Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-02
CATCHING A GHOST.
A TRUE STORY.
Written for the Union and American.

We had moved into q new house, new
TO Us, (for it had been standing for many
| years. and arranged all things ready for
the next day. Every table and chair be-
longing to the family rooms was placed
just where it was intended to stand. But
the upper rooms had not been furnished,
and now we were sll huddled up close to
the fire, for the night was chilly and the
rain was pattering down on the housetop
and striking the window panes, making
dkeary kind of music to which we loved
to listen. We had been told that the
house was haunted, and we believed it
I've children and the negroes, Chloe, the
cook, and Sallie, the nurse.
"This is just the night for ghost TO
walk, " brother remarked, looking around
among the anxious little faces gathered
around the fire.
"Hush, !" you must not scare the chill
dren," said mother.
''But mother" he returned persistent
ly, Everybody says the house is haunted,
and they will be sure to see the ghost
tonight"
| 81 wish you would hush, p" cried cousin.
Clara, young girl of seventeen. "What
is the use of talking 30 much about it,
when we have all heard it and are scared
nearly to death now2n
| 'It does not scare me, :" he said. 81
sm not afraid of ghosts and hobgoblins.
Ghosts do not eat people. 1 wish to see
it."
81 would as soon he'd eat me up as
scare me to death. Aunt make him
hush" she said pleadingly, She's only
trying to scare the children" So we lit
| tie ones drew nearer to our mother,
thinking if we could only touch her
garment we would be safe. BUS
mess had kept my father late at the store
that night, and queer kind of dread was
stealing over US all. Mother did not like
the turn the conversation had taken, and
kept saying 81 wish your father would
come. / always feel sad in a new house,
and this one has 30 many rambling, use
| less rooms"
We all knew that the story of the
haunted-house was in her heart. had
moved my cat. and she was sitting on the
rug At my mothers feet, and there was
an uneasy look in her wild eyes, too.
We had not moved in years before, but
my fathers pecuniary difficulties and
large family had induced him to take this
large house, because it was cheap and
roomy. OF course he did not believe the
story of its being haunted, although it
had remained without tenant for four
years, after the owner himself had left it
| for a finer residence in more fashions
| BILE neighborhood. He had made a for
tune here, and was extremely touchy on
the subject of the ghost who, it was
said, for four years past, had held nightly
revels IN its upper halls.
The house was three stories high. The
lower story comprised parlor, sitting
room, dining room, kitchen aad pan
try. Chloe, the only slave my father
owned at that time, occupied the kitchen
and carried the keyso the pantry. Above
| the sitting-roOm, on the second floor, run
ming the whole length of the building,
was a long hall or saloon, which had
been used by the owner as q billiard
saloon, and the long tables sill occupied
the floor.
A man had been killed in that room,
and this deed gave rise to the story. My
| mother was restless and uneasy, and
L W llelGu q PAUSE OCEui-
red in the conversation around the fire;
these signs affected the spirits of the little
ones, and Clara aud my brother ex-
changed glsnces significantly. We al
| became silent, and seemed To wait ard
listen for something, we knew not what,
Suddenly the silence was broken by
| the nurse, who sat with her hand on the
crib in which the baby was sleeping, ex-
| claiming: "Whsr's Aunt ChlOC?" No
one answered, but tie door slowly open
| ed, and Chloe stalked into the room, eau
tiously closing the door behind her, and
approaching the group at the fire, with
| both hands extended 10 enforce silence,
her white turbAn pushed far back over
Der kinky, grizzly hair, and her ears IN.
covered. "WIsctt as the matter, Chloes"
mother asked, as she drew near the fire.
81 heard s1D1,flm up thar" pointing
above. ''Listen!"
We did listen; one might have heard
a pin fall so deep was the silence in that
room. The brindIed cat DARED to the
door with bristling back, open, wild
looking eyes, iashing her long tail from
side to side menacingly, but not finger
moved, or breath broke the dead silence.
For we distinctly heard creeping, steslthy
footsteps moving about over the floor in
the hall above. And OH horror of hor
rora! there came three of the widest,
wailingest, mournfully prolonged shrieks
that ever fell upon my ears before
or since. Our brindled cat darted
under the bed, where she stood with
glaring eyes, flashing her tail and splitting
savsgely. The children rushed msdly On
my mother cEnging to her, and tumbling
over her, almost smotheriDg her beneath
their weight. But no word was spoken,
no voice was heard in all our fearful ter
ror, every one clinging desperately around
her, listening and waiting. Again, once,
twice three times, came the fearful sound,
the prolonged, wailing cry, echoing
through the empty rooms above, making
the hair stand on end, and freezing the
blood in 81 our veins. This time an
sWered by the old brindled cat under the
bed with corresponding wall, maddened
and furious with fright, and then all was
silent SIS before, save the creeping,
stealthy footsteps above.
In silence we waited, bat the creeping
footsteps was still heard, out from the
long hall, through the long corridor, Down
the stairs to the first landing. where they
ceased TO reach our ears. How long we
remained clinging to mother in our fear
!, | full terror none of Us could tell. The
front door opened, heavy steps sounded
in the hall, the door opened and my ia
Their entered the room. We all gathered
around him, each trying to explain the
cause of our great terror. He listened
with an incredulous look on his face he
evidently did not believe one word We
, were saying, and thought we were only
scared, and Imagination had created the
sounds we described. He took up the
candle saying with a smile, 81 will 60
: and find the ghost" Mother laid hel
hand on his arm to dissuade him. But
Chloe spoke up bravely and said, ''Come
on missus, and you too Mas Hick wild de
poker. Miss Clar' git de tongs. I'll
take de broom stick. Ole Marser here's
de shubble; an we'Il settle his hash fol
him.
; 'Never mind, Chloe" ne said. 90
| have my pistol. Sallie, stay here W II
! the children. Do not let them leave the
room. Come on, all of you, and we will
!, find the ghost" He threw open the dool