Coffin Hollow and Other Ghost Tales Read Online Free PDF

when the soldier went out on guard duty, a mysterious thing happened. The rest of the men were awakened by the fierce growls of a dog and the screams of their comrade out on guard duty. Terrified by these horrible screams of agony, they gathered around the campfire. Finally the screams halted, and something was heard crashing through the bushes.
    After a few minutes the soldier who had been on guard duty came into the light of the campfire with his clothes torn to shreds, but not a scratch on his body. When the men asked him what had happened, he could not speak a word, but just stared off into the darkness of the night. Finally, on the third night, the soldier died from fright. The very minute of his death the cries of the dog ceased and were heard no more.

    9: The Barn Ghost
    Many, many years ago an old farmer was preparing to start to town to buy his supplies for the month. It was not unusual for farmers to go to town once a month to buy supplies for themselves and their families. This day, however, was to be unusual. The farmer, whom we shall call Jed Smith although his first name is not definitely known, was to have a strange experience.
    Jed left home at about seven o’clock that morning in order to get into town before the stores opened. It was about five miles and would take every bit of the time to travel the old rugged road with his large wagon. After he had hitched up the horses and had gotten the lunch his wife had fixed for him to eat in town, he started on his day’s journey. This is the last clear account we have of old Jed Smith.
    When Jed didn’t return by dark, his wife was naturally worried. She couldn’t imagine what had happened to him. The closest neighbors lived three miles away, and Mrs. Smith decided not to try to walk to their house and ask if they had seen Jed, because their house wasn’t even close to the road.
    The next morning, when Jed still hadn’t returned, Mrs. Smith set out to find him. She finally learned that he and his team had fallen off the road and down a high cliff and had all been killed. She found it hard to believe that it was an accident, because her husband was a good driver and knew the road well. Maybe someone had forced him off the road on purpose.
    One day Mrs. Smith went to the barn and was startled to see her husband’s ghost. It must have been a ghost, because it told her that his murderer would be punished in the same way he had died. Then the image was gone.
    A few months later a stranger called at Mrs. Smith’s home and tried to buy her property. He said he had heard of her husband’s accident and knew it would be hard for her to keep up the farm. There was something in his voice which made him sound very anxious to obtain the place, but when Mrs. Smith refused, he left in a hurry.
    A few days later Mrs. Smith heard some more news. A neighbor stopped at her house and told her that a stranger had been killed at the very spot where her husband had died. The neighbor went on to say that he was an oil dealer and would do anything to get land he thought might have oil on it.
    That night Mrs. Smith put the whole story together. She now remembered her husband had told her that the last time he had gone to town a man had wanted to buy their land. He had told her that when he refused to sell it the man had said that he would get it one way or another. Her husband had remarked to her then that he would rather die than sell the land.
    Mrs. Smith wept quietly as she thought of her husband’s strong will and also of his death.

    10: The Miner’s Wife
    One night a miner became ill and left work early to go home. When he arrived, he walked straight to the bedroom to arouse his wife to fix something for his illness. As he entered the room he found his wife there with another man.
    The enraged miner grabbed the man and gave him a thorough beating. After throwing him out of the house, he returned to his wife for an explanation. An argument