The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-14
For the New Orleans Sunday Crescent
DEAD LIGHTS.

DEAD LIGHTS.
Inotice with some surprise the wonder expressed
at the I" blue lights that have been seen over
the wrecks Of the steamers America and United
States, and the newspaper paragraphs about
ghosts, supernatural appearances, etc., and find,
somewhat 10 my establishment. that the fact is but
little known that lights assuming the human shape
are often seen rising from and lowering over the
places where dead persons are lying buried.
However. this sight is more particularly percep'
tible to persons of highly nervous temperament,
those who will make what spiritualists term good
mediums, as dozen persons may be out together
and near place Of burial, and one will see the
light and the others not. 1t has been accounted
for on very scientific principles, but as really am
not conversant with them, nor of sufficiently te-
Dacious memory to recollect them accurately,
I'll not attempt to give them to you, but will tell
you Of an occurrence within my own knowledge
that convinces me that these lights are sometimes
seen.
When was about fourteen, my mother, whose
health had been declining for some years, deter.
mined to leave the city and try country life for
change. She purchased an old estate some three
miles out of the city Of an estate that had been
over century in one family, and who parted with
their old homestead because loss Of property
made il impossible snem 20 keep up the for
mer style and grandeur. One Of the conditions Of
the sale was that the family graveyard should not
be disturbed in any way. II was beautiful spot,
about two acres in extent, and about half an acre
from the dwelling, just to the right, and where
the windows of both stories on the right side of
the house. and the piazza in front, would over
look II.
All the care and attention that. loving hands
could effect had been given 10 render II horal
gem, and it was truly success: Inc grass was =
like green velvet; the trees, trimmed and Kept IN
shape, were all of the evergreen species; the
| walks, winding in and out, made the place seem
| of larger extent than 1t really was; and there
were knobs and bosky dells, with every variety
| of fragrant flowers that could bloom IN that
| climate in the open air. Nowhere else have
| ever seen such luxuriant clumps Of rare bushes
| bending under their fragrant burden OF musk,
| moss-cnnamon, tea and sweet roses while the
| sweet briar. or eglantine, and the old fashioned
| hupdred.lesf rose. so seldom seen now, made the
| air heavy with perfume.
Ineyer was cowsrdly child and this resting
| place of the dead was favorite resort with me,
and on moonlight clear, starlight nights would
| wander for hours through its walks. without one
thought of fear or dread Of those resting in their
last sleep around me, freed from the care and tur'
moil of life.
| brother, who was six years my elder, was away
| at college, and II was not till some months AFTER
that he returned home for vacation. at time
when our country home presented its most charm
irg aspect-hsd dressed itself in its gayest robes
10 welcome him, said-snd superbly beautiful
were its robes Of green and rainbow ints. de
had been absent so long from home that u as
not until after supper and evening worship mat
could carry him of 10 my favorite spot. he was
somewhat prepared for its beauties from my
rhspsodes about it in my letters, but said, as we
stood on little knoll just at She entrance, and
locked over it, that had not done IL justice, elo
| quent ss had been in its praise.
We were wandering through Its Walks ana ass
| ing thousand questions, that Kept him busy II
| answering, when suddenly, he stopped momen'
| and said, F" Are you never afraid OF this place!
"No Jamie, darling, why should l beT
asked.
lyon often come here alone. after night, Liz
| zie are you not startled sometimes"
mo! why do you ask" replied.
30, nothing, only do you see anything there
SPOT where q tall marble tablet cleaned in tn
| moonlight.
Nothing jamie. but the slab of MARBLE"
LETS go up there for moment" he the
| said, and we turned towards the spot.
Upon reaching it, saw nothing, but could Sc
| that he did see something that surprised and some
| what startled him. While standing there b
moved his little walking stick to and fro, ana are
turn TO the house and I'll tell you why aske
those questions"
Upon reaching the piazza we sat down upon I'd
! top step and looked over to the grave; yard.
sat still for q few minutes and then said
"Well, Lizzie, have often heard and have rea
| of what saw tonight, but never thought TO SO
it myself, for | never credited it. AT that gray
, | where we stopped, saw blue flame rise froI
| the ground and gradually take the human form, 9
| ralLer inside of the cloud Of blue flame saw
| human shape, and when we went up to II, coui
distinctly see the whole contour OF the hgur'
| though could not discern features. IL IS star
| mot
that you were brave little girl, and not frghteI
. ed of shadows. I'd not tell you this, for csnn'
tell you the cause more than this wherever thel
| are oecayiDg human bodies there is gas gen
= | rated that rises and assumes the human lori
q though often indistinctly, and not to be seen .
| every one. Now, there in the cemetery l b
three of those pillars of blue fame, and, no douo
o would see more II all parts of the place were VI
Q | ible from here"
/ did not doubt Jamie's seriousness in what
said, and though it puzzled. it did not scare mi
for he told me it could be accounted for by m'
IS of science, and my faith in him was too answer
}. | ing for me to doubt for one moment anything
a | saw him convinced Of, and 1t did not hinder Z
| from taking many long walk in the lovely spo
:. or from spending many an hour there in pleasa
d revery and castle building in Spain.
During our residence two other persons toIe
| thew saw the same thing, one young cousin
Is delicate, gentle girl, too gentle and consclenuo
d TO equivocste, and too accustomed 10 seeing su
l. sights to be frightened at them. The other was
!, man in his prime, a judge and statesman OF MOI
u Who saw II on two or three different occsso
70 while staying at our house on visits. The d
10 time be was standing at his bedroom window, j
n sfer his arrival the first evening of hls first Wis
"a and did rot know that there was burial place
70 close TO the house. After that he saw 1t from
y piazza. and in the cemetery after dusk.
70 Here give my unvarDished tale wish COZ
r. give YOU the scientific why and wherefore ~
!. cannot do though, and you must rest content
v ignorance or find them out for yourself.
ELIZABETH
q. CoSFEcTIoNERs AND PRoPRIEToRs or So