Popular superstition in Wales.
To the Editor of the North Wales Chronicle.
[Ghost] number two is much more extraordinary, and requires a longer description. The occurrence took place some years ago near to Bettws y coed, and there are parties alive now who can vouch for the facts, as they were inmates of the ghost-haunted house. This ghost was a terribly mischievous fellow, and although he never fairly showed himself, he did a great deal of mischief.
He opened Bibles in broad daylight, and turned over the leaves like fun; he swept the pewter plates off the shelves, and impudently thumped the dresser, and that to in the sight and in the presence of the whole household. He pulled a journeyman tailor, who chanced to be working there, and who stopped all night, clean out of bed, and threw both him and the bed right on the floor!! Another night he paid a visit to the servant man in bed; and on the exasperated man calling him a coward for never shewing his face, although he did so much mischief, he went up to him and gave him such a hugging about the thighs, that the poor fellow could hardly move for a fortnight afterwards.
Sometimes he would get inside the clock and growl and snarl like a dog, and play other pranks of that kind. The inmates got used to him at last, and laughed at his ghostly tricks; but as he seemed to have taken his permanent abode in the family without leave, they determined to eject him, and on a well-known vicar being applied to to exorcise him, he duly came and succeeded in “laying the spirit,” or at least of turning him out of doors, so that he never troubled them again.
You will be pleased to bear in mind, Sir, that these facts can be spoken to by living witnesses, whom I could name at a pinch, and so therefore there can be no doubt about it!
[…] I had written thus far, when the old lady, my landlady came into the room, and I asked her whether there was not a ghost or something of that sort in the village, as there was one, I believed, in nearly every village in Wales. She said she did not know much about ghosts, nor did they ever trouble her; but there was some talk about one, now at the present time. Oh! indeed, will you please to tell me something about it? To be sure she would, and this was it:-
Some five or six weeks ago, Mr So-and-so died (I must drop the name again), and his ghost is said to walk of a night and to work to, it would seem. He was a carpenter; and every night there is heard a noise in the workshop, as if some one was sawing and hammering away like fury, but when people go there to see who is so busy, they can find no one. Now, this must be very tantalizing; but no one doubts for a moment that it is the deceased carpenter’s ghost – for who, or what else can it be?
[…]
If any of your readers should still doubt the occasional appearance of departed spirits, I would beg of them to read over carefully the works of John Wesley, or that greater work still, Dr Johnson’s. I remain, yours, &c., Rasselas. Jan. 21. 1862.