Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-07-28
A Ghost Story.

A curious circumstance happened to my
father when he was very young man. IL
lived at some distance from tho dwelling of
the girl vino afterwards became his wife
and my mother. He had to work and wait
for her for several years, and as for her
sake he applied very closely to his business,
they seldom met. But occasionally, after
his days work was over, he took worry long
walk into tho next county, to get glimpse
OF her fair face, and perolancc the treat
of quiet talk. On one of these rare oc.
rasions he bcthought himself of short
cut through village churohyard. 1t was
not very easy of access, for the gate was
locked, uhd brook of somo depth swept
Totnd part of the outer WALL but he was
young ond active, and eager 10 gain time;
30, after somewhat stiff climb, he found
himself within the limits of the consecra.
ted ground.
It was clear moonlight night, and the
tombstones stood around him in close and
venerable array. Suddenly he saw somoe,
thing which made him start and pause.
From beneath the shadow of tic church
wall, tall white figure glided stoalthily out
Into tho light My father quietly rctrcate3
behind tombstone and watched. The
figure advanced; he scanned it carefully;
and beneath the white robos 1utteripg in
tho night aif, he behcld q very substantial
pair Of boots!
Said he to hiusclf: "Do ghosts wear
boots? wonder who makes them,' and ho
decided on having a CLOSER inspection of
this mysterious churchyard apparilion. The
figure moved on; my father quietly followed,
keeping we'll 10 the shadow of tho tomb
stones. After some little time spent in this
kind Of lodging, the ghost advanced to a
pnrt Of the wall overlooking the road aud
the stream, and took up its position on tho
top of it. In second my father camo
behind, and With strong ond sudden push
trippcd the nnlncky ghost into The stream
which rippled below IIo heard plunge
aud shout, waited few moments to see
that tho fellow had struggled safely to the
other eide, minus his white sh ct, then
turned and sped on his way, rejoicing at
having hit on SO novel and expeditions a
method of "luying ghost"
Years passed away. My father married
the lady Of his choice, and they shared tho
usual course of life's vicissitudes together.
Long after her death, he took mo to visit
tho sccuc Of his carly wooing aud the home
of her girlhood. Oa our way from the
railroad station we drove through a village
from which funeral procession was issu-
ing ip SOLEMN pomp to tho ohurchyard. AS
VIC returned, we stopped for an hour at tho
inn ond ordered luncheon. Like most Of
his class, our host was ohatty aud commu-
1icative, and at once entered into conversa-
ton. "Pleasant weather, gentlemen. We
have had largo funeral here to day; the
largest known in these parts for many year.
Wo all wished to STOW respect to our Oldest
inhabitant, William Dawkns. A very
civil fellow was Bill. Many q story of tho
good old times he used to tell. And he
had some queer adventures of his own, too,
to talk about. You'll scarco credit me,
gentlemen, but tits fact that that man had
seon ghost"
"a ghost!" exclaimed my father, whose
natural sceptioism on that subject had been
long since strengthened by tho incident l
have related. "Hc dreamed of one, l
suppose, or on extra glass of alo had gono to
his head"
nothing Of tho kind sir" replied the
landlord with great seriousness. "Bill not
only saw ghost, but felt it, and that pretty
sharply, can tell you. Tho way ho fell
in with it was this. Some Of our lads had
gone to fair that was held few miles
away, and Bill wanted to frighten tho young
fellows on thoir way home; go he just
climbed into the ohurohyard, wrapped q
sheet about him, and waited about till he
thougl they were close at hand. He was
stand n, on bit Of wall just above the
road, when ho heard a stcalthy tread CONS