The herald., 1894-05-04
THE DANCING SPOOKS
AN OLD FlDDLER's STORY OF HIS
STRANGE EXPERIENCE.

Guests at the G. IInuso BALL talked Only
of Things That Happened f.cfore the
War-Dates on the Musicians Notebook
and the Tombstones Correspouaad.
"Speaking of superstition. " said An
drew Brass as he sat ia his cosy char,
reminds me Of an experience had on
wintry night few years ago. No, I
am not superstitipus, but my experience
Of that night has impressed me ever
since Being a yi0linist, / was accus-
toned to play for all the DANCES that
took place in the neighborhood in which
| lived. One day l received note re-
questing my servioes at dance to be
held on that night at the @. House. near
the site of an old distillesy. The note
was signed by 'Yeur Friends The G.
House was an old log atrglcture and
stood along a lonely lanp Leading from
the high road to the distillcry and at
the border of dehso forest. II had not
been occupied since the distillgy had
been torn down some ~ years before,
but as the boys had been accustomed to
holding their dances in vacant houses
ON several occasions thought no moro
of it, and when evening came l started,
for the G. House. A walk Of about an
hour brought me in sight of 1t. saw
the windows brilliantly lighted On
nearer approach sounds OF 1nerriment
came from within. The night being
cold good fire was burning in tho old
fashioned fireplace. A song had been Ia
progress and just ended as entered the
door. 1 threw off my 6vercoat and hat,
which were taken by q young lady whoin
| did not know. seated myself nesr the
fire as the SGT for the dance were taking
their places on the Aocr. After having
warmed took out my violin, Ond while
tuning looked around, and to my sur
prise those present were all strangers to
me. This puzzled me very much, and In
no way could | accoaAs for ii, but did
not even venture to ask for an explana-r
ton from any Of them.
''After coaplo OF hours dancing,
waltzing. etc, tho party was invited to
an adjoining room for lunch, myself IN
cluded. must confess the viands were
the most delicious / ever tasted Vari-
Gus fruits and wines were served in
abundance The walters were obliging
and attentive. had good opportunity
to view my companions as they sat down
to dine They were lne looking young
men and pretty young women. They
seemed to be very kind, but reserved in
fhAi1. Oft IN ~ t,ol- What
struck me as very strange was that their
general conversation was about events
of the war and battles that were lost and
won as though it was in wartime. One
would wager that Lee would surrender;
another would doubt it, as Sherman was
oooped up i'll the south. Lunch over,
we repaired to the dancing room. | felt
much refreshed, and when played for
the next quadrille il seemed that rem
dered better music than ever before. The
dancers went through the figures with
the precision of machinery. After four
or five sets had been danced, one young
fellow announced that collection would
be taken up for me for my services as \
musician, which is customary, and asked
me for my daybools, which | handed
him. All of the party signed their names
and amounts given, also date opposite
each name, no'two dates being the same,
but all antedating the time of the dance.
This l noticed when the money and book
were handed to me, the money boing in
fractional currency, the same as was in
circulation after the war. OF course 4
these circumstances all put together mys-
titled me greatly, but l said nothing.
81 looked at my watch. 1t was 8 4
minutes of midnight, and all We're pre-
pairing to depart The fire burned low,
the candles in the brass candlesticks be- |
gan to flicker, and as the hands of myRl
watch pointed to 10 the lights, both fire.
and candles, suddenly went out l was
in total darkness Not one of that party(y
was to be seen or heard Imade my way,
to the door. A heavy snow had fallen.
Not footprint of any footstep could bel
seen. 1 made for the lane with as mucH\
speed as the deep snow would permit,
and in an hour was home bordering
the events of the night
II resolved next morning to further
investigate the mysteries Of the G.
House. After leaving the highroad 2
found my homeward tracks still show
ing in the snow along the lane to the q
House. l now saw that it was an oh
tumbledown rookery occupied by focl
Of sheep Presently saw Farmer Freed
coming down the lane with sack d
feed for his sheep l explained to hin
my night adventure. He only shook hi
head and smiled, as though my storI
deserved no credence. / produced tn
money and my notebook i'll evidence
why, he said, what in the world doe
this mean? / knew all of these peopl(
but they have been dead for years. Com
with me, he continued. You see thu
graveyard down there? That's whey
they are buried. Come on and see
yourself. went i'll, and there on IL
were the names and dates
death of all those corresponding to Il
names and dates on nay daybock. d
not play for any more dances at the
House, nor was asked TO do So III
will / respond again to an invitatie
signed BY Friends. - Pittsbul
Chronicle Telegraph