Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-18
SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS: THURSDAY. MARCH 49, 1886.
LIGHT AND SPIRITS.
A Chastity Sensation in Palatka-A
Shining Terror.
From The Palatha lFEa.l Nesss.

From the Pollthd (FEd.) Gee0s.
We have hesitated for some days to
give the following particulars to the pub
lie. Anything like notoriety would be
distasteful to the parties concerned, and
without calling names the marvelov's is
apt to be incredible. But we give only
plain facts well known to most reputable
people in Palatka, and they present so
many interesting features that we can
not resist the temptation to make them
public.
-Four winters ago gentleman in feeble
health visited our city and secured a
room at a house that shall be nameless.
He was carefully nursed but gradually
pinned away until he seemed only skin
and bone. Under the treatment Of his
physician he lay for several days in a
cOmatose state, and, while so weak that
he could scarcely turn his head, the beat
ing OF his heart could be distinctly heard
at the distance Of several feet of. BE sank
gradually and expired. Since then the
house has changed hands several times
and was occupied by anew tenant quite
recently. The same cham ber-maid, how
ever, remained, and she AYERS that when
ever she is alone in the room she can still
hear the fearful beating OF that "tell-tale
heart" However, she has SAID nothing, and
UGCldIGS bDht SUE ANEW IuG ublH6 COulu
no way hurt her, while custom has made
her almost Needless of the slight but dis
tinct sounds.
But during the past week there have been
developments which compel attention.
The room in question has been occupied
by three young ladies who have never
heard OF any supernatural manifestations
connected with the house, and who, at
the time, did not know that anyone had
died in that particular apartment. Under
these circumstances it seems impossible
to believe what they saw could be credited
to fancy or highly wrought dreams. Yet
| they have been disturbed by the occur
| ence OF phenomena which seems to con-
meet themselves irresistibly with the
death of the poor sufferer who once Ian
guisbed and died SO strangely within
those four walls.
On the first occasion they had just re-
tired and were discussing some light Cos
sip of the day when a ball Of light arose
from the floor, lowered near their faces for
q moment, assembled to the ceiling and dis
| appeared. All distinctly aver that the APP
| pearance was accompanied by no heat,
and that it was no dream or fanciful de-
ception is attested by the fact that three
! persons at the same time saw it, and
! they had sufficient presence of mind
| to discuss it calmly and one even
] approached neT manu- 10 lue uguI anu
the movement was seen by the other two.
! The blinds We're closely drawn so that the
| agency of magic lantern continuance
! from without was impossible and the door
was locked. While the light tiOsted in
| the room they heard distinctly sound
! like the muffled but intensely clear pull
satIon of an ver-burdened heart.
! On another occasion the light rose slow
! ly from the floor, assembled about six feet
and out of it came gradually the effulgent
/ likeness of a human face, thin to emacia-
ton, wearing mOurnful expression and
covered by full but short, gray beard.
| 1t disappeared suddenly, but the same
distinct beating of the heart was plainly
heard.
These young ladies feel no fear that
they are menaced by personal danger,
but the strain to their nerves has become
| too great and they will take another
| room. Whether the appearances have
asupeTnatural origin, are painted on thIT
air by the too potent dreams Of excited
| feelings, or may be attributed to some
mischleyous or malicious human source
we cannot as yet determine. But the
| character OF the parties forbid any
thought OF collision on their part, and WI
are compelled to await developments
| promised by some gentlemen who have
taken the matter In hand.