Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-08-02
A DUMMERSTON STORY
OF a Winter Night Incident Al
Years Ago.

The Narrator Thinks IL Supernatural
hut Psychology Would Take Differ
ent VIew---Another Incident Of sim-
liar Kind.
Ephraim S. Stoddard, prominent bust
ness man, and president of the produce ex-
change in New Orleans, now visiting
friends and relatives in Dummersto1, his
native town, sent the writer of this article,
last February, ghost story which he
wrote and had published in New Orlea ms
paper, the Daily Item. He will be highly
gratifed if some one skilled in the so-called
occult science will offer an explanation.
The writer informed Mr.. Stoddard during
his recent visit to this town that his ghost
story would be furnished for publication in
The Phoenix. Hence it appears with his
consent, but much shortened, and the
statements not always copied verbatim,
but the material facts of the narrative are
correct and are confirmed by Mr.. Stod
dard's brother and Jonathan T. Herrick
named in the story.
MIR. stoddard's Story.
| Az Jn6 1u1CJlOu VI NGsb llNGI WIFI lut
Connecticut, under the morning shadow of
Wantastiquet mountain, nestles the beau
| tiful village of Brattleboro, the metropolis
of southern Vermont. Along the west
bank of West river runs the main road up
the West river valley, and on this road,
about five miles from Brattleboro, is the
village of West Dummerston. Half mile
south of the village, at the mouth of
Stickney brook, the road forks, the western
branch following up the course of the
stream. About one mile up this branch
lived in 1S4S man by the name of VIM
Goss, or Bill Goss as he was generally
called. The place was owned and occu-
pied many years by Sidney II. Barrett.
At Mr.. Goss's place the road again forked,
the western branch winding up the hillside,
through one of those grand old New Eng
land forests for about mile, till it reached
the next neighboring farm owned by Ma
thaniel Herrck. One-half mile due north
of Herrick's was the home of my father,
Levi Stoddard
From West Dummerston village, on the
main or river road, was well-worn foot
path cutting across lots through fields and
pastures and connecting with the hill road
at Goss's. This path all the hill people trav-
eled when on foot as the nearest cut to
town, and the distance that way was about
three-quarters of a mile. East of my
fathers place and north of Gosss was one
of those grand old first-growth New Eng
land forests. My oldest brother was then
about % years old, and Mr.. Herrick's son
Jonothan about the same age. They to-
gether bought the large wood lot spoken of
and went into partnership in the wood and
lumber business. Goss was also engaged
in the wood business and hauled it to Brat
tleboro mostly in winter, when the snow
road afforded excellent shedding. He was
very Incorporate man, in fact a great
drunkard. His custom was to take load
of wood to Brattleboro, and returning at
, night, always pretty well set up, to leave his
team at the fork of the roads to 60 on up
home by itself, while he went on up TO the
village tavern and imbibed more. liquor.
After finishing his carousal he would stag
ger home along this crosspath before men
} toned, and up to the event to follow had
always fetched up all right. He was the
owner of large st. Bernard dog, named
Major, that was his constant companion.
Goss, Herrick and my brother often accom-
panied each other to Brattleboro in haul
ing wood with their teams. On this par
ticular occasion they had not been with or
seen Goss for several days, but worked in
, | tnen WOOD lou daily.
My brother and his partner boarded at
| Mr.. Herrick's and on the night of Jan. Is,
1S4S, came home very tired after work
: ing hard in the wood lot all day. My
! brother retired early and soon fell into a
: troubled sleep, much disturbed by dreams,
in one of which he fancied something
strange in form was after him, and that he
fled from it for dear life. In his flight he
found himself running along that cross
r path that led from the village TO Goss's
: every foot of which was perfectly familiar
4 to him. He ran very fast, closely pursued
e by the object which looked to him like a
a small cloud, but had no human form, until
: he came to spot about half way between
i the two points, when, in little hollow be
side the path, he came suddenly upon a
J. man. This so startled him that he i'm
mediately awoke. He was much impressed
by the dream and remained awake for a
considerable time, when he again dropped
to sleep and dreamed the same thing over
again. On awaking he was greatly disturb.
ed for having dreamed the same thing
twice. A third time he dreamed of being
chased by the hideous sceptre and fled rap
idly to the spot where he had twice before
dreamed of seeing a perishing man. He
awoke the third time with terrible start.
Without a moments hesitation, he sprang
out of bed, hurriedly dressed himself, put
ting on pair of light, new slippers in
stead of boots, left the house and at a brisk
run FASTENED down the road toward the
indicated spot, increasing his speed rapidly
the last half of the way. Although the
road was very icy he did not make mis-
step or slip during the whole distance.
On nearing the spot which he saw in
his dream, he stopped suddenly, walked q
few steps to the right and in little hollow
saw the man he had come to rescue from
perishing. 1t was his neighbor Goss and
watching over him was his ever faithful
dog, Major. On returning from town that
day Goss had drunk more than usual al
the village tavern, with the result that he
had fallen by the wayside and would GER
tainly have persisted that bitter cold night
but for the mysterious providence that
guided my brother there to save him. AT
first the faithful dog refused to let my
Brother touch his master, but after little
coaxing allowed him to approach and eX
anime the unconscious man. He was still
breathing but badly frost-btten. The CASE
was desperate. Herioc mearures were
adopted. He seized the man, shook hin
violently, pulling him about with view
to start his blood in circulation and warn
him again to life. This plan he kept uI
necessarily, assisted by the sagacious anC
faithful dog, who tugged at his master and
helped to drag him along Goss became
conscious after time but was unable t.
help himself in the least. The dragging