The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-10-21

II know q lady who saw sure
enough ghost" interrupted gentle
man from Fulton. "Her name is Aunt
Martha, and she lived out here near
the river. Her house lay between the
lines when the Federals were passing
Atlanta. Several years after the war
she picked up a skull on her farm,
which she carried home and placed un-
der the head of her bed. That night
she had a most horrible dream. A
man without head was walking around
the house crying out mournfully for
something which he had lost. At last
the latch was lifted, the door was
opened. the figure stepped in, walking
briskly up to the bedside, exclaimed IN
thunder tones, Il want my headP The
lady opened her eyes, and found her
self sitting up in bed with the skull in
her hand, in the act of giving it to the
owner. He adjusted it on his shout
ders, and, bowling his thanks, left the
house."
This story aroused Walton County
man, who lives near haunted house.
1T was one of the finest houses In
Walton County before the war, but
when the owner went to the front the
family left, and the house was unin-
habited. One day strange lady and
gentleman, with beautiful 15-year-old
girl, were seen moving about the house.
They made no acquaintances, and no
one knew them. Stories began TO circu-
late that at the hour of midnight ter
rible cries of pain could be heard from
the house. Then the cries ceased, and
no one was seen around the place. A
committee of curious people entered
the house for investigation one day.
The lady was found chained to the wall
with provisions within reach, but no
trace of the man or the girl could be
found. The woman refused TO talk, and
that night disappeared. Ever since
that time strange noises have been
heard in that house. A dozen people
have tried to live in it, but in vain.
One of the most recent tenants was n
preacher. He boldly declared his pur-
pose to rely on the power of prayer.
One of the first sights beheld by the
people at dawn next day was a wagon
loaded with the preachers furniture
and family. He shook his head sadly
when questioned, and re used to make
any answer"
A listener from Sumter County, who
had exhibited the greatest interest in
the relation of the above stories, claim
ed the telling of the next. "One of the
first settlers of Sumter, whose name
was prominent in public matters, had
daugher on whom his heart was set.
She was of graceful mold, jet-black
tresses streamed down over her should
ers, her eyes were of the softest blue,
and her lips of the most tempting red.
Her spirits dropped, and the brilliancy
of her eyes faded. The father pressed
her for the cause of her grief. only to
discover, to his indignation, that she
deeply loved the teacher who had re-
Gently taken charge of the local school.
The old gentleman, as one of the irus-
tess, had the offender at once dismissed,
and ordered him away from the coun-
try. When he went home his daughter
was missing. His first thought was
that she had eloped, but on looking at
bend in the Muckalee River, where
the girl used to spend much of her
time in meditation, he saw in the rushes
the outline of a white figure. 1t proved
to be the dead body of his daughter.
In her breast was found note. Dear
Father: AS you refuse to agree to my
happiness here, have sought my
bridal in the Muckalee. Good-by'
The old man went home and was found
dead next morning. And now, strange
to say, on the night of the anniversary
of this tragedy the figure of fair
young CARL can be seen running wildly
along the banks of the Muckalee. /
have never seen it myself, but my
father often has. ATLANTA ConstitI-
ton.