The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1870-05-18

xkIuREclGu me, AMu 4 DANU LhANI bAactlll
Sknvwn what to thipls about it. | know,
xthough, that Tom Fairfax would swear to|
lthere being ghosts. d at lsast one ghost to|
Shis entire satisfaction On the subject" /"
A "Tell il to yoy Certainly Twill and
&maybe, AZ you are % we'll versed ii ghostly 4
tlorc. you can explain what IL was that wei
ssaw--not Tom and alone, but hundreds
Eof the boys, for we were several days ia the|
Rsamo place, and the whole picket line saw
Iit repeatedly. See If any IF your Gerlnan|
Smetaphysical works viii explain il. ask,
fior il puzzles me.
y Z We were camped on some old fields
$near tlleN edge Of Il dense wv5d that Whs re-
xularkable for the waptof uHdergrowth ; youI
ecould see way into the thick, cool woods
Ewith nothing but the trunks Of the trees tol
fobstruct your vision as far as your sight
2could reach
4 The first night we camped there | was of
sduty, being i'll; we were on the alert, forI
Eve ltnew the enemy were not far of, and
3were expecting to see them at any moment,
sand our scatries we're thrown cut to avoid
Ssurprisc. | heard the alarm during the|
Tnight from the pickcts. and the stir in camp
3but was too unwell to get up and see about
5it, III | found the alarm was not general,
Rand tbenext morning laughed heartily ~
fthe tale Of ghost having driven in the
9pickcts. but when the thing was REPEATED
<the ensuing night. began to tllnx some
Zone WAS playing practical jokes-either the
saen or some On. who wanted to pass the
3lire.
3 .0n the third night ! was able TO stand
ssentry myself, and Tom Fairfax and / re-
The colonel to put us on that road 4
s6e did s., aud as Tom left me and went on|
5plead to the eDutcr post, he laughingly said !
4 swell. james, old boy, lets find out
Swhat the material the ghost Is laade Of III
fit comes to US tonight"
d ".All right; I'm with you," ! replied.
IF he's iiesh and blood. I'd not Ike to|
fbe in his shoes, for don't intend he shall
$make a fool Of me- 2
1 forgot to mention that in the distance
1adjoining the field upon which we were en-
3eaInped, we're the ruins Of am oid-timeI
Virginia mansion that had evidently bcen|
tbuilt IN the FIRST settlement Of the State Il
THE main road running through tie wood,
'Ssroad that the spectre had been seen, butt
}npon by-rdad leading to an old mili %, n
}rapid and deep, and yet very narrcw stream
2of water.
1t was brilliant starlight night; the|
jnioon had sunk TO rest, after showing heII
5silyer crescent to the admiring gaze Of those
3wllo loved 10 look upon natures beauties \,
land the light being steady and equal, onei
scould see for good distance. Fairfax waaI
stationed near cnoughfor me 10 hear bis,
challenge, should any one come that way,
I'm talking tho matter over, VIC had both!
{arrived at the conclusion that some one wasj
!trying 10 pas the lines, and we we're deter
;mincd to catch him. if possible. As timeI
*roIled by and nothing came, ! gradually
3csased TO think Of IL; and my thoughts rel
lyerted TO home aLd It's loved ones doublyl
3dear TO Inc, and the form Of a dear, littlel
3blue-cyed darling who was waiting my re-
2turD with anxious. prayerfulheart, was very
1palpable to my minds eye; and 50 deeply
Qwas absorbed that Toms challenge "a
/. Who goes thcres speak, or III fire ON
Syou r. fell upon my car without drawingl
3my attention To II, till startled BY the ro-|
3port Of his gun, and after moments dead
gsilence, yell 30 thrilling that Il curdlcdI
5my blood.
4 Looking down the road | saw running tO-I
<ward me on foot to whose usual feemess
E5feay had added lightning speed, Tom Fair
8fax. the dauntlcss hero Of ar hundred hair-l
xbreadth escapes. and closely following aficr
zhim rlided a singular looking blue light
Rthat seemed IN the distance To be a column
zof fame about six feet high. As Tom
Preached me he exclaimed, . Great God .
3James, what Is itss and fell in dead
faint at my feet
a As the thing approached me il took the
ii d headlc& man wrapped in q
MALE, blue fame that hickercd ii the night
aair. just looking like little tongues Of FIRE
3licking tue shape. Thoughttartlod nearly
Bout q my senses. waitod till Il was with
III Eve feet Of me. and Cred my gun righ,
Unto It's breast. The fame waved and open
VA. spun DIP foot Or two, aud then settled
5back into the Pickering sheet Of fire. and
4the evil thing sped steadily on past me TO.
award the old mansion down the road.
turned to holp Tom. and as did 90,
i some Of the guard from The MAIN road
Xreached us; for. hearing The report Of his
&run aud his yell. followed BY my gun, they
lhad not waited Coz orders, but hurried to
&our relief. aud they saw shething ~ i pas.
fscd On toward the house. We carried
2Tom TO camp scnselcss. and nice spell Of
%brain fcfcr was the result Of his fright, and
N would take more reasoning power than
.any one ever heard Of possessing to make
Tom think there are not ghosts.
None of the men would stay nlonc on
that post. and o squad was left there for
Ethe rost Of tho night. l fully determined
to search the old ma: sion and make inqui-
ries about Ii; but we moved our quarters
ia hurry next day, and never knew the
saasnt az The headlexa man. and that road.