Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-03-06
A sEMAToR.s GHOST STORY.
How fsr. Ransom. OF North Caroilan
solved = Weird Mystery.

How asr Ransom. OF North CaroIIan.
~oived Weird Mystery.
twasbington Cor. Augusta (Ga.) ChroniceLi
There Is al element 0s superstition IN all
mankind. In most cases Senator Ransom,
OF North Carolina. has very q ar. cogent,
AMI practical ideas, but he lost his balance
once His house burned down, not 80 very
l0nx ago, nothing remaining but the CHM
neys and some ch trred beams around
them. except a fragile stairway. Tae
senator and his family removed 20 an
other resiiencs. a short distance from ia e
old home. and in full. melanchoy y view Of
it. One night. when the moon was young
and feeble the negroes on the place ran
aigrigh.ed 70 the Senator and told him that
they bad seen ghosts walking on the top
Cf the burned dwelling. or rather darting
swiftly an about it, Their terror was
genuine and dill not abate when he
laughed at their story. aud proceeded in
bis vivid diplomatic way % demonstrate
that hol COLLINS we're mere projections OF a
disturbed and fanciful stomach He was
begged Q, come out and see for himsslf
Yielding % eutreaty. hs stepped outsid .
and hooked toward the ruin The long
chimney stood gaunt and f0rIorn. The
blacksned rafters we're disceraed. c1b-
web-ike. against the misty horizon. But
no sign o. lie OF motion could be detected.
soon, however. a wild chorus Of prayerful
and fearful calculations came from the Re-
groes. igtersperssd with maffiei cries og
Look lar. Mas'r Mat Look dar.' The
General who had faced bullets aud Con-
Eressmsn. uowisa aauntei. cas- sharp
glance ss directed toward the skeleton OF
his house Hs vas amazed O. sec white
spectral, quick flashing phantoms chasing
each other over the chimney and
along tao remnant of she root A coid
,hill nv led his spinal marrow, but pull
ing himself together. he said. Let ia All
60 to<etaar AMI insl out wba, e. is~ The
oegroes would not bulge. Finally shs
General SAID. "If you ara too cowardlv 90
e. there I wiz go by myself The negroes
TOOK h,,id al him with afectionats violence
aad imrlorsd him to remain. Disencagina
himself he stste'l to them that he woald
penetrase the mystery II ha died In th, A.
tempt He ooofsssef afserxarsl that his
heart ieat iumulfBo1sfv n his b~eass nnf
xooscfesh grew on his hackhana. but Moth
inr eusud have otstructsf him short If
diss0'ftion. tIe msrchei ~ tha kanufad
houss inereriilv. hut with Esore mis-
Eivings t3an he hsf ever experienced
whets recelrInE t1e opsat of m srtaI foe
man en- the RANKS ~ var. The
spparitions eontinae3 60 srauauer ahout
AMI appeared 81 sssuaie Il xantie rropor-
tinns. IL resenshlai Booth's Han1iet ant
AT sbe weiri cries = his bovaost With
sfartlia- psrsnicscitv. H began - see
al a,s sias ln th-ir professional er,rriftr.
cod i.ever tefere seemed 30 majestic an8
VIRTUE - rFai ard attractive. FINALLY.
~itd ifg beads ri sweet on h,s brow AMI
AS tvsia in q wairl. be reached srof very
close - the spectrai aonsa aaf ava f..s
further Developments. All was s-lL IA
pickesl ec sssne sni ssnt f crssrf,s
aanen.s tee srlinrers aE tha r,of Then
tAere wts = mighty rush ~ most snb-
stanti Al d.Eures. aad 35ra fran, tha rlffv
eiasaenee ragrei a caiama ~ zaafs "a
tv venerable sn1 .l.- sfnelliax HlEr.
raere vas an fastantateofs rssefsan apaa
the Geeefai nsr-. ard he ian4A.d rarii
MS slee achei eoia1 hack ts fhe esr-
rfet 9sotieufsa 81 AR can aeScea he
raiiiei sh.1u be.sssraslsir upon taeir ri.ii..-
u'css feers ani shie-t rraweun-ss. snl..sa
stth he Iniosess.n taat Shsn sssv arse.s
s1T ieefs Ehosts - give alsn ts.s >.nfrst-
81 t<pefzlst ftefa. as - ga. - RI ~
sessil,ie - faar. srs weoid 4at fae Witch
- sssisr ~ sasse. + psre.ssse.f AMI ~el
asv~~se