19thC Cornish tale of an apparation of an evil wagoner and the effect it had on his friend.

Stories of this kind, which illustrate the power of clairvoyance, undoubtedly possessed by many Cornish people, are by no means confined to the far–off days of the eighteenth century. Near the village of Wall, in Gwinear, a field path, which formerly led from a mine, emerges through a stile on to the high road. One day, in the earlier part of the last century, a wagoner of notoriously evil habits was found at this point lying dead, having apparently been run over by the wheels of his own wagon. Shortly after the body had been removed a boon comapanion of the deceased, whose route from the mine followed this pathway, turned up at his home in a very distraught condition. On being questioned by his wife, he stated that the wagoner had joined him at the pathway stile, and had subsequently walked with him for a considerable distance. During that time he had spoken words which the miner could not bring himself to repeat. Their effect upon him, however, was such that from that day he sickened and began to lose all his strength, and not long afterwards died. This incident was well remembered by people living in the district fifty years ago, and was confirmed by the most circumstantial evidence.

I wonder what the evil spirit of the evil waggoner said that could have had such an effect on a man would sicken and waste away to death. Within a short time?