The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-02

| Of the largest Of these occurs on the right
hand side, just before the cross-cut is
reached. It is a large depression, in the
hillside, leaving a projecting spur between
1t and the interesting cut.
At this point the ridge, the slope and the
depressions are all timbered, a good deal
being second growth" and brush, and the
surface Is well Uttered over with fallen for
est debris. As one reaches the cutoff in
the ridge, the spur TO the right toward the
| farm house, from the timber edge, slopes
down gradually and is uniform and has been
cultivated. Farther down the slope, a
| pretty abrupt decline is reached which goes
down to the valley level
On the evening under consideration, a
| light snow lay on the ground, snowy clouds
covered the sky and there was an occasional
light furry.
PHANToMs IN CONTINENTAL GARB.
had gone along the route indicated,
following an indistinct trail, over which
hauling had at some time been done, had
climbed over a high staked and ridered
rAil-lins fence in the woods and was just
nearing the edge of the timber that marked
the crest OF the slope. Ii was just begin
ming to get dusk, but still light enough to
see across the valley 1 was facing, when,
all at once, saw coming up the slope. al
most but not quite directly toward me, a
procession!
There was no mistake about it, it was as
clear and plain as II 1t had been the middle
OF the afternoon aud in the first quick in
slant knew it was not real
In a fash, came the incongruity-the
time. the place, the circu mstances. The
tread was to quick time, the heads rising
and falling IN unison, in double rank and
crossing my path in slight oblique to my
right-why it was 80 distinct that | could
see the whites of their eyes as they came.
l should say there were at least forty Of
them, in somewhat open order, light, airy,
notseless tread, in continental garb, the
first six men of unusually fine forms and
bearing between them black velvet covered
coffins with silver handles. Attire-three.
cornered hats, low reaching vests. military
coats, knee breeches, dark stockings ard
low-cut shoes with large silver-like buckles.
But the faces were most remarkably no.
tlceable. Brows with an impress Of highest
culture or highest birth and breeding, clas-
sic features, good, clean-cut noses, fine
bodily contour throughout, and looking as
II into vacancy and straight ahead. All
this in few seconds. The rear of the pro-
ceS5ion was made OF perhaps twelve or four
teen figures in cloaks that seemed to cover
the head, with white bandage across the
foreheads, altogether CARRIED as I have seen
sisters"
FALLING IN WITH THE GHoSTLY COLUMN.
l swept all this in brief, but intense eager
in the spiritual could give. watched the
contact of the feet on the soft snow, no
mark, no sound! 1 saw them glide into the
timber, watched 1t and how the forms met
contact with the fresno break in time or
step, no attention to the obstaclesl
Ia the first moment had determined to
follow them into the growing gloom aud
the woods, come what would.
And Ibid.
Yes; felt a strange sensation-an unde-
Enable feeling as IL of coming terror, half
way feeling to make an outcry with all the
force the lungs could summon-I could feel
the blood leaving the surface OF the body,
80 it seemed, and thought could feel the
increased labor of the heart. But wheeled,
got alongside about the middle OF the
column and crowded toward the front.
l was material and had weight. l sank
into the leaves and the snow and 1 had to
calculate on trees and logs and the dusk in
creased-it was soon down grade and into
denser wood. l hurried as saw that the
march would cut slantingly across the high
rail fence down the now sleeper incline,
and yet all this time watched the spectral
column
What moments those were. What de-
nouement should mark the end of this wierd,
ghostly processionl A projecting limb from
u fallen tree came in my way aud instinct
lively grasped it as l passed. 1t broke
with a crack and l hurried on to the front
with it,
WENT THROUGH A FENCE LIKE MIST.
detected little way from the column
to reach the fence sooner-and we were
now near the lowest point, but in my hurry
| missed my foothold on the rail and lost
some seconds. was close to the rear coffin
bearer,o the right hand side. But
cleared the fence and while my breath was
getting short, having come pell NELL nearly
$50 yards, ran along the fence in time to
see pall-bearers, coffin and procession all go
through the obstruction like SO much mist.
l could distinctly see both rails and forms
at the same time.
But saw ere yet the procession was
through the fence that the column was
slowing up. and l waited, standing in deeper
snow by the fence, at the same panel where
they passed, to see the robed figures of the
rear, Of which l had seen the least /
scanned the approaching faces as they came
up. The dozen or 80 preceding the sisters"
as shall call them, were as young men in
later boyhood, but not once did one Of the
entire throng look at me or in my direc-
ton.
But, in spite of all effort at self-control,
l shook as If in an ague tremor, my teeth
chartered, not in cowardly fear, but it was
a nervous strain, a conviction that some
thing was wrong, was playing false, and all
my courage could not avail. l glanced to-
that circle was forming, the psll-bearers
nearly ready to halt, having come far
enough around to face me thirty yards
away,
And now whatl
Would what followed in the next five,
yes In the next three minutes, might be
blotted from all remembrance.
The rear end of the procession was slowly |
closing in to complete the circle, the hooded |
figures were fling past me-so close that |
could have touched them. A sense of I'M
uttersble loneliness and an increasing some |
thing like terror came on me.
LEAPED INTO THE PHANTOM CIRCLE.
Why it was know not, but an insane
impulse suddenly possessed me to rush into |
the midst OF the ghostly throng, regardless |
Of any earthly proprietiesl A light breeze |
stirred, a furry Of sandy snow was sitting |
down, the circle was about conn leted In two
ranks facing inward, the casket-bearers
stepped to the center, and evidently so
thing still more solemn was to follow. |
With chattering teeth and nervous unsteadi- |
ness / plunged forward to strike into the !
center, brandshing aloft the limb that l |
held in my right hand. and / had come to |
within few feet OF the edge of the circle |
nearest me, when my foot caught under a
treacherous snow covered snag and found |