San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-07-06
A REAL SPO0K STORY.
A Horse stopping and Trembling with
Terror mt the Scene OF a Murder.

There was fearful runaway of a
frightened horse on Wednesday night
on the turnpike between Mohrsville and
Shoemakerville. The occupants of the
light wagon were James Daubley, a
drover of Montgomery County, and his
hired man, Henry Schmeck. These
men related their adventures to several
friends in this city the next morning,
the following of which is gist of the
story as told by Mr.. Daubley:
"We were coming down the road on
Wednesday night at about 10 o'clock.
We had been up along the Blue Noun
tains. / know where John Diehl muir
dered his victim, Harlan, and threw him
into the small creek from the narrow
bridge across the road. / also know the
island where Alkaline Weaver was drag
ged by man and killed. 1 have also
heard of one other murder, but never
believed in ghosts or hobgoblins.
"The road was very dark and lonely,
but 1 had good, gentle horse, and just
let him pick out his own road, and we
went along all right. But on Wednes-
day night something happened to me
that never want to happen again. I
am not drinking man, nor do 1 take
it as medicine. 1 had nap in the af-
ternoon, and when left my customers
above Hamburg never felt better in my
life.
"We passed Shoemakerville at about
ten o'clock, crossed the bridge all right,
and drove along slowly down the road.
Suddenly the horse gave start as
bright object skipped across the road
in front Of us. The horse SHE'D, and
both of us men saw the light. I'm no
fool, and l know that l did not see dou-
BILE that night or dream any thing,
either. The bright object skipped as a
sheep runs, and suddenly it took a jump
and leaped over tree twenty feet high
and disappeared. Our horse snorted.
Suddenly across the meadow or low
land saw the same thing. 1t went up
into the air twenty or thirty feet and
then came down and whirled over to the
road again. The light thing crossed the
pike and then we heard low singing.
1t stopped near enough for us to see it
plain. My hired man jumped into the
road and caught hold of the horse's bri-
die. He threw a colored handkerchief
over the horse's eyes, as the animal
trembled like leaf.
"The singing became little louder,
but l could not make out the words. I
own up that for once in my life was
scared. The horse stood still and
trembled. The bright object might
have been fifty yards from me. 1t
seemed to be hanging from tree about
three feet from the ground. When l
became little more cool Thought it
was the form of a woman. 1t had long
hair and was dressed all in white. The
arms were bare, and with one of them
extended, it pointed toward the black
woods over the canal. Then think l
heard these words from her: 'They
dragged me down, they dragged me
down. l am sure she said those words,
but the last won't be sure about. They
were these: MY poor life was robbed,
was robbed, when they murdered mel
Suddenly I thought of the murdered
young woman. My hired men saw and
heard all that I did, but neither spoke
word.
"Then the white form shot up through
the branches and seemed to float around
in circle, leaving bright trail after
her, until there was lightish circle in
the air that looked like a ring around
the sun. Then it sang,..'I come,
come, the hour is here The last word
she fairly shrieked, and the horse rose
on his launches, and the hired man fell
on his back in the mud. saw the fig
ure shoot off into the black night, and
in minute it was gone. 1t was little
time before we got started, as the horse
would not 60 faster than a smart walk,
his head was well up and his tail ex-
tended.
GA horse can see sharper than man
at night, in my judgment, and my horse
has pair of good eyes. We had not
gone very far before the animal gave a
snort and reared again. l did not see
any thing but knew the horse did. My
hired man again jumped out, and held
him at the bride. looked ahead and
about quarter of mile / saw a blush