Ghost Story Review: "The Wraith of Barnjum" by F. Anstey

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Philibert Bunting admits he was not fond of Barnjum. Bunting regarded himself a person of innate refinement and high culture who saw Barnjum as a big, red coarse brute with neither sweetness nor light. He was surprised to find out, as subsequent events proved, that Barnjum viewed him with, as Bunting termed it, “a strange and unreasonable aversion.” Nevertheless the two men seemed to seek out each other’s company. On a walking tour in an isolated part of Wales, Barnjum began poking fun at the way Bunting was dressed. “He happened to be standing on the brink of an abyss, and had just turned his back upon me, as with a vigorous thrust of my right foot, I launched him into the blue aether, with the chuckle at hi unhallowed jest still hovering upon his lips.” Bunting returns to town. As he’s getting out of the cab, the driver reminds him that he seems to be overlooking something. And there, grinning at him, is the wraith of Barnjum. Other people can see him, but Barnjum can’t speak. That’s probably just as well—not that there aren’t other consequences and a surprise at the end. The story is told tongue-in-cheek. The narrator tells more than he realizes. I enjoyed this. _____ Title: “The Wraith of Barnjum” Author: F. Anstey (pseudonym for Thomas Anstey Guthrie 1856-1934) First published: The Temple Bar March 1879 This is available at Project Gutenberg in the Collection The Black Poodle.