The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-10-23

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Shelly and his wife. Captain and nv.
self had grown to be such good friends
that we had taken several strolls together
over the land.
Notwithstanding my host and hostess
appeared to be affectiouately attached to
each other, there was certainly some.
thing wrong at the farm and it could not
escape an observant eye. Once or twice
l had come upon Mr. Shelly and his wife
unexpectedly and thought detected
traces of tears in her eyes, while her
manner evidently betrayed fear. Still her
husband was so kind all the while that |
could not avoid pondering on the matter.
l never in.ruded my presence upon them
if could avoid it, but it sometimes
would occur in spite of me.
One efternoon came into the room
abruptly and found Mr. Shelly tanning
hic wife and caught remark he uttered
with strong emphasis. "We must sell
this place." he said, "for it appears i'm.
possible 70. you to have days happi.
ness here, and would sooner sacrifice It
than see you die slowly before my eyes.
Oh, It's too hard |" aud he kissed her
brow.
Turning about, he saw me and knew
had heard his expression.
| II think will lie down." said Mrs.
Shelly, and as she passed me 1 noticed
her face was as pale as the dead.
| When she had gone up stairs Mr..
Shelly turned to me and said IL SUP.
pose you perceive there is something
amiss here. You see no hands about the
place and general state Of idleness
| reigns supreme. OF course there is a
reason for it, and am going to tell you
what it means. The only thing I am
afraid of is that you may consider me
madman or fool, but l swear to you
! what am about to relate is as true rs
holy 1:ii. ! ani an foneeE man, Dir, and
truthful one, consequently do not lie
when say we have an-apparition-in
| short. ghost here. pray you do not
hastily imagine that l am a weak and
| superstitious man; you shall be con.
vinced, for you may see the whole mat.
| ter with your own eyes and then Judge
for yourself. My wife's health has been
failing ever since this thing came about
and it breaks my heart TO witness her
| sufferings. l can't find ready purchaser
for the place, and old Reuben is the only
person who will remain with me, but,
you see, he hides as much as possible in
doors. Look" he continued, pointing
across the road to a piece of woodland,
"do you observe yonder fallen tree 2"
gazed in the direction indicated and
saw the trunk of large tree lying prone
on the ground. 1t was, in fact. huge
log, from which the bark had long been
peeled. "We!i," be continued, cat irreg.
ular intervals the apparition appears on
that fallen tree, arrayed in the traditional
white drapery, and it walks up and down,
swayins 10 and fro and all the time
- A.
half hour ago it was visible, but it van.
:shss as quickly as it appears. I am not
under any powerful hallucination. l
am rational, sane man, and what tell
you is the earnest truth"
~ have witnessed scme strange affairs
myself" rejoined, "but let me ask you
if you are positively sure there is no
trick in the thing?"
He gave hollow laugh. Hanging
in the house." he said, is my repeating
rifle. Men will tell you that I am the
best shot in the country and that's say
ing good deal. can kill sparrow,
and perhaps butterfly. You obeerve
that log is not more than nifty yards
distant, and yet swear to you I have
repeatedly drawn q dead aim on the
thing as it danced plainly in sight. 1
have fired, but still it always stood shRk.
ing it's arms wildly in the mir. I've shot
dozens of times at it but l can't kill it,
fo- it is not human"
"No enc wculd .ry the prank for some
motive O, other?" questioned. "For
instance, suppose they wished to buy the
place cheapiy, perhaps this ghost story
might induce you to sell at q sacrifice"
'Do you think" he returned quickly,
that any one who knows Abel Shelly
would care to assume such desperate
chances before his rifle7 Oh, no. There
is nobody who would take that risk.
Besides, should have killed it long ago
if there was anything to kill. 1t always
comes in the afternoon" continued
Shelly, "but never at night. You per.
ceive it reverses the accepted time of
nocturnal visitation"
II do not consider myself more coura-
"but would be glad if you would notify
...e :f this object appears again during
my stay. Perhaps may be able to in.
vestisate more satisfactorily than you
havS G0De."
every woll," he replied, ~ will do
so."
had sweet sleep that night and no.
ghost haunted my dreams, and it was
only when I awakened that recalled
the conversation of the previous d:y.
could not doubt that Mr.. Shelly and his
wife were beth thoroughly honestin their
convictions, still I could not bring
myself to accept the thing as supernatI.
raj. I.dresseS and, as WAS my custom,
went out to the kennel to visit my friend
Captain, for by this time there wes
mutual attachment between ius aud /
would sooner haze trusted the beasts
loyalty than would most mems. With
Captain for an ally should feel com-
pafatively safe, for he was the very
perfection of bravery.
The day was pleasant, there was net
cloud in the sky, and gentle wind blew
with delicious coolness. Dinner had
been very late, for Mrs. Shelly was not
we'll. It was drawing towards 5 o'clock
when took my accustomed seat on the
porch with my pipe. Shelly joined me !;
his wife was sitting inside by the window.
My eyes were involuntarily turning
towards the fallen tree. Shelly OWNED
my thoughts, for. he shook his head
gravely, smoked on and said nothing.
Suddenly there came half.suppressed,
cry from Mrs. Shelly, and at the same
instant her husband exclaimed: "There,
don't you see 1t Look !"
gazed steadily at the spot, but could
discern nothing unusual, and told him
"And you don't zee it," he cried.
"Watch how it waves Its arms towards
us and dances on the !og."
/ arOsa IN NV feet and went tn the