Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-12-16
Ghosts III Abundance.

| Ghosts III ASEnss;snce'
, Tic Thonpscn farm used to be one of tho
f0est in Stcring, Mss, aad its owners were
famous fer thcic Hospitality. The grandfather
of the present TEompsca il still remembered
for his opa1 handed ways. and his decorated
tea set AID vine glasses a;c still preserved 10
the family. O1c Of tho wine glasses, much
larger ehgn the Others is known as the min
ister's glass" Now, the old house Is but ths
ghost of its toTmes self. =,
The Thompso had pretty nearly reached
that stage Of poverty from yd!ch there 10 no
relief but the poor farm, when q man came
down frorl New Hampshire. Ills name was
Jaquitb; he hailed from hes1e; he brought a
| little money with hinl, and h;5 uoole, Daniel
| Thonp psoo, gladly acc opted bis offer to work
| the farm on shares.
For awhile the men got along we'll enough
| together Then there was quarrel, which
| Vas ell the nore uGtortuaato as the Thomp-
| soos lived iG Ole half Of the old house and ia
| quith in the other. TIE back yard was used
| 10 COMMON by both families,
! One day Mr.. Jaqulth was crossing this, ,Wnon
he suddenly became aware that Z stone had
been thrown al him lie stopped Indignantly,
but there was no ono in S! ghr. Presently au.
| other stone came tumbliag at his feet There
| was snow on the ground and sLoueS were cot
handy. After that Jaquiih could not 50 cut
! without being asslled b7 stones from unseen
hands, They seemed 10 drop from the sky IL
| self. Although to most men 1t seems rather
remarkable thing to have Stones drop on them
| from the sky, the pheaomenon seemed to make
| little impression On J2ga,;h. Bat Worsa WAS
| to cou.e.
Jaqaith bad been Joos sonao stopping in
/ r C,pn .,tha, L..
started for homs lis story # The ride is bast
told io hi- oWa words, whloh the editor of the
Clinton C2ucaut took t:oWa :coCo his own lips:
IN her | got to the turn from the main road
| to the barrow ou5 leading TO my house, my
mare jumped. Sac na1ar iuaps, but this tlns
| she shveret of. / turaei 10, AID had got about
| half way ia tho woods whgn the mare umped
| again. The rea5 Earo banging loose, and as L
| pulled them Up | saw something With onc hand
| on the dashboard aad the other on the horses
fump. There was GO mistake, Ter there Was
| uoon enough 10 sec p!alaIy. l saw II, and
| took my whip out aui struck at il. l suppose
sEruci. the mare, ihr as soGn a. dtew tha
whip up she struck laro run. Upon that
| Saw the objsot cone Up as though ttom under
The buggy, aad the mare vas caunlBg Jest s5
! hard as che could, aad sn0ItlUg toud enough To
| DC heard half nile. | struck at Inc form ss
! best could with the Whlo lash, but whatever
| it vas. my wnip fell through it s5 though It.
/ had been steam from the mouth OF = kettle. l
| upDose | struck the marc ae2ln. Ter she went
of o. I!vcier rate than D:iore. stopped over
| TO pick 30 IT,? rc!ns sga!u, ':hcn l telI TWO
| slight touches on ny 5;eh. J. iurned around,
and thcre, with bis tWo long. booy bands clutch.
| ing tho buggy back, was the head ard shoulders
| Of = mag, dropDad the re!Gs ard took tho
/ Quit Of my whip, aad with the marc running
over tho uneven ground, / laid the butt over
| she thing with all 5ly strength; out it had no
more cffeot than if wss beating the cir. |
| cuss I'd and damocd. bu. the thlag still hung
| on tor aomaa: icugeT, a5d theo disappeared.
! My hands we're ir2Hl5llns, when l took the
| rcius assi1, s1d :Do mare brought r1o homo
pretty lively. AS nea. as can represent, the
| tbiog vas dressed auca l!ko & rElcst, 10 whlta
rooe, which covered is i:se. There was
! striar drawn il the ncc& Ike butchers
| trcck; his slarrca y7eIa lo2g and full ct the
boton. Ills hair Was iu!5 as white as the
! purast sl0w, anl vas comhol very smooth and
evenly back ftoul bis tomp Pies, aad parted III
fhe middle. Ha had 40 co7cring for his head
| He vas al old tnGn, with :. very spare tac;,
without teeth, ao1, should think, eoout s'2
| feet high. His t"c3 had :he appearance CT
| dead mans face.
! Jsqui:h aaw the form again cot loDg after,
and tried the effect OF bidding it ia Gods name
| b gone. IL acver moved a muscle lslcl untll
| spoke" ho says, Chen it slowly fo,ded It's
| arms, lay Gown, sld weDt cut OF sight.
Since ihen the oi.; y'hompson pace secns es
| full ct spirits IS VAS Al!owa7 Xix 10 Tam o
Skaters Iin,e. Stones ere thrown. NolseE,
groaae. siamUiog OF dooTa, 1uitllng OF garments
are heard, and bedclo,hcs are Gl5arrangeG. An
| honest working uIaa CT the name OF Currant,
! employed s. hayiag ior J2GI:th. could cot sleep
io the old gsTros because ;nlpg5 vent crawling
over hira, ard ivr,n DroWied about, openlng
and shuttiog cheSta Martha fhomps n,agad II,
yes afraid 10 sleep ir the garTet. Oac ulght sho
| refused TO 70 to bed there, and Mrs. JaQulLh,
takiog lamp, Veut up With Martha Thompson
to briog down the bedcothes,in order 10 make up
q flo ,r bed. AZ they reached the garrett Martha
screamed, AID Mrs Jsquith looked up.
There "a: s. strange old man. ae LOGGED 81
them botb but did not move. They hed and
cslied Sir. Thompson When ho csme the old
man Was gone. Ihe lit.!e glil ssld sns6 ING ota
man was dressed in white, was pale, and had
long skinny hands. Little Annie Thompson;
aged 8. says she has several times seen an Old
man, dressei in white, walking around With
| cane.
sccoul t.blo nOsesa5oUt the plscs for years. eul
! nothing 50 very remarkable until lately. a
short time ago IN cespoH:e - 3 rsp on the WIZ
. dow, ahs 10 5E ed and SAY person outside. She
| couldn't tell Whethor il Ws, InHn or q woman.
II was dressed III q TEi;e -o5e, gathered ST the
| nens It. lace Was dcu!h-liko, and It's fingers Ions
; and toay.
.Uno night .hey hung sote outside the door
: requesting visiting spl:its TO leave their auto.
eraohs tlere n. ihs mex! morning it bore the
| Signature OF 1ir. Tlomp=oE's moLner.
= On the Ibon DS4n tsr1i ,aere Is grave o. cne
of the little children Of the family, and not iona
sioce in the sand near by, AS il lttle 1nger mao
Irsce; it :bera appeared iris psihetic sentence
Here / IL sli alone" Poor Baby
Jsquith, who seems 10 be sn honest man p..;S hss
. left the Thomson p's:o ard moved to berin
Mass. Mr. Thompson Is = man or eccentTi'
+ 5.hits Ho now lives by him se!fin hut at tht
;. edge of The woods. tdi!t On. the spot Wnere ne
once cut msn do*a woo cad committed SUI ut
- eide 5y hanging. 10 dresses ocullsriy, and
n uesrs his hair IL pug. lie wss nowhere hboul
K whep VISITED lhe Esr nesi house: 1t IS sa1 tns
Q ne spends good deal o: time il solitary wan
| derings.-N. I..SuS