Smyrna times., 1869-02-10
.MiSceILUW II e o us.
SOLVING THE GHOST QUESTION.

About the year l8-, business had called me
to a remote part of Bounty, Tenn, and |
was staying at the house of Mr.. Rubert. The
family consisted of Mr.. Rubert and wife, one
son, and two daughters. The sons name was
Austin he was about twenty yeals Of age, and
seemed to be very intelligent. The girls were
no less intelligent than Austin. Adela, the ell
dest, was about seventeen, and Julia, the
youngest, about fifteen. Prettier girls never
saw | loved them both as soon as had seen
them.
We were sitting by blazing fire, talking
and laughing as lively as if we had been ac-
quainted for years, when sudden nOise as if
some large building was falling interrupted us.
Ugh ugh ugh !" said some one as if he
was frightened out of his senses. All of the
family rushed to the door, except Julia, who
sat still and remarked:
"It is Bill Jenkins running from the ghosts
again"
Scarcely had the words escaped from her
lips, when in rushed tall, gawky, awkward,
almost beardless fellow, putting and blowing
like a locomotive.
'What's the matter?" said Mr.. Rubert.
"Matter enough!" said Bill, his eyes look
ing almost as the bottoms Of two common sized
tea-cups. "Out yonder," he continued, throw
ing himself down upon a chair, g heard ba-
by cryin' and somebody groanin' and snufhing' =,
and tell ye, | jest got away from thar -
AT this L could not suppress laugh.
g You necdn't laugh, old hoss, for Pllswear
it's no fun, said he, turning to me.
| turned to Austin, and said: Z" Let us ac-
company him back to the place where he heard
the noise and solve the ghost for him."
Austin was silent. ;'Will you go ?" I ask
ed.
Austin began to stammer oIt something
"Darn mel" interrupted Bill, darn me
gentlemen if you get me back thar any more ;
see if you do!
"Then tell me where it was and if we can
see it, we ii solve it sure,' | replied.
Austin don't care much about going, be-
lieve," said Adela.
You are not superstitious, are your" l ask
ed
"No," said he, "I'm not superstitious but
I'm afraid of catching cold, that's al"
Il propose" said Julia, who had been 81
lent till now, that we all go-Mr. Marion,
Austin, Adelia and myself The moon is up,
and it will be pleasant walk for US; besides,
we may have real fun.
After some hesitation on Austin's part this
proposition was accepted. Bill told us where
he had heard the ghost but would not go with
us. Off we started. When we came to the
spot, we found that Bill had knocked dOwr
about twenty pannels of the fence. We haC
gone two or three hundred yards, talking very
lively, when we entered a low, dark place il
the road; the timber was very tall and thick
which caused it to be darker than anywhere
else. When we had advanced few PAGES il
this place, our conversation stopped: Scarcel'
had we ceased talking, when" Boo-woo
ugh ~ went something near us.
"What's that" said Austin, halting.
| advanced, and Julia stepped up to my sid'
and said, " It's Bills ghost, sure
sou boo boo WOO ugh !" came forth again.
[ could suppress my laughter no longer. l
proved so be nothing more nor less than a no
which was not sleeping comfortably and wa
complaining.
"What is it," insisted Austin, who had nc
yet found out what it was.
Just then we came to the hog-bed, and he
hogs ran off frightened as bad as Bill was.
"Humph it's hogs, I'll swear, that cause
Bill so much running, said Austin:
{ We turned and went back to the house, an
had fine laugh at Bill about his ghost but Bi
i would not give up but that his were rel
. ghosts.
: the neighborhood who were not superstition
d was informed that the place where Bill ha
# heard the ghost was really haunted. Anon
. other stories that were told that night ooncerI
It ing that place, was one as follows:
Some time ago man was coming thrOug
/, this place it was very dark he heard SOM
thing by the roadside; turning in the directlc
y y of the noise, he perceived something, white.
:, looked, he said, like woman dressed in hit
J. He spoke to her; she raised her arms aboy
y her head, and said John kinsler, if you vi
rs be happy. you must marry Jone Merton az az
rs have the Rubert family at the wedding. IL
ty member, j John Kinsler!'' So saying, she dro
l. ped her arms, and slowly assembled until 81
IL, was out of sight.
:, John Kinsler afterward married Jane, al
u the Rubert family was at the wedding.
IS expressed a desire to see or hear SUI
re. ghosts, but Austin thought | would repent
IS IS my wish when [ saw them.
- Bed time came, and we retired as the co'
e struck twelve. | lay awaken bed long tn
he Julia which l loved best could not tell.
on Nothing else took place worth relating bel