The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-03-11
A SENATOR'S GHOST STORY.
How Mr.. Ransom, OF North Carollan
Solved n Weird Mystery.

Solved a Weird Mystery.
Washington Cor. Augusta (Ga.) Chronicel.l
Therei is an element Of superstition in all
mankind. In most cases Senator Ransom,
Of North Carolina, has very clear, cogent,
end practical ideas, but he lost his balance
once. His house burned down, not so very
long ago, nothing remaining but the chim-
neys and some charred beams around
them, except a fragile stairway. The
Senator and his family removed to an
other residence, short distance from the
old home, and in full, melancholy view Of
IT.. One night, when the moon was young
and feeble the negroes on the place ran
affrighted to the Senator and told him that
they had seen ghosts walking ON the top
Of the burned dwelling, or rather darting
swiftly all about It'll Their terror was
genuine, and did not abate when he
laughed at their story, and proceeded In
his vivid diplomatic way to demonstrate
that hobgoblins were mere projections Of
disturbed and fanciful stomach. He was
begged to come out and see for himself.
Yielding to entreaty, he stepped outside
and looked toward the ruin. The long
chimney stood gaunt and forlorn. The
blackened rafters were discerned, cob
web-like, against the misty horizon. But
no sign or life or motion could be detected.
Soon, however, a wild chorus Of prayerful
and fearful calculations came from the ne
groes, interspersed with muffied cries of
"Look dar, Mas'r Mat! Look darW The
General, who had faced bullets and Con-
gressmen, nowise daunted, cas-. a sharp
glance as directed toward the skeleton of
his house. He was amazed to see white
spectral, quick-hashing phantoms chasing
each other over the chimney aud
along the remnant Of the roof. A cold
chill invaded his spinal marrow, but pull
ing himself together, he said: "Let US all
go together and find out what It Is" The
negroes would not bulge. Finally the
General said: ''If you are too cowardly to
go there will go by myself. The negroes
took hold Of him with affectlonate violenc Q
and implored him 10 remain. Disengaging
himself he stated TO them that he would
penetrate the mystery II he died In the at
tempt. He confessed afterward that his
heart beat tumultuously in his breast and
goosenesh grew on his backbone, but moth
ing could have obstructed him short Of
dissolution, He marched to the haunted
house intrepidly, but with more mis-
givings than he had ever experienced
when receiving the onset Of mortal foo
man In the ranks Of war. The
apparitions continued TO scamper about
,ud anoaaroH e. !. ...ux... L.. ,.kt. ..u-.s<..- :
lions. he resvn1bied Booths Hamlet and
all the weird stories Of his boyhood with
startling perspicacity. He began TO see
all his sins In their professional enormity.
God never boforo seemed 80 majestic and
virtue so real and attractive Finally,
with big beads Of sweat on his brow and
his brain In a whirl, he reached spot very
close to the spectral house and awaited
further developments. All was still. He
picked up a stone and sent II crashing
among the splinters OF the roof. Then
there was q mighty rush Of most sub
stantlal figures, and down from the giddy
emlnence poured a column of goats, led
by q venerable and ill-smelling Billy.
There was an instantaneous reaction upon
tno Vohornis Pers anu NO ihuBnou untii
his sides ached. Going back to the ter
riied gentlemen Of African descent, he
rallied them boisterously upon their ridlc-
ulous fears and abject cravenness, ending
with the injunction that when they started
any more ghosts TO give him the contract
Of dispensing them, rs he was "born In
sepsible to fear, and would eat the Witch
of Endor on toast, II parboiled and well
favored"