The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1858-03-25

'nal'u tne Danishment OF the open fire plac-
es in our houses, as hundreds of children
and grown persons lose their lives by com.
Ing in too close contact with this greatest of
our domestic comforts. Elk.
Legend Of the Supernatural.
There Is a tale, reported by Lord Lyt,le
ton, 1--WE mean, of course, the younger Of
that naine,) which shows the tendency in
the minds of<even the shrewdest men Of the
world 10 give respectful audience to the
marvellous and supernatural. Il may be
found in the twenty-tirst Of Lord Lyttieton,s
letters.
He says that in the early part of the life
of --, one Of his friends, he attended n
hunting club, when well.mounted stran.
yer, Of genteel address, Joined the club, and
rode with a courage and address that aston.
ished everybody, The animal he rode is
described as one Of amazing powers and en- !.
durance. The huntsman, who was left far
behind, swore that the man and his horse
were devils from hell. After the sport, he
was invited to dinner, and astonished the
company as much by his conversational
powers and The elegance of his manners, as
by his equestrian powers.
He was, says Lord Lyttleiop, an orator, a
painter, poet, a musician, lawyer, di.
yine--in short, he was everything, and the
magic Of his. discourse kept the drowsy
spor,smen awake long after their usual hour.
AT length they retired, but had scarcely
closed their eyes when they were awakened
by the most terrible shrieks resoundinp
through The house. Inquiring of the ser.
wants, they were told that these horrid
sounds proceeded from the strangers cham
Der, and on approaching his room, deeper
.groans of despair and shriler shlieks of
agony astonished and terrified them. After
knocking at the door, lie answered them as
one jnst awakened from sleep, declared he
had heard no noise, and, i'm rather angry
tones, desired not 10 be disturbed again.
The company accordingly retired, and
scarcely begun 10 communicate their senti-
ments TO each other, when a repetition of
the most horrible sounds broke in upon
their conversational yells, screams, shrieks,
which, from The horror of them, seemed to
issue from the throats OF damned and Tor.
tured spirits. They Immediately followed
the sounds, and traced them 10 the stran
gers chamber, the door of which thew in.
stanty burst open, and found him on his
knees in bed, in the act of scourging him.
self with the most unrelenting severity, his
body streaming with blood.
On their Selling his hand to stop the
strokes, he begged them, in the most wiring.
ing tone of voice, rs an act of mercy, that
they would retire, assuring them that the
cause of their disturbance was over, and
that in the morning he would acquaint them
with the reasons of the terrible cries they
had heard, and the melancholy sight they
saw. After repetition Of entreaties, they
retired, and in the morning some of them
went to his chamber, but he was not there |;
and on examining the bed, they found il to
be one gore Of blood. Upon further inoui
ry, the gsoomsman said, as soon as It was
light, the gentleman came to his stable
booted and spurred, desired Lis horse might
be Immediately saddled, and appeared to be
extremely impatient ill it was done, when
he vaulted into his saddle, and rode out of
the yard at full speed. Servants were i'm
medately despatched into every part Of the
surrounding country, but not single trace
of him could be found such person had
not been seen by any one, nor has been
since heard Of
Lord Lytileton proceeds TO state shss the
circumstances CT this strange story we're I'M
media;ely committed TO writing, and signed
by all who Witnessed them, that the future
credibilily Of any one, who should think
proper TO relate them, might be duly sup.
ported. Among those who witnessed il
we're some Of the first men in Euglaud
The charm of this marvellous narrative.