The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-02

dressed in the costume Of the latter part of
the eighteenth century. They wore tie
wigs, and some had swords, as well as walk
ing sticks, mounted with deaths heads. OBJ
served only one really young man among
tho crowd of followers, walking Just be-
hind the coffin. His youth, in comparison
with the others. perhaps made me take
especial notice of hun. He was dressed IN
what appeared to be black velvet, the white-
ness of his rufflss standing out in marked
contrast TO the somber nature Of his gem
eral attire. He carried sword, had dia4
mond buckles Ia his shoes, and wore his
powdered hair in queue. The face Of this
young man was deathly pale, al
were also the faces of all the
others accompanying him. Instead Of
the procession advancing to the gate
at which | stood, 1t turned suddenly and
entered the burial ground by the one situ-
ated at a few yards distance. As the coffin
was borne through this gate oil the blue
spirit lights seemed to riee from the graves
as il TO meet the cortege for the purpose Of
escorting the body TO its last resting places
These awful lights added considerably ID
the ghastliness OF the scene as they foated
over the coffin and heads of the mourners
Slowly the procession glided up the path
way, passing the main entrance Of the
church, and, continuing its way In
straight line, finally disappeared at the
back of the edifice.
Where this most extraordinary funeral
went to or what became of it, | cannot
tell but this much distinctly aver, that
coffin, mourners and lights-even the pale
Pickering moonlight - all disappeared az
mysteriously as they came. leaving me stand
ing in the darkness, ransfxed with aston-
ishment and fright, Upon gathering to-
gether my somewhat scattered senses,
took to my heels and never stopped running
till | found myself safe in my own house.
In fact, scarcely remember how l got
home. After recovering little from the
shock Immediately aroused female rela-
tive who had retired for the night, aud re-
lated TO her the above particulars. She as.
sured me that | must have been suffering
from mental hallucinatiop, but, seeing the
great perturbation Of my mind, and at the
same time knowing my natural skepticfsm
with regard to all so-called supernatural
phenomena, she came to the conclusion that,
after all, might possibly have seen what
has been described above.
The next day l made inquiries at the
neighborhood of Knotty Ash, and ascer.
tanned from a very old woman that she re-
membered a story in her youth having
reference to the mysterious and sudden
death of an old occupant of Thingwall hall,
who was hastily and quietly buried, she
thought, at midnight in old KnStty Ash
churchyard. If so, was this a CHASTITY
repetition Of the event got up for my especial
benefit, or was it a portent intended to FORE
shadow the coming of the dread visitor to
mySelfs Now, as have before
stated, I am no believer In ghosts.
but certainly this very remarkable ex-
perience of mine has entirely up
set all my previously conceived notions OF
the subject, leaving me in quandary Of
donbt On the evening upon which saw
the mysterious midnight funeral at Knotty
Ash was exceedingly wide awake; had
met several cyclists on the Prescott road,
with whom conversed, and had likewise
refreshed myself at the public drinking
fountain place at the top Of Thomas lane.
Strange that few hundred yards further
down the road l should encounter so ghostly
an experience-an experience shall never
forget to my dying day.