The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-01-28

his post. At last he came up to the Nc
Kin mansion one day and resigned his
nillership. He was reluctant to give his
reasons, but finally did 50. The ghosts
there were two Of them-manifested
themselves every night. They We're not
20 be frightened away. and did mischief
to the grain and set fire to the mill in
various places. though he had always
found the flames in time to put them out.
Now they threatened to kill him il he
was not ont il three days.
Il am amazed to hear such a story
from a white man Of intelligence" was
jain Ic43a's comment on the tale.
5on "a IL evidently trying to fright
q yoia away. Remain. and on the night
they Threaten ~ tal,e vorr life the sheriff
and Lis men shall ne with YOU"
Finally tIy miller returned to the mill
and &t desk a tile third day was seen
alive ana Well IT. people who came with
grist. WIel the sheriff and his men
came ste&lhily through the woods IN
hour later tile mill was perfectly dark.
They lighted their lanterns and went
through it. calling the miller by name.
but receiving no answer. until they
found him il MS own room lying on his
face. i llstol in his hand. an overturned
lamp beside him. dead. He had been
shot through the heart. There was 10
living human being in the old mill. and
for 4 long while nobody went near it.
At last people began ID say that the mil
Ter had shot himself hy accidentand that
the negroes had frightened him. An
other miller applied for the place and
remained three days. La fact. to cut a
long story short. the only other miller
who dared to brave tie warning that the
ghost gave them all u found dead. as
the first one had been.
The mill was soon spoken of as haunt
ed hy every one. No one would work
there. and finally Mr.. McKin closed it,
and it was left to itself and to the ghost.
All this while Nine. McKin remained
an alleged invalid, shut in her room al
day. watched by her maid and talked
Of ID whispers by her servants.
No one believed McKin's mill would
ever run again. but one day 4 tall, strong.
broad shoullered young fellow walked
up the steps Of the Mckin mansion.
asked to see the master. and begged to
be allowed to take charge of the grist
mill.
I've heard the story" he said. as Mr..
McKin began to explain. Il don't be-
lieve il ghosts. and they cant scare me
anyway. tn i'll hard luck. and I'm a
good miller. Trust me and your mil
shall work better than ever. You'll do
me a service. and I'll do you one"
In vain lr. d[uKin set before him the
fact that two millers had been already
killed there in the haunted mill. The
young giant declared that he should not
be. and finally the gentleman engaged
him.
The mill was onened and the miller
set t. work. EIe took with him into the
mill Il Bible. a revolver and a large.
sharp TX
For the first two nights be saw moth
ing. hut heard noises like the falling Of
heavy nillstopes upon the floor above
and feet upon the stairs. He had ex-
pected something like this and remained
i'll his y reading his Eible by the
light Of a shaded lamp.
On the third night. having heard tho
same noises and quietly disregarlel
them. his door was dashed open and i
hidesgus form entered. It was something
between a woman and a great bird Of
prey. II wore fluttering white robes,
and had instead Of hands great black
claws 1t fio:ted toward him through
the air, and behind it came another Ike
unto it, but smaller.
The first creature swooped downward
and made 4 clutch at the lamp. AS 1t
did ST he snatchcd his revolver from his
belt and fired. elnptving all the cham
bers. The strange beings vanished with
a wild shrek. but in a moment they en-
tered again. This time the LARGEST ore
made a furious clutch al the lamp. As
she did % he lifted his ak above his
head. and with one blow severed the
hileoGs black claw from what looked
like Il shriveled human arm: then he
hurled his Bible at the head of the
smaller feld. Instantly screams. oatili
and horrible curses filled the air. The
strange beings vanished and silence
reigned.
Tie black claw dropped to the table.
1t was such IA hideous sight that the mil
Ter covered it with d cloth. that he might
not see It. Ie kept watch Ill the night.
and early il the morning Mr.. Mc1zin.
who had been told that firing had been
heard in the mill. came to make inlr:r-
les. Tie miller told his tale. and Nr.
Mckin complimented him ca his br@-
very. OF course he was DESTROYS Of see
ing the alnputateI claw. ana the miller
proudly drew away the cloth. Baho,-.
fhnrn lnN imam The tahln not o .Inu- -