it was placed in a rude coffin. One of the herders recognized it as that of a lady who had been the wife of 1 rancher who, with his son, had been *jlled by lightning in a storm a few penrs before. The terrible blow hat' arjbo.lnnoerl Ihe mind of the woman *rrd shV'tuuf disappeared no one knew a here. Ir was she who was the "wild" soman who had so frequently seared the ranchmen and confirmed them iu Uieii belief Ui ffhusUs. - , SStflSSi . f Specialties tor uw Holidays! „r ~in Fancy Work and ! A J ||f/\V \?Wr hMIPV Worn sterliDg SilVfir Jewelry - .T? ROCHESTER LADIES' FINE SHOES 1 flliuj TTUiM Mrs. J. MATHERS. | SOLE AGEST /Zav Home-Made Grain and Kangaroo Calf Shoes. Rns pteMs.r , p.. , , |TI . ~ "VvwM brought to Freeiand. V // Mart 'in'Frilmnl "for mSST" 8 " Ir * * M 80T8 ' ruT3 AND OVtRS 0f All m,Tr AaD description. ®kVV # V r/ Than Ten Yean. T T HWIAT MAIN STREET, ft Toys In Abundance! MAMm I . I)] MERKTS™?™ I [j WM -1. KRirant; J I I I ' l 1* 1 xi • in (1 f 1 —* —m ■- Centre btrcet, Above Mam. f.l . .. , , II uj we are displaying this year, lwo GS | r " Leading Jeweler (Established hr 'J! \ \ 5E .i fll \ .°. ,11, . 1 ■■ / J . Everything imaginable for the children s stockings, and a great many If). EJ 1, \ P IlOOrs lull, contllllling the lntest unci Jjf things which will Interest the older people. For the little ones we have H Centre Street .... Above Main \\ handsomest products of the Toy- CO ft Toys and. Tree Ornaments mw nA , r w , , , 3 j \\ makei S art, i M of every kind all of them handsome and pleasing, many of them useful and 11 n6u.U(]lldri6riy lOF DidillOFlLid, 11 (ilCilGb. CIOCKS " | \\ ,_.. . _ // lasting. Frlces to suit the times. For young men we have M til I \\ The Largest Doll In Frccland // Pipes, Cigar Holders, Smoking Sets AKD JEWELRY OF ALL Kims. X\gituin"a> fret oimclmncc on ti > nmi elmse. and other tilings, which make pleasing holiday gifts. For the older people, -r~~ —' j y "■ ———j The largest and finest line of ' (| 1" ] i |i _ Watches, i Clocks, i Jewelry vMii GILLESPiE & CORBY | silveewaee || at Reasonable Prices jM - I i• n The choicest eatabie for 2 AT ' ™ j fffl j other°days. 8 Every" j ! nM. DlhfiDCitß i"| | Hardware Novelties suit- '(■ \ v A Great Stock of Skates, j a subschii'tioit to the j etc. I Steam Fitting, Tin Roofing I and Spouting. tj\ r C Wffiar |B I ties, that could bo turned Into appropriate holtUar | R PLUMBING A SPECIALTY. I f I •- A 11 PRICES ALWA,S EEMABLE ' i I | ;;* wa 7 x: [ . iSic ■ Tfc? :) ROCKERS - COUCHES K M ~\, 11ATS, CAPS, | In the Grand Rush of Gift-Giving j & ■ tUSa lla oUi \ i GLOVRS, Etc. Do not forgot the old folks or your married friends. Santa Glaus will f if „ V\\ Etegunt siik:; Handkerchiefs-Many Vnrio- w take good care of the children, while the duty devolves upon you to /ff General Store. *\ \ ties—suitubi, for Holiday Freaeuts. /I remember your parents and aged relatives. Make this a Happy New '// A \ ing them with a big soft Rocker or a modern Couch ""The/wfiibe f Numerous Bargains for the Holidays j j ( j 1 ■ ' V'l 1 pleased and will bless you. We are carrying an extra large stock this j I! u i n ci o tpi n g and Furniture. | /.O;/ *"• ■! (iwifiipm*.,,. i-nrrMUi. —— -j\ % FRESH GROCERIES OF ALL KINDS, (j ) ff WILLIAMSONVM nssrift, T ~™ J L/offers to holiday buyers a\ 1 I imaeuoieciinoof %v Birkbeck Street, J W choice selection of useful \ I corLfsctionery || suth Heberto.. ~S7 . W articles in Hardware. All \ M g i i a I and 3?rviits. l l sorts of presents for trades- . 1 I illll l)HCll S I -• A'..- ' men. A big stock of Fancy ,II I EepeaaUy for the Hobday. ji V^Wv' . v " •- .} ~" || Lamps, any one of which }| | . II |\\i will be sure to please your ..ill rBI p —— m\ married friends. Skates, ■Sfff I OVS l : i I Closing out entire stock f v y Pocket Knives, for the boys. MB - j |\/J I I |—| of Clothing, Gents' Fu r LINE OF STOVES, HEATERS AND MS I . Ss! S ' ' ioots jj V. \ GENERAL HARDWARE. /Mj ftlHl I 11 91 CENTPE STREET ?' Shoes. We are gO- § V\ MI ~ x MM-rrrX JJ 91 CENTRE STREET. ing OUt of business. A Washington and Front JmbMam great opportunity to buy gifts in Han kerchiefs, Gloves. streets. /"1 1 T tel'P-l Mufflers, etc. Everything sold below wholesale cost. I \x. | l " M Auction Sale Every Saturday Night. L. J I, . .. , ■ , -J^Jj
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers