The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-02-21

Gllc uOuSCuOIO luoLiuS OuO ih'o oiAN
lower hall, where it had seemed to be-.
But, though the place was we'll search
ed, there was not a trace Of anyone,
and at last the family retired. Scarce
ly, however, had they fallen asleep
when the whole house once more rang
to that fearful cry, and there was a.
sound of heavy body falling, follow
ed by feet flying out of the house and
the slamming of door. Mrs. A. was
so alarmed when nothing could again
be found to account for these sounds
that her husband, to calm her, insisted
that it must have been some of the
servants romping somewhat noisily in
their rooms above, but who denied it
for fear Of reprimand.
The lady was at last caluied by. this
explanation, and for several daysfhere
was nothing of Importance to further
frighten her, although her little son,
aged 4, complained that there had
come into his room woman with her
hair down and her dress cut away
from the shoulders, showing her
bleeding flesh. This was dismissed as
a fancy of the child until q day or
two later one of the maids employed
in the house ran screaming into her
mistress's room crying that man
with gun and covered with blood had
passed her in the hall, and that he had
groaned fearfully and disappeared
even while her eyes were on him.
The girl was so unfeignedly frightened
that Mrs. A. s fears were again arous-
ed, and she besought her husband to
quit the house, at least until these ex-
traordinary occurrences were ended,
but he laughed at her for listening to
child's and servants gossips, and she
consented to remain few days longer.
The servants now began to complain
so loudly of the place that Mr.. A. was
obliged to promise them higher wages
and that their stay would only be for
a short time longer. Though far from
satisfied they agreed to remain, and,
as if peace had again come to the old
place, nothing whatever Of an alarm
ing character happened until the night
of the 10th Of September. On that
evening the entire house appeared to
be filled with a powerful, though
invisible, atmosphere Of sulphurous
odor, that seemed to Cypress the
breathing Of all within. But nothing
was thought Of this beyond the idea
that in all probability an electric
storm was brewing, although the sky
without was clear, and there was no
other indication of any atmospheric
disturbance.
At last, as the night grew older, this
oppressive state Of the air in the
house became more and more remarked
until it was necessary to open the
windows. All at once the lights
throughout the house went out stimuli
taneously, and the whole place was
shaken as if by an earthquake. The
family tried to leave their seats, but
were held still by some power unseen,
but which seemed to chill their limbs
with a deadly cold. There was the
sound of a woman's voice crying as if
with inexpressible grief, mingled with
the blows Of whip, while bare feet
seemed running about the house.
One of Mrs. A. s daughters, young
girl of 16, fell half fainting from hel
chair and then cried out that there
was blood on the floor, when hand as
cold as ice caught hers in it and some,
thing said in her ear, ''Pity me, fol
you are as young as was. The girl
then tainted quite away and when ii
was possible for light to be obtained
she was found to have her clothes all
stained with what seemed to. be fresh
ly-spilled blood, while about her wrist
was the mark Of bloody fingers. II
was some minutes before lamp would
burn at all, during which time the
groans and lamentations were continu'
ed, rising every now and then te
shrieks Of heart-rending despair.
Mrs. A. now insisted on leaving the
house at once, and would not consent
to even remain for the night, but
sought shelter with a neighbor unit
she could make some arrangements fol
another home. Her husband consent
ed to her going, but himself remained
to look after the household goods til
daylight. The servants left the house
in body frightened out Of their wits
and Mr.. A. was left alone. He loaded
a shotgun, and, building fire, watch
ed by it for some time. He finally
fell asleep and slept for an hour o.
two, when he was awakened by finding
a man seated near him, bending oye
the fire as if cold.
He saw that the visitor was gaun
and haggard, as if by long illness o.
sorrow, and was about to address hin
when the phantom looked at hin
wistfully, and said:
"This house is accursed and is nj
home for living creature. Depart ant
leave it to the unhappy beings doomed
to walk in it till their punishment il
fulfilled" "
The phantom continued for few
moments leaning over the fire warming
it's thin, transparent hands, then will
sign went toward the door and dis