The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-11-17

fthas- the knuSk91g was bsHsgtiii- me Moor.
But 6reat sdiIeIsszAs thinkitg@ TINY
chair was shaken so violently that could
hardly keep my seet, hold on as 7 would.
Then Vpieading5y o If for mercy; and
shrieks and groanss followed each other
in quick succession; and, brave as sup
posed myself tp be, my nerves began to
tremble, and cold swea. began to start
upon my forehead. In vain I tried to
reason thatrit could not be from super
natural causes; that the spirits of the
departed are not allowed to revisit the
earth. There were the effects, whatever
the cause; and they were entirely beyond
my comprehension.
'Was there ever q murder" was
about to ask, ''committed in this house?"
when was interrupted by the screaming
of the younger woman.
Murder! o, Heavenl have mercy
upon mel"
At the same instant the light that stood
upon the table was extinguished, though
no one was near it; and the house shook,
and the rappings were renewed with ten
fold violence. Evidently, I thought, I
had touched the keynote of the mystery,
when I heard terrible groan, and saw.
or thought 1 saw, (which was it?) form
rise through the floor, and stand directly
in front of me.
'Was there ever n murder committed
in this house?" asked again; though I
fairly shuddered at the trembling and
unnatural sound of my voice.
'Murderl Look! there he atandsl"
replied the mother, prostrating herself
upon the floor, and hiding her face.
''It's his spirit!" groaned the old
woman. "I told you he'd come"
Proof positive this to my mind that
was not mistsken-that others saw as
did. Spirit or mortal, there was some
body there. 1 closed my eyes, to be GER
and when I removed my hands and open
ed them again, it still stood there.
It was in the form of an old man, with
long gray hair, strongly marked fea-
lures, deep-set eyes, of peculiarly cum
ming xpression-fox-like,w would be tho
most proper term; and in one hand he
held o paper that ratified rs if blown
about by strong wind. His head was
uncovered, and his neck bare, and both
were hacked and bleeding, great drops
trickling down, and falling in spatter
upon the floor. Once or twice he OPEN
ed his mouth as if to speak; but there
was only horrible gurgling sound-that
which we call the death-rattle. How
long we retained our relative positions, I
cannot tell. To me, it seemed an age.
Stir could not. Twas completely under
the power of the terrible fascination. At
length, however, the ghost, spirit, call it
what you will, appeared to step toward
me, and stretch its hand as if to lay it
upon my head. Then all my manhood
deserted me. With great groan, I
shrank back, and fell upon the floor, my
chair being lifted by unseen hands, and
dashed down again. cracking in every
joint.
Quickly reason came to my aid, and I
rose, and looked anxiously around.
Whatever there had been before, there
was none in the room then except those
of mortal mould; and all was silence, ex-
cept the storm that was still raging with
out. scraped open the embers, lit the
candle, and looked at my watch. ltwas
IL o'clock. The young woman and the
children were still huddled in corner,
and the old one rocking herself as she
| had never ceased to, 80 far as / was
aware.
Would the spirit rcturn?"
Without intending to do 80, had
spoken my thoughts aloud; and the
grandmother answered, "Not tonight, I
think. You had better go to sleep, sir. {"
Sleep! would have sooner thought
of sleeping in mad d-house, with all the
denizens free to attack mo at any mo-
ment. 1 knew it was vain to ask ques-
tions. had tried that before and fuiled !;
so 1 had nothing to do but to sit and
ponder on what I had seen. But I was
not to be allowed to remain without SEN
sations. Scarcely half an hour passed
without the "manifestations' being re-
newed in some shape. Now it was the
bowling of dog; now the slamming of
shutters and doors; now shrieks and
groans; md now the knocking upon the
floor. No wonder that was sick and
nervous when morning came, and gladly
escaped from the haunted house, leaving
the inmates, worn out with watching and
fear, asleep upon the floor.
Somebody more familiar with spirits
than 1 am must explain the matter. I
cannot; but this L know, that if, in re-
atty. it was the shade of departed one,
1 trust never to see his power exercised
again.
For many years the matter remained
in my mind in just the state it was when
I fed from the tumble.down house on
| the moor Then circumstances made me-