Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-09-26

s9yYHE haunts that for seven
2SsAgteen long years have known
7$sS'the old hero of the "Ghost
District" will soon know
him no more forever. The "Haunt-
ed Hill," too, will reluctantly give
up its own, and the gruesome tales
that once nearly frightened timid
men, weak women, school children
and superstitious negroes nearly
out of their wits will, in future,
emanate from another source, if
told at all. The wild man, or
strange creature of some sort, that
once roamed over this hilly, wood
ed district west of town, anon peer
ing into travellers faces and van
ishing as suddenly as he came,
will, r many days, lose his truest
and warmest friend. With reluct-
ance, We announce the sorrowful
fact that John Greasy has fully
made up his mind to at last leave
this benighted place, and with his
family will start in a few days to
Illinois to take up his residence. To
a representative of this paper, who
was out Sunday to bid the old hero
farewell, he said he could stand it
no longer. He was then preparing
to make the journey into egypt"
overland. Turning around and
pointing his long, bony finger in
the direction of the Haunted
HILL" an awe inspiring voice,
freighted with the clammy atmos-
phere of the grave, seemed to whis-
peril saw it there last night. 1 see
it in the same place every night.
But last night the light seemed
larger and brighter. I went away
and then returned. The light still
burned, and around 1T I could
plainly see phantom forms hover
ing about as though preparations for
a burial we're at hand. The foremost
form carried a human skull in
which a light burned brightly.
Then, all of a sudden, the whole
valley was a blaze of light and the
entire phantom procession moved
slowly and s%tealthily, each form
bearing in its bony hand a skull
which emitted an unearthly flame.
The white-robed shapes moved ST.
lently as the grave, two by two.
Brighter shone the light, until OBJ
jects for miles around were plainly
discernible. Down near the cave,
in the rear of Phillip Browns res
idence, partial darkness overcome
the face of the valley and supernat-
ural groans rent the air, as if the
King of Terrors was about to take
possession of human soul. Dozens
of phantom forms gathered about
the mouth ofthe old cave and coffin
was quietly lowered into its mys-
ferrous depths and all was as
silent as death. Then, a shrill,
piercing scream like unto that of 8
night-bird which had been disturbed
and all was again quiet. Slowly the
shadows vanished upward out Of
sight, and the "corpse candle
wendell Its way back to its accus.
toned haunts, now and then d1sap.
pearing from view behind some
tree-top or hill"
Every fall ofthe year all the dogs
in the neighborhood are said te
congregate about the old cave and
make night hideous with theil
doleful bowls. Dogs even come
from other localities. They rur
back and forth around the cave al
all hours of the night, with fiery
eyes, their nestrils distended, froth.
ing at the mouth, and present
ing a devllish and hideous appear
anee. When daylight comes these
demon cur disappear and every
thing is as quiet as if nothing hae
been going on during the night.
It is related that a traveller jour
neying through this locality ont
dark and dismal night saw the sem
blance of a human being descend
and walk beside him. Phantom
dogs begun to bark and the mystic