The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-31
THE MORNING NEWS: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 81 1892.

mortal, we sat and watched tt for q minute
or two In silence and with an odd feeling OF
awe or something that's got no name play
ing along our backbones.
The little thing came on until IL was
within foot or two Of Barker, who bad
fired upon It, and who had been so fraid
that the shot had struck IL that he could
not dc any thing but look at il; then when
be was about TO out out his hand and touch
IL the child was gone like a puff OF wind. Il
was so sudden that it left us sItting staring
at each other for few seconds, when tbs
strengeness OF the disappearance came over
us, and we rode around space looking for
that child. though We knew that il could
not have got away without our having seen
which way it went. We talked OF little else
all that day, for ie was the qHeersst thing
we bad ever had happen to ds, but che oc.
curance seemed to make more impression
on Barker than on Guiidford and me, and
he kept telling over and over. In a way that
made my blood run cold, Of the look in the
little creatures eyes as they stared up al
him.
THE next day he proposed 20 search more
thoroughly the spot where the child had
come from. and though both Guildford and
had had enough of the thing which we
dreaded, though without exactly knowing
Why, we accompanied him. We had hardly
reached the place when we heard a low wall
ing cry, as Of some little one in despair and
pain, and sure enough here came the strange
child gliding from the thicket. Il came
forward with the same set awful express
sion on its face. its blue eyes as intent on
what 1t saw and we did not. Bsrker's
horse plunged and tried to run as the
phantom drew near. but he held it as we'll
as he could until the child had nearly
reached his side when with a wild snort Of
almost human terror, the animal tore its
head loose from his hold, and, rearing
violently, threw him heavily TO the ground,
"He lay SO motlonless that Guildford and
spranR from our horses and rushed to him,
but even before we reached him we guessed
the truth. His neck had been broken by
his fall and he had died Instantly while his
horse ran madiy across the prairie, with
ours following, pursued by the same mad
fear. But the child was gone as suddenly
as the night before. watched beside my
poor friend while Guildford went to the
ranch to procure some means of bringing
the remains to town. We decided that the
appearance OF the child had been the signal
OF disaster, aud from what we have heard
since 1t appears that that was not the first
time IL had been the forerunner of DEATH
The old settlers date the first appearance
of the child phantom back some fifty years
though its coming is at long intervals, often
with years between, but 1t lie said to bring
misfortunes to those who behold 1t. Many
are the stories told Al connection with it,
but the most generally accepted explana-
ton is that the little restless soul is that of
child who belonged to an emigrent train
which passed this way in Nebraskh's early
days, and which was destroyed by the In
dams with the exception Of this tot, which,
in its terror, hid itself in tho long grass, and
so escaped the frightful fate of its parents,
only TO perish of cold. thirst and hunger on
the bleak banks OF the river.
However that may be, IL is a known fact
that the Indians ever after entertained th Q
greatest horror OF the place, aud avoided It
whenever 10 was possible, though thsy could
never be persuaded Co give any reason for
the awe with which they regarded IL, only
saying, when questioned: much heap bad
land" This fear is shared by the old iu-
babitAnts, who have caused the road TO be
abandoned. Occasionally parties OF hunters
Damp on the tabooed spot, but no success has
ever been known 90 attend their efforts, the
game other wise plentiful in this region Civ
ing the place a wide berth, while the river
itself appears to creep BY sluggish and dark,
as IL 10 knew the dark secret of tho spot.
Col. Youngman, of ehis place, relates the
following encounter he had once with the
specter In these words:
"Of course, had heard of the ghost, but
being entirely skepticai In regard to such
matters paid no attention TO the story. /
bought the tract OF land Of which this spot
is part 10 1879, and commenced 10 break the
ground for buckwheat farm, but the flrst
day one OF the men came up to the house
and asked 10 see me about the work. He
declared that be and the others could not
use the pillow because OF an indescribable at
mosphere that seemed to envelop the spot.
The man was white under hts sunburn, and,
though he was evidently at loss TO express
himself, was certainly Ia earnest, so, though
convinced IL was all an idea coming from
the uncanny reputation Of the place, / ac-
companied him to where the men were at
work, or rather 10 where they were stand.
ing about waiting for me.
They all began 30 tell me OF the cause OF
the suspension of their work, but as | could
perceive nothing out Of the way, put it
down to imagination, when one. of them
said, "You amt on the right spot. Come
a little this way and you'll see what we
mean" So walked forward toward the
river, when II was met by stream of ice
cold air, though il was fair spring day /;
but it was nor only cold, but full of some-
thing that 1 could describe no better than
the laborers. There was a faint, horrid
odor about the place that seemed to speak of
death, and-welI, as said, cannot describe
it, except to say that it turned me sick from
head to foot.
But not wishing the men TO give up the
work from what was persuaded rose from
some natural quality of the soil at that
place. took hold Of the plow handle and
started the rebellious oxen, who lowered
their heads sullenly to the lash, but refused
20 bulge more than a step OF two. How
ever, at last | got them started, when a
thrill as of electricity ran down my arm,
the pillow was upset and the frightened OK en-
broke into gallop, dragging the heavy
pillow after them. The men came and
pi cked me up with all haste, backing out of
the condemned plot as if they feared to re-
main there a moment longer that was nee
ceSsary, and one of them informed me that
that had been the consequence of every at
tempt they had made that morning to
break that ground.
''As / had failed SO signally myself
could hardly expect the men to go on with
the task. SO gave it up. though still con-
WINGED that the cause of the strange current
OF air was due to some peculiar formation OF
the land in connection with the river,
though did not pretend TO understand how
this was. But few years after had an