Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-07-24

Correspondence OF the husseifvilie Herald
...,r - RocHEsrER. Ky. July Q. ls6s.
Do you believe in the Ku-Klux, or the
Rochester rarpings, at this time; or did
You ever SO believe? II not prepare
yourself. For several months past an
old gentleman Of this city, who resides
-upor, his farm nbout five miles from here,
on Mud river, with his wifeand daughter
and her children, have been molested
both night aud day by almost sll kinds of
noise, from a hearty laugh to an UNI
earthly groan, bees swarming, wheels
spinning, horses running in droves and
neighing-their feet to be heard-and
bands of music playing, This thing has
been kept secret from all, from fear Of
the ridicule OF the neighbors; but it has
now leaked out--oihers have heard Of it
and have told it. The old folks say that
they have been-troubled night and day
for months past. One neighbor went to
hear 1.-THE being fully determined to call
it to an account for its conduct. Well,
he arrived at the house and heard moth
ing, and commenced to make sport, when
he was told that they heard it coming
1t came on through an old field like a
drove of horses; their feet were heard to
strike the ground at every jump, they
neighed, they snorted, and appeared to
come right up to the man that was on
guard, but he left his post, and reiterated
behind the house to keep from being run
over. They passed on; search was made
and no tracks we're to be seen. A band
of music commenced playing up stairs
he went up and heard the music, but saw
no one, became frightened, came down
and went out into the yard, when q noise
was heard as though some one was
striking, on the side of the house with
sledge Misunderstanding to be seen. he
being fully alarmed now, started to leave,
when he thought that some one had
thrown down load OF dry boards just at
his back; be turned around to see what |
it was, when he heard q most unearthly |
groan Just at his feet, then at his head. |
This gentleman is man that stands es |
fair as any man in the county. He was
never in the army, but he acknowledged |
that the Federal soldiers did not retreat
at Shiloh (under Grant before Buell.
came up) as fast as he left that farm
more than doube-quick. Others have
been there and heard the same curious
goings on. One visit satisfies all thai
have heard them-none go back the Sec
ond time. One near neighbor who had
made sport of it, went to speak to it, but
lost the use of his tongue when this
(what is it p was present. After it had
gone he was sorry that he had not spoken,
and said that he would if he had another
chance. Prestol the words were hardly
out Of his mouth when it was at his feet;
be moved, it groaned at his shoulder
he retreated and dare not go back. 1t
has also made its appearance at neigh
boris house, the owner OF which did not
believe in any carrying-on of this kind.
being a man that stays at home and at
tends to his business. Well, he has an
invisible brass Band up stairs in his
house, sometimes in one room and some
timesi in another, thas down stairs, then
n the yard, and then on the top of his
aouse. I,learn that he has left home and
given up his house to the musicians. It
ZONES sometimes like drove of horses, [
hen music, then a wheel will spin, then
,ees will swarm, loads of dry boards wiG
be thrown down, then groans at your foe5
md head, as though dozen men were
n dying agony; sometimes in the
garden, field, at the spring, in the stable,
house, up and down stairs, on the house,
md dies away in the distance, to return
lgain to the same place. Now, then.
What is it that makes all this commot; ON I?
What is it that scares so many peonle-
rrown men and women-at different
imes2 Is it Imagination? rs so. : il
must have had a starting p oint-where
vas that2 Is it ventrilor ,uist? There
s no known one in this O. ,unty. A lady
old me that at the TIM Of tbe proaning.
he asked the quesii6 IN If il wished 10
'arm anyone thee, and she received a
'iain and en- phstic No" She became
o weak Fad frightened that she could
lot ;, leak, as the answer was so unex-
V .cted. Anumber will visit the house in
A day or two, and if it is a trick it viii
be hard to hide it from them. Trick or
reality, / will give you the result of the
visit as soon as made.
Thirty years since the same neighbor-
hood was visited in the same manner.
That has gneyer been satisfactorily ex-
planned. e