Famous Modern Ghost Stories | Page 2

vary, and our
earliest antecedents were poor diarists, it is difficult to establish the apostolic succession
of spooks in actual life, but in literature, the line reaches back as far as the primeval
picture writing. A study of animism in primitive culture shows many interesting links
between the past and the present in this matter. And anyhow, since man knows that
whether or not he has seen a ghost, presently he'll be one, he's fascinated with the subject.
And he creates ghosts, not merely in his own image, but according to his dreams of
power.
The more man knows of natural laws, the keener he is about the supernatural. He may
claim to have laid aside superstition, but he isn't to be believed in that. Though he has
discarded witchcraft and alchemy, it is only that he may have more time for psychical
research; true, he no longer dabbles with ancient magic, but that is because the modern
types, as the ouija board, entertain him more. He dearly loves to traffic with that other
world of which he knows so little and concerning which he is so curious.
Perhaps the war, or possibly an increase in class consciousness, or unionization of spirits,
or whatever, has greatly energized the ghost in our day and given him both ambition and
strength to do more things than ever. Maybe "pep tablets" have been discovered on the
other side as well! No longer is the ghost content to be seen and not heard, to slink
around in shadowy corners as apologetically as poor relations. Wraiths now have a
rambunctious vitality and self-assurance that are astonishing. Even the ghosts of folks
dead so long they have forgotten about themselves are yawning, stretching their skeletons,
and starting out to do a little haunting. Spooky creatures in such a wide diversity are
abroad to-day that one is sometimes at a loss to know what to do "gin a body meet a
body." Ghosts are entering all sorts of activities now, so that mortals had better look alive,
else they'll be crowded out of their place in the shade. The dead are too much with us!
Modern ghosts are less simple and primitive than their ancestors, and are developing
complexes of various kinds. They are more democratic than of old, and have more of a
diversity of interests, so that mortals have scarcely the ghost of a chance with them. They
employ all the agencies and mechanisms known to mortals, and have in addition their
own methods of transit and communication. Whereas in the past a ghost had to stalk or
glide to his haunts, now he limousines or airplanes, so that naturally he can get in more

work than before. He uses the wireless to send his messages, and is expert in all manner
of scientific lines.
In fact, his infernal efficiency and knowledge of science constitute the worst terror of the
current specter. Who can combat a ghost that knows all about a chemical laboratory, that
can add electricity to his other shocks, and can employ all mortal and immortal agencies
as his own? Science itself is supernatural, as we see when we look at it properly.
Modern literature, especially the most recent, shows a revival of old types of ghosts,
together with the innovations of the new. There are specters that take a real part in the
plot complication, and those that merely cast threatening looks at the living, or at least,
are content to speak a piece and depart. Some spirits are dumb, while others are highly
elocutionary.
Ghosts vary in many respects. Some are like the pallid shades of the past, altogether
unlike the living and with an unmistakable spectral form--or lack of it. They sweep like
mist through the air, or flutter like dead leaves in the gale--a gale always accompanying
them as part of the stock furnishings. On the other hand, some revenants are so
successfully made up that one doesn't believe them when they pridefully announce that
they are wraiths. Some of them are, in fact, so alive that they don't themselves know
they're dead. It's going to be a great shock to some of them one of these days to wake up
and find out they're demised!
Ghosts are more gregarious than in the past. Formerly a shade slunk off by himself, as if
ashamed of his profession, as if aware of the lack of cordiality with which he would be
received, knowing that mortals shunned and feared him, and chary even of associating
with his fellow-shades. He wraithed all by himself. The specters of the past--save in
scenes of the lower world,--were usually solitary creatures, driven to haunt mortals from
very lonesomeness. Now we have a chance to study the mob psychology of ghosts, for
they come in madding