Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-09-03

the wonder OF the terrlfled company, VINO
e however incredulous they may have come
r were now fully satisfied that there wa
l something rather serious in the affair
S and poor Ichabod, who had long been tn
1 laughing stock of the neighborhood, wa
regarded with kind of veneration from
being the first of earthly mortals will
whom the troubled spirit had chosen tt
hold communication.
While some fled from the spot with ter
ror, and others were frightened into hys
terics, the graver part Of the company helc
a consultation as to what course ought tc
be pursued in the mysterious affair.
Some were for having the supposed
murderer arrested Immediately, before the
rumor should reach him, and justice be
robbed of its demand by his escape; and
one of the company abused worthy mag
istrate who happenedt to be present, most
outrageously, for refusing to issue war
rant Immediately, offering himself to 60
and serve it that very night, which might,
as was supposed, have been done, as Mr..
X. still resided in the little village before
mentioned, few miles distant.
| Others, however, Of less hasty tenn
permanent, were for proceeding with more
deliberation, and first ascertaining whether
murder had actually been committed.
This could only be done by discovering
the remains, which, if they existed at all,
were in the center of the neighboring
mound of ashes, to remove which, was
task, at which Hercules himself might
have stood aghast. But, laborious as was
the undertaking. and hurrying as was the
season of the year-such was the zeal for
clearing up the mystery, that competent
number volunteered their services on the
spot AS many as could work to advan-
tage, were selected for the following day;
these were to be succeeded by others, and
thus they agreed to proceed till the task
was finished and, bright and early on the
following morning, the labor was COM
menccd.
Through the tedious hours of the long,
sultry day, they continued to ply the pick
and the shovel, and when the sun finally
went down, SO little impression had made
upon the massy pile, that men less rcsolute
would have abandoned the task in despair
But it was not so; day after day the work
went on, while visitors from far and near
resorted nightly to the place. As all who
came bore evidence to the truth of the
mysterious sounds, the matter became a
subject of much grave debate and philo- !
sophising among different classes of spec
tators. OF these, some were of the opinion,
that the whole was a trick ingeniously !
played off by some lover of mischief; and
though they did not attempt to solve the
riddle, ventriloquism, legerdemain, and
other species of deception, were suggested
as the means by which it was probably
effected.
Another class Of reasoners, among whom
was certain l.. l.. D., of neighboring
city, maintained that it was but the re-
suit of natural causes--and, though opc-
rating in manner mysterious to us, was,
nevertheless, in perfect accordance with
established laws of matter The said L.
L. D. took SO much interest in the affair,
that he wrote a lengthy dissertation on the
subject, under the title of ''The Philoso-
ply of Mysterious Sounds which,
by reference to the celebrated box of
Madonnan, the speaking oracle of Delphcs,
and singing statue of Mcmnon-he at
tempted to prove that dormant matter
could be made to speak, groap, and sing,
by proper arrangement of its particles,
which was sometimes caused by accident,
rs in the case above quoted. The world,
however, was unfortunately deprived Of the
pleasure and profit they would doubtless
have derived from these sapient lucubra-
tons, by circumstances hereafter to be
mentioned, which prevented their publica-
lion.
But far the most numerous class, how
ever, were of the opinion that murder
had actually been committed, and that the
groans proceeded frem no other than the s
troubled spirit of the lad, crying like the ;
blood Of Abel for vengeance, and encour-
lging the laborers to proceed in their
ask, not doubling but that they would be
-cwarded with such tangible proof of :
guilt, as should bring the offender within
he foils of the law.
Fortunately, no doubt, for Mr.. X. and
amily, they were absent on a visit during 5
his excitement, and thereby escaped much ,
,nnoyance and modification. 4
Things went on in this manner for q
,bout two weeks, when a ray Of light was
cast upon this dark and mys-