The Delta independent., 1893-10-18
THE SOLDIERS VISION.
STRANGE SIGHT SEEN IN A
CHURCH IN VIRGINIA.
Aroused From His slumber In the shel-
ter of the Consecrated Building to
Witness the Return of IA Gho>tly We'd
ding Party to It's Cd Haunts.

Near our house WIS a church, a
noble edifice and monument of the
days gone by, when stately ladies
and grand gentlemen composed its
congregation. The old church, built
in early colonial times, had seen the
growth Of our strong, young re-
public, and near its hallowed pre-
cincts were buried the descendants of
princes, mobiles and titled danes, the
old cavaliers of Virginia. The wind
made sad music through its sounding
galleries and the raindrops spattered
like tears OF memory on is ruined
walls. The church had been used as
barracks by passing troops in two
wars, who found safety from storm
in its massive walls, and it could be
used as fortress of defense in sud
den attack. In the swift flight of
years it had fallen frequently into
ruin and been again repaired. and
once, while removing the rubbish,
the workmen found a box hidden far
back in an embrasure of the ruined
tower, which contained rich bridal
garment. in a fashion of bygone
years The rare and costly fabric
was blood-stained, and every evil
dence pointed to mysterious murde-
but in answer to the questions. Nv no
did the deed?" .Who wa, the vic
tim" the echoes from nearly two
centuries brought no reply.
One quiet night in June while we
were sleeping after watching and
praying for weary hours for loved
ones in the army who might never
return. we were startled by a knock
at our front door, and on opening it
dark. determined man stood there
and asked for shelter. which in a
Virginia house is never refused. His
uniform wss dark brown. the color
OF dead oak leaves; his cap was knit
of black and gray worsted, the color
OF dead moss and lichens OF forest
trees; his rifle was long and bright
and sheath knife glittered in his
belt As he stood in the weird light
of the family dawning day he looked
like a ghost of one of the old knights
OF Sherwood forest in the DAYS of old
Robin Hood. but we knew him for
what he was. Texas ranger so
famous in the guerrilla warfare of
the South. The color of his uniform
20 blended with the color of the
woods that no one could suspect his
presence.
After hasty salutation he said:
Il have seen strange things tonight.
that make me doubt my own identity.
and l have come to you. not wit b
war stories and news of battles. but
to ask the explanation of what | saw.
! am acting as a scout for General
Stuart and have been sent forward
- obtain what information can. |
have passed quickly and quietly from
one position to another. my presence
not even suspected. and as night
came on, tired out, | sought refuge
in the old church SO near you. /
suppose | must have fallen asleep
from utter weariness, for apparently
| awoke TO the sound OF weird music.
so plaintive and ghostly in its nature
that all the superstitions | had
learned from my negro nurse on the
faraway old plantation possessed me
at once
Ii was that wild, low strain. a we'd
ding march or q funeral dirge; in its
tones, tenderness, regret, sorrow and
pity seemed blended. All at once the
massive doors of the old church
were swung open by unseen hands
and the dim moonlight lit the old
building with a ghostly light, and a
phantom train OF stately cavaliers
and pale, lovely women entered the
ancient sanctuary.
"Solemnly down the aisle the dim
procession swept could hear the
taps OF the high-heeled shoes and
the rustic OF the ladies' trains as
they passed over the old, damn
stones, and the night winds tossed
their waving plumes, and the low,
dirge-like music kept time to their
stately stepping.
There was one among them fairer
Than all the rest Surely the pearls
n her golden hair and the shadowy
'eil had been arranged in delicate
,eauty by spirit hands; the soft,
nournful eyes had q far-away look
)f grief. and at her side walked one
lark and stern rs midnight
The procession paused before the
ruined chancel, aud It seemed to me
that bridal vows and deep sobs were
mingled with low imprecations and
muttered curses; the vail OF q sad,
low voice, q qniver and . shudder
passed through the phantom and the
vision mingled with tho shadows of
the night
Thoroughly aroused. arose and
went out into the moonlight; far
away In the east the first rosy tints
OF the new morning were family
glowing. while the sentinel stars still
kept watch over the sleeping earth;
but nature could not explain the
ghostly meeting"
Such was the Texans story. Was
1t an explanation of the moldering
box that the workman found in the
ruined tower. and were the blood
stained garments those of the mur-
dered bride OF long ago. who had
come back to the old church in the