Halloween Countdown, Day 5

[eldritchhobbit]

Stormy sky- St Mary's Cemetery
Originally uploaded by seriykotik1970

Happy birthday to geekqueen. May you have a fantastic day and a wonderful year to come!


LINK OF THE DAY: Today's link is Library Ghost, a site featuring three live, 24-hour-a-day camera views inside a "haunted library" in Evansville, Indiana. The Willard Library "ghost cams" were inspired by this question: "Is Willard Library haunted?" It has become a fascinating, and somewhat credible, legend that drives thousands of people to search the library for remnants of lost spirits. The site is a virtual ghost hunting mecca. Take a virtual tour of the library with Greg Hager, Willard Library Director, and see if you can catch the "Grey Lady Ghost" in the Victorian Gothic building of the Willard Library! (Thanks to The Sage in Bloom for the recommendation.)


LITERATURE OF THE DAY: Our tour of H.P. Lovecraft's favorite spooky short stories continues! Today's reading is "The Death of Halpin Frayser" by Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?).

Excerpt from "The Death of Halpin Frayser" by Ambrose Bierce:
The apparition confronting the dreamer in the haunted wood - the thing so like, yet so unlike, his mother - was horrible! It stirred no love nor longings in his heart; it came unattended with pleasant memories of a golden past - inspired no sentiment of any kind; all the finer emotions were swallowed up in fear. He tried to turn and run from before it, but his legs were as lead; he was unable to lift his feet from the ground. His arms hung helpless at his sides; of his eyes only he retained control, and these he dared not remove from the lustreless orbs of the apparition, which he knew was not a soul without a body, but that most dreadful of all existences infesting that haunted wood - a body without a soul! In its blank stare was neither love, nor pity, nor intelligence - nothing to which to address an appeal for mercy.

Read the complete story.

Comments

[estellye.livejournal.com]

I think if I were the ghost in the Willard library I'd be complaining that technology had taken the fun out of the whole thing, lol.

If you have a chance, go back and take a look at the little tale written by maidoforange posted in her last entry.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Isn't her story wonderful? Very chilling indeed. Thanks for reminding me to comment on that.

Your point about technology at the Willard Library cracked me up. ("I'm ready for my close up!") It's a fabulous building, though, so I must admit I enjoyed the virtual tour, even if it was ghost-free.

[mizz-history.livejournal.com]

What a fabulous photo that is!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I just love it. I've got my own photos from Kensal Green, but alas, those were from the days before I had a digital camera. This picture brought all those memories back for me.

[lbilover.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love that LibraryGhost site! Thank you so much.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad! You're most welcome.

[serpentcoils.livejournal.com]

Yay Ambrose Bierce! :3 I always forget about him until I read something with amazing adjectives and/or snark.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

LOL. He had 'em both: amazing adjectives and snark. ;) I'm glad to share the Ambrose Bierce love.

[maidoforange.livejournal.com]

I've always thought that libraries were great places for ghosts, at least older libraries. Great spooky story, too.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I agree 100%! I love your icon, by the way.

[maidoforange.livejournal.com]

Heh. Thanks. That is me, of course, on my 14th Halloween. :?)

[lynn-maudlin.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine wrote this (we did a concert together last weekend) and I've been so delighted to know it was available online: Hey There, Cthulhu for your viewing pleasure!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Brilliant! I'm so glad you shared this with me - thank you so much. I love it.

[abbie (from livejournal.com)]

:-D

Glad I could be of service.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

You were indeed. Thank you! :D

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

What an absolutely gorgeous photo! I thought it was a painting at first, the colors are so striking. Would you mind if I made an icon out of it?

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I absolutely love it. I don't mind at all if you make an icon out of it. I didn't take the picture, though, so you might want to contact the photographer. (There's a link beneath the photo.) Since the photographer marked it as available for blogging, I'm guessing he/she probably wouldn't mind, but you might want to check. I'm so glad you liked it, too!