The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1829-08-06
TFrom the Boston Courier.1

GHOSTS. We have been guilty ofgreat
carelessness in not having informed our
readers of the appearance Of a Ghost, a
| few weeks since, among our neighbors al
Waltham. The good people Of that place
were greatly excited by the appearance,
for several nights, of a Sheeted spectre; large
! numbers were collected to his antics
and sundry muskcts and rifles were dis
charged at ii, none Of which produced the
effcc, of laying Me ghost; for how could
muskets and rifles, not charged with shot
or bullets, compel it to surrender. II ap.1
pears, howcver,by certain mysterious Civ
lngs out in the newspapers, that this super.
natural night walker has not for several
nights revisited he glimpses of the people
at Wal,ham, being thesefrom dissuaded By
prospect of being caught, and threats of
prosecution against some person, for seem.
ing TO be ,ehat he ,caS not. "Men should be
what they seem; and il is better to be a
real ghost than couterfeit, to fall into the
hands of an angry and curious people.
There is another ghost which has been
cutting queer capers in South Carolina, an
account of which is given in u late Edge
field popey The ghost, it seems addresses
itself only 10 the ear having never yet made
itself visble-probably not being permitted
TO assume any corporcsl shape. Ii appears
that is, if q voice oppedrs) al the house of
Mr.. Isaac Burnet IN Edgofeld district
The following is part of ,he account fur
,lsned by the Edgcfeld Carolnian.
The voice was first heard in October
initiating various noises, such rs that of the
spinning wheel. reel, ducks, hens, &C.. j.
vas first heard by Mr. Burnett, twenty
ards from the house which led him TO sup
il was some Of the nei.hbors' children
niding in the weeds and trying to frighicn
ms children. 1t was afterwards heard in
he loft Of the house, and Mr.. B. supposing
Ito be bird, sent boy up to drive it on,
,ut nothing could be seen II thus contin
ed to perplex the minds Of the family for
'ome time, until, at length. one of The chill.
rem said he believed that thing could talk
md commenced asking questions, which il
answered By whistliDg. pretty much like b
Parrot. This circumstance getting out,
many persons came to hear il. Mr.. John
Shepcrd, pious and worthy citizen who
lives in the neigh5orhOod converscd with
Il in presence of number of witnesses
TO ascertain the extent Of its knowledge
he asked il various questions about mosl
persons in the neighbolhood, and their cir
cumstances, which it answered correctly.
Ii told its name and the number Of children
he had also, the names Of most Of the per
sons present. He asked what il came there
for. 1t replied, because il had no where
else 20 90 to-" II was asked il il came to
do the family any harm il said mott lov.
cd the family. II was asked finally if il
loved Jesus Christ, 20 which il made no re
ply, nor answered any more questions,
which Mr.. Sheperd asked. The evening
after, it answered others, but would moi
answer him. For the first three months il
was heard only once a month, but after
wards much oitencr. II has been heard
at various times, both in the day and at
night. but more frequently in the day.
Search has been repeatedly made by the
family and others, but nothing found from
which the voice could proceed. There is
ne place of concealment about the house.
II is small house with hut one room, a
loft OF boards laid across the joists, and a
piazza on one side. The house is not un
derplnned, so that you can see from one
end to the other, underneath. For some
time the voice appeared generally to pro.
coed from the further end ofthe house, op.
postc the Gre place and the upper part or
loft. Ifany one. except the children, would
90 TO that end Of the house, while il was
talking. or if any one would steal round ev.
or so softly TO tha, end on the outside ofthe
house when il was dark, and whilst others
talked to il, il would instantly atop and
when they returned il would commence a.
gain. This experiment was tried one ev-
ening when number Of persons were
there. so that both the house and piazza
were full Some one from the piazza, with
out the knowledge Of these in the house,