Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-05-29
From the MiddletOwn IN. W Mercury ]
Ghostly Manifestations.
A "MonoculOus MlnOtaur'' Visits Mt. Hope.
n. T., and Rips Things,

Some vague and ill-defned runors have
reached us of late concerning weird and
mysterious phenomenon, or succession of
| supernatural scenes and outre Developments
| occurring some FIVE or six miles from Middle
town in the town of Mt. Hope. For reasons
| which will readily occur to the reader. the
parties Immediately affected by these strange
demonstrations have been very reticent in the
matter, aud request that names and locality
may be withheld from the public until further
investigations shall unraveF the mystery, or
an adequate cause be assigned for what now
! scems to be unearthly, il not demoniacaI, in
its origin.
Some time in the latter part of March last
the residents of quiet and humble hamlet,
.standing near the confines Of densely wood
ed lot OF some four acres, and near the highs
way leading 20 the Valley of Mount Hope,
were awakened from sleep by novel and sin
gular sound, which at first fell family, but
definitely upon the ear. twas as if large
choir, or multitude of voices, were harmo-
niou4iY hummlng or singing with closed lips,
a sole mn, tunercal dirge, the refI2in, after
regular iatC walls OF silence, resembled, as
nearly as the soGId could be rendered, the
word ziadh-ziaa,I:- ziNGh=-three times re-
peated, and, after mCmtc nts pause, succeed
ed by the same sad, monoGoneus murmuring
as before. This continued for ne.2rly half an
hour, when the awed family were sunlnoned
to display of some of the most disco-dGut
and unearthIy signs Gnd groans that ever fcil
on mortal ears. Every phase of suffering,
every expression of mental and physical pain
which may be conceived of, was uttered forth |
with fierce intensity which it would be hard
to initiate or excel this side of Tartarus.
1t is not strange that the animals on the
premises shared the wonder aud amazement
which possessed the people. This was man
Tested by the mingling of their own peculiar
cries and instructive utterances with the gem
eral discord, thus adding as accompaniment
and chorus to the distracting din, and height
ening the pandemoniac effect of this diaboli-
cal overture, Amusement, of course, had
now almost found Its extreme limit, and the
people were prepared for any further change
IN the sardonic programme which the inyisi
BILE performers might still have in reserve
They had not long to wait Presently the
darkness of midnight suddenly schanged to
the broad glare of MONDAY 1t was as if
thousand waving festOons of electric light had
swooPed down from the murky heavens Ia
entoid, with gauzy Wreaths Of fame and
tongues of fire, the trunks and limbs of tres
barren of foliage. They sparkIed and shone
now with wealth of flashing hight. and s,ro.
tesqne, but enhancing forms Of beauty. Far
on.athe northern heavens seemed TO catch and
reject from horizon to zenith the auroric
scene and evolving, ever changing banners,
OF the tint and shades of the rainbow, faunt-
edsup the broad expanse, or flashed their ru-
bic spleDdoTs across the bow of the slnmIber.
ing Shawangunk. 1t was noon at midnight
But darkness aud silence soon settled upon
the earth the rgstling. of the trees and low
moaning of the winds alone broke the OBJ
pTessive stiffness of the hour
But a new and more astounding scene'was
soon to follow. W lille the family were ex- I
changing in oppressed and hesitating whis-
pers their surmises, and seeking for some so,
luton of the wonders of which they had been
the involuntary listeners. every door in the
house wassuddenly aud violently thrown open
BY. a power unseen, and through the main
entrance came stai king, and sRayines from
side to side, in fiightfnl contortioEs, an OBJ
ject neither man nor beast, but bearing, IN