The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-12-25
GHOST STORIES.
Do Dogs See Things to Man invisihie:.

Some time ago had something to say
on animal Immortality. In that article
briefly referred to to tue arguement, no"
not uncommon, that some animals appear
to have intercourse with beings, or forms
and states of being, unseen by us, says Il
writer in The St. Louis Democrat
This. on the face OF it. is not improbable;
but it may be stretch of our own mag'-
nation to assume that this is a vision OF
ghosts. But if il can be shown first that
as Wallace atiirms, objective phantasms
apnear to men sometimes, and to dogs
sometimes, Their it would be hardly fair 10
assume that men are to have spirit life
hereafter and the dog not. 1t might be-
come necessary for US to shove back our
dividing line between imncTtals and non
immortals, and take over our side 1T least
some of the beasts Is the Indian right
who, in Popc's language, believes CHS
faithful dog will bear him company in
tile spirit land? There seems, however, to
be Il conviction in the minds Of some OBJ
servers that dogs not only sometimes, but
at all times, sec ana hear what we do not
hear.
First OF all, in. justice, let Us get the
facts, or the avcrred facts. In Rod and
81 of
there is reason to believe that animals
can see spirits. At any rate, have
very remarkable fact TO relate. There is
in Devonshire u large, rambling old house,
which has long had the reputation Of be-
ing haunted Family after family tried to
make it their home. One after another
they gave it up, all for the same reason
that was Frequent spectral ong-oing in
one Of the corridors. Sometimes the
ghost was seen by one member Of the
household. while it was invisible 70 others
close by,', which of course, would midi
cate the seeing, or not seeing, depended
on the ocular condition Of the family. Al
least, skcptic would strongly urge that
the probabilities were in favor Of visual
,delusion. "SometimcS mysterious sounds
showed the ghost to he about, while he was
not visible to any Of the watchers. .
Hearing easily follows hystcrical seeing.
have myself seen wires and lamps when
knew none existed. "i'hc family that
last occupied the house thought y fierce
dog might settle the problem, on the sup
position that human tlickstcr was at
the bottom OF the disturbance. On the
first night Of the dogs residence the spec
trail rafting was heard The watchers
took to the corridor. True TO the in
sincts of his nature be rushcd to the 'front.'
barking savagely. Suddenly, when half
way through Tie corridor, the dog stopped
and gazed upward in evident terror. Ills
tail dropped, ana then be returned trcm
bling But to the human eye nothing
was visible" This story is authenticated
as coming from persons of unGuesiioncd
vcracity and excellent powers of Judge
; mcnt
A writer in the Charleston Democrat
SAYS that lie heard q lawyer Of ability re-
ate the following incident: "Pcrhaps you
arc not aware that dogs and horses are a
! much afraid Of ghosts "a the most timid
of the human species ! proved it ct one
time on two dogs. Not long after the war
the negroes were 50 bad about our place
! in Kentucky that it was with difficulty that
we could keep our belongings on our
place Every other method having failed
finally hit upon the plan Of frightening
them hy appearing before them dressed aa
a ghost is said 10 habilitatc himself Of
| course The negroes were successfully
+, frightened away from us, but upon one oc-
casi0M | frightened our two watch dogs as
badly rs ihc negroes. The dogs were
fierce fellows, and would allow no stranger
or strange thing on the place but one
moonlight night they came on ne in my
spectral attire The first dog to come up
10 me bumped up his back until Ill his
feet covered 70! more than six squire
inches. His eyes stool out and lis lair
stood up, and,he began moving ackward,
never FOR u moment taking his eyes from
me. His companion came up, went
through the same movement, and then
both backed cautiously of together. As
long us could see them they put distance
between us in that way a few moments
latcrI heard them barking at home q half
Il mile distant They then took refuge un-
der the house, and it was four days before
We could coax them out Of their retreat >
CIRCUIT co. isT