Mexico weekly ledger., 1884-09-18
A HAUNTED HILL.
THE REMARKABLE STORY OF A
MISSOURI MYSTERY.

MISSOURI MYSTERY.
A Strange Apparitien-A Lonely Cave,
and the Catastrophes That Have Oe.
Cured to Numerous Equipages.
From the New York City Evening Telegram,
September 4.
Haunted houses are not uncom-
mon. Everybody has read Dickens
"The Haunted Man and the Ghosts
Bargain" and even haunted ship
has sometimes been heard of but it
has remained for recent times and
the State of Missouri to produce so
extensive supernatural locality as
Haunted Hill.''
RELIGIOUS VILLAGE IN MISSOURI.
The town Of Mexico, the capital
of Audrain county, Mo-, is a thriv-
ing settlement Of about 5000 inhab-
itants, situated on a branch of Salt
River, but with no specially marked
political popularity on that account.
Indeed, it would appear that its lead
ing characteristics are religious and
educational, since it has no fewer
than ten churches ian average of
one to every 600 inhabitants-men,
women and children) and an estab-
lishment for the higher education of
young women, Hardin College.
But neither its numerous religious
structures, nor its accommodations
for the culture of the fair sex render
the town of Mexico proof against su-
psgnatural visitation of peculiarly
refractory kind.
THE 'GHosT DISTRICT"
Here the customary and too obvi-
GUS ghost does not confine himself
within ordinary metes and bounds,
but ranges at his own sweet will in
the dread hours Of the night over a
tract of country just west of thriving
Mexico, and which, by reason of his
frequent visitation, is known as the
"Ghost District" And in this Sec
ton it is related that there is a pain.
fully long, embarrassing and gloomy
activity known to the surrounding
country by the lugubrious designation
Of "The Haunted Hill," and abou,
which cling traditions of an ultra
supernatural character calculated tc
breed dlsmay In the pluckiest human
breast. The main county road runs
over this hill, and it would naturally
be principal thoroughfare for tha
part OF the country. And this it was
until the occurrence of q startling
and numerous series of casualties il
that immediate locality gave it al
evil name and caused it to be deserted
for purposes of transportation, saw
when necessity absolutely required
its use.
RUNAwAYs, ACCIDENTS AND DISASTERS
The farmers who live in the neigh
borhood of the ''Haunted Hill'' stat
that within the past year there hav'
been as many as fifty runaways
smash-ups and other accidents to We
hicles, with serious injury to limb
and even occasional loss of life. Thi
is the more unaccountable that tn
road is a good one, well kept up, an
> that no possible reason can be as
signed by the existence there of an
object, alarming in its nature, whic
should frightcn horses and caus
them to turn wild, as they do, an
run from it, breaking, overturning an
generally damaging the vehicles t
which they are attached and their o.
cupants. Here old fragments {
buggies, carryalls, driving wagon
and buck-boards can be seen strev
Ii ing the side of the road over the el
tire hill. No sooner (goes the, story
does team commence the ascent {
= descent of the fateful hill than ii
horse lays back his ears, perspiratio
starts from his skin and foam fro
his mouth, he becomes restless ar
nervous, SHES at everything he see
and finishes by rearing, bucklng an
finally tearing along the road, zig-za
r generally smashing his wagon, al
fleeing himself, as though pursued |
the Evil One.
BAD FOR THE YOUNG LADIES.
The young ladies of Hardin Cc
lege, like other young people, a
fond of driving, and are allowed
certain latitude in that respect; tt
number Of young male cousins al
brothers-in-law in Mexico bell
, quite up to the possible limits of su
connection and eonsanguini*y. T
hill road being a pleasant one
many respects, beside being the ms
route leading everywhere, it was nj
urally the scene of many pleasa
driving parties-until its bad repu'
n ton became thoroughly establishe
When, however, the young ladies b
been spilled by dozens into the grs
or among the stones -- promisi
fiirtations and even engagements
. ing thus rudely interrupted or {
I structed.-no young female colleg1
1l could be induced to 60 out with
hast vouup man driving. until he