The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-03-30
A GHOST AT COLLEGE.

Uproar In n Tennessee Female Educational
Institute-A Speculative Apparition--
Who Owns the fropertvs-Digging for
Evidence-What wns Found Under
ground.
From The Memphis Aralanche March 5th.
South Memphis is in furore of ex-
citement over occurrences of supernat-
nral nature recently made public, and
which concern the Brinkley Female
College and its inmates. The college is
spacious frame structure, with rather
a sombre and dreary aspect, situated at
or near the intersection of Georgia and
De Soto streets. The school at present
numbers between forty and fifty pupils
of various ages, and of teachers, includ-
ing the principal and his wife, there are
some six or seven. Many of the pupils
come from afar and are boarders at the
institute, but not few who reside in
the city, and near the college, are but
day attendants. Among the latter is
Miss Clara Robinson, daughter of Mr..
Robinson, an attorney residing on De
Soto street, between Vance and Linden
streets. Her age is about 13 years, and
her temperament is of the nervous kind,
while her health is rather what might be
called delicate. Her experiences with
affairs claimed to be supernatural within
the last two weeks are more wonderful
and startling than the "Mysteries of
| Udolpho; or The Horrors of Kenil worth
Castle"
THE MYSTERY.
One week ago last Tuesday while Miss
Clara was alone in one of the rooms of
| ho ,<o o. bar
an apparition suddenly appeared before
her in the shape of a girl of about eight
years ofage, with sunken, lustreless eyes
and strikingly emaciated form and fea-
lures. The object was virtually skele-
ton in appearance, clad in dingy and
tattered dress of faded pink, which was
partly covered with a greenish and
Shiny fold. 1t seemed also to be trans
parent. A sad expression rested upon
the features of the strange visitor. Nat
urally frightened, Clara ran into an ad-
joining room and sprang into bed with
sick girl, at the same time motioning
with her hand to
THE UNSIGHTLY OBJECT
to begone. The apparition advanced,
however, with slow and noiseless steps to
the bedside, and laid an emaciated hand
on the pillow, while Clara, aghast and
speechless with terror, was never thrown
into spasms, but all the time motioned
away the object, which finally disappear
ed through a side door, as noiselessly as
it had entered. The apparition not ap-
pearing next day, Clara's tranquility of
mind was about restored. On Thursday,
however, while again practising at the
piano in the music room, two other
young ladies being present, she was
startled by an unusual noise, as if by
some water being dashed over the floor,
and on turning her head in the direc-
tion of the sound, was dismayed at the
appearance of the same spectral-looking
visitor of two days before. 1t was seen
by all three, more distinctly by Clara
than the others, and the trio fled in ter
ror from the presence of the fearful ap-
partition, ghost, goblin, or whatever it
might be. The story was again told,
and was ridiculed as nonsensical, as in the
first instance, notwithstanding the tes-
timony of the two young ladies who
were in the room with Miss Clara, to
whom, however, the figure appeared
rather shadowy, though to their friend
| III WAS well u6Ilu6u anu ulSulnCC.
APPARITIoN THE THIRD.
Last Tuesday the ghost appeared at
the same place and under like circum-
stances. Miss Clara ran down stairs in
great alright, and, trembling like an
aspen, related the occurrence to Miss
Jockey Boone, one of the teachers, who
induced the girl to return with her tc
hn Ac h.
;. door the figure stood plainly in view to
Clara, but only imperfeotly in the eyes
of Miss Boone. Induced to address hel
strange visitor, Clara asked what it wa.
doing there and what it wanted. Point
ing a thin, ghastly-looking finger in {
southerly direction,
THE GHOST REPLIED
that under a stump, some fifty yard
from the house, were secreted some val
, uables which she would have Miss Clar,
take possession of, and use to her ad
vantage. Miss Boone heard rumblins
noise, but could not distinguish any
words, but pupil present at the tim,
relates that words similar to those hear(
by Miss Clara were distinct to her ear
also. Having spoken as above, the OBJ
ject vanished through the garret door a
on former occasions. Dismay now pre-
vailed throughout the institute, anC
, there were none to ridicule or to ques
ton. Clara Robinson related the full
particulars to her father when she wen
home on Tuesday night, who next da,
visited the college and had consulta
ton with Mr.. and Mrs. Meredith abou
the matter. 1t was agreed that the af
fair should undergo rigid investiga
, |, ton, as it was doing no good to the rep
utation of the college, while little Clar
was much troubled and disturbed il
mind.
/, THE FOURTH VISITATION.
Mr.. and Mrs. Meredith believing the
: were being duped by some practices
? Joker, undertook to investigate the mat
ter. With this object in view, they O
: Thursday last had every pupil of th
: college assembled in one of the hall
3 Miss Clara was sent into the yard Will
A the remaining scholars were being quei
!, toned and examined. She walked qui
/ city around the house, and while en-
!, gagged pointing pencil some fifty yard
t from the building, the apparition sue
: denly appeared before her, not mol
than half dozen feet away. She a
O tempted to scream, but the vision spoil
y quickly, in mild, pleasant tone, an
6 said Don't be alarmed, Clara,
n MY NAME is LIZZIE.