The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-04-05
M I s Ell L "A N us,

HE BARDER's GHosr.-The follow
ing story is an old, but precious good
one. We laughed heartily over it
"long, time ago." and prcsumng many
ofour readers never heard it, we serve
it up for their editication.
=, gentleman travelling some years
since in the upper part Of this State,
called at d tavern and requested en-
tertainment for the night The land
lord inforn,nd h:... .Lat it was OUT &c
i-:stseswer to accommodate him, as
shissssonse was already full. He per.
sisted in stopping, as he as we'll as
his horse were almost exhausted with
travelling. After much solicitation
the landlord consented to his stopping,
provided he would sleep in certain
room that had not been occupied for
long time, in conscqu> g of be-
lief that it was haunted by the ghost of
barber, who was reported to have
been murdered in that room solno
years before. ''Vcry WE'LL" says the
man, 81 am not afraid of ghosts AZ
ter having refreshed himself he in
quired OF the landlord how and in
what manner the room in which lie
was to lodge was haunted? The land
lord replied, That shortly after they re-
tired to rest, an unknown voice was
heard in trembling and protracted ac-
cent, saying, "Do you want to be
sh-a-ved?" SWELL" replied the man,
"if he comes he may shave me-"
He then requested to be shown to
to the apartment; in going to which he
was conducted through II large room
where were seated u great number Of
persons at gambling table. Feel,
ing a curiosity which almost every
enc possesses after having heard ghost
stories, he carefully searched every
corner of his room, but could dis.
cover nothing but the usual furniture of
the apartment. He then laid down, but
did not close his eyes to sleep immcdi-
atoly, and in few minutes lie imagin.
ed he heard voice saying, "Do you
a0.as,t to be sA-a-u-ed2" He arose from
his bed and searched every. part of the
room, bnt could discover nothing. He
again went to bed, but no sooner had
he begun to compose himself to
sleep than the question was again re-
pcated. lie again arose and went to
the window, the sound appearing to
proceed from that quarter, and stood a.
while silent-aftcr few moments of
anxious suspense, he again heard the
sound distinctly,and convinced that it
was from without, he opened the
window, when the question was re-
peated full III his car, which startled
him not little. Upon Il minute cx-
animation, however, he observed that
the limb Of a large oak tree, which
stood under his window, projected so
near the house, that every breath of
wind, to lively imag nation, made
noise resembling the interrogation, s'Do
you Want to be sha-a-vcd!"
Having satisfied himself that his
ghost was nothing more nor less than
the limb of % tree coming in contact
with the house, he again went to bed
and attempted to get asleep; but he
was now interrupted by peas of laugh
ter and an occasional volley of oaths
aud curses from the room where tho
gamblers were assembled. Thinking
that he could turn the late discovery
to his own advantage, he took a sheet
from the bed and wrapped it round
him, and taking the wash basin in his
hand and throwing towel over his
arm, proceeded to the room Of the
gamblers, aud suddenly opening the
door, stalkcd in, cxclaiming in tremu.