The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-14
DOWN SOUTH IN DIXIE.
1 Graphic Account Of Ghosts That Haunted
q Southern Plantation.
SOME EXPERIENCES OF A GEORGIAN.
chairs Thrown by Giant Hands Against the
wallis aud Broken to Pieces--Mysterious
visitors in the Middle Of the Night.

eli. state. was a man OF high and unimpeach-
Jill. character as well As Of brave and fear
leart. No one ever doubted his veracity
- accused him of being suporstiti0us. He
..,.at calamity in the Mexican war, belong
...o the famous Palmetto Regiment Of
s..h Carolina. and holding the rank Of first
..tenant. And he had In his possession
,..,.. has death aud of which he was Justly
..-.,d a beautiful silver sword, presented to
a.. by the citizens of Edeeheldcouniy for
n bravery at Chapultcpeo, Buena Vista and
-..,t other hard-lought fields of Mexico.
1I. WAS a very interesting ami entertaining
,.'l.r and when i'm a reminiscent mood II WAS
.+,.,t 10 hear him tell Of his experiences IN
..- and of many hair-breadth escapes III the
eminent deadly breach.
I... the most exciting story l ever heard
s-'.rt.e Doctors lips he told several of the
~ ,ue night when we were spending the
,..,.nr over at his hospital home. and the
'.-.c,t and impressive way IA which he re-
t,.f u made as iDvOluntarlIy glance round
'..+ .e dark corners OF the room and marred
.-qc certain extent the pleasure of our ride
WI.n he was a young man, the Doctor said
tet08A charge OF one OF his fathers planta-
t... .r California. There was no other white
.H -
..at aa.t q mile away from the old two
,-. .N, ling IN which the 0verseer had been
..u.t.uci 10 stay. The house was in a
.-.rU.ace. and many We're the stories told
I.t Jose who had successfully attempted 10
...r 80 ~ the strange. mysterious, unseen
H.rr- who would come and hold high car
,.,.. there IN the deep sun hours of the
r ln other words, the house was said 10
I.Ltsuted.
There was an ancient and gloomy air
about the place, such as usually gives rise
=. minors OF supernatural vistants, and
I. .l, the Doctor said together with its
loneliness and the excited imaglnations,
t.r.ap- Of those who stayed there. he at
tuted all the uncanny things lie had
heard.
ANYHOW he had never known yet what it
VII, t0 be- afraid. and as he had come there
tr she purpose of making "A crop he intended,
DID matter who else might dwell there
ST. t.e midnight hours, to live in the house
that year.
lle day he moved in the former overseer
lri As family were taking away the last of
tier household goods The Doctor began to
locate himself in "a large room that opened on
t.e piazza downstairs. But the overseer
Oh. him II was no use TO do that as he would
le compelled 10 move For" said he.
't4eg won't let you have any peace down
lae'
The Doctor laughed and told him he didn't
care snap about. they and as that room
was the most convenient for his business he
WAS going 70 occupy il. The man said he
thought the same thing when he came there,
llt after the first night he and all ms family
moved upstairs and STAYED there the rest of
tie time.
lle Doctor laughed again and fixed himself
ED comfortably in the large room.
That night he read for an hour or two after
Le had finished his supper, and then went 20
bed with his pistol and a box of matches
within easy reach of his hand. He had been
-Ieep he knew not how long. when he was
suddenly awakened by a most terrific clasmng
sound. as if the whole honse was falling in on
him. Then. right IN the room where be was,
the chairs were taken up and thrown furOusiy
AGAINST the wall. the table was overturned
with fearful violence and the noise was deaf
aning and terrific over him and around him.
everywhere IN tie ROOM mp against the ceiling
and then down, as II II would 60 through the
very floor itself, was the terrible banging and
'rashiug of furniture.
When he first awoke so suddenly he had
half raised himself in bed TO listen. but he
now found himself crouching down to escape.
y possible the awful havoc that was gong
lu around him. II seemed as If twenty men
were in the room tearing everything 10
pieces.
For the first time in his life the Doctor said
be was scared. His hair even began to play
.utastic tricks. But finally the noise contin-
lu. with tenfold fury, be reached out easily
ID I'D found the box of matches. Taking one
Ont he struck II, expecting 10 see-he knew
l0t what.
As the light flashed up he looked and 10,
everything was in its place IN the room
hairs. table and furniture Just rs he had left
TO- The noise had suddenly ceased when he
struck the match, and 1t was now still: the air
was so thick with silence until 1t was absO-
ufr.v frightening.
H. heard 10 more of it that night nor the
next bat the third night he suddenly awOke
before with the furious noises IN his ears.
gain tine chairs were seemingly thrown by
giant hands against the wall and broken to
pieces. Again 1t seemed as if the whole army
Of men We're in the room knocking it asunder.
And again he struck Il match and found every
thing ia is place and the silence Of the grave.
ll % week on two, the Doctor said, he be-
ime accustomed t. these strange things and
ia,y did not affect him other than 10 rouse
..H up and keep him awake until they stop
ped. which was generally only few minutes.
Sometimes he would not hear II for a week,
anil again 1t would come several nights III
succession.
A. to what it was he was unable to say. He
ol-ld not account for IL III any way III the
world lie examined the house and premises
ilouugh.y. hut could get no clue TO the
mysterious visitor. once and once only, he
beard the noise upstairs, or at least he heard
u going up the steps II sounded like some
one walking heavily with chains dragging
a. aud hun. Jumping from his bed he struck
g. l-lt and thought that at least he would
mud out who his midnight intruder was. At
lle foot of the stairs there was door. which
le closed and locked. 50 that whatever 1t was
y might not escape that way. Hurrying up
ilr steps whittier the noise had Immediately
preceded him he searched quickly III both
l-e rooms and found nothing.
during the year the same thing con-
ulued one night his cousin came over and
Sep. with him, and was nearly frightened to
death When he awoke and heard the fearful
A'se Immediately they got MP and together
examined the whole house and place, bat saw
o. heard nothing that would tend TO explain
lAe mystery The Doctor said from that time
10 could never ventuer in there after dark
Atlanta Constitution.
Snakes in Florida.
DON'T think your correspondent Anti
Quake needs 10 be so much afraid Of rattle
s1lte Ia Florida / have done consi 1erable
camping trauping and hunting ~ tn twenty