The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-29
A Phantom Goat.

from the New Albany (Miss.) Gazette.
Three miles west of New Albany the
Rocky Ford road crosses a creek which
was originally named Big creek, but was
more appropriately named Hell creek by
persons who have been compelled to cross
me adjacent bottom in recent years. Just
beyond this is another little run called
Mud creek, which stream is grown up
with thick and heavy underbrush, and
on cloudy nights the blackness that sur
rounds the traveller could be sliced into
chunks and sold for ink The bottom or
lowland adjacent to the stream is of I'M
usual width for one so small and at the
pest is exceedingly uninviting.
some years ago a gentleman passing
through the bottom at night was almost
thrown by his horse shying to one side,
ana when he looked ahead was confront
ed by a monster goat of white color rear
ing upon his hind feet as if to annihil-
ate the animal and rider. One look was
sumclent, and, making a sudden turn, he
galloped out of the bottom at the risk Of
MS life, swearing that he would drink no
moreenew Albany blind tiger liquor. Not
wishing to put himself up as a target
Tor the jeers of a suspicious public, he
held his counsel and heard or saw moth
ing more Of the weird apparation for some
time.
About year later his goatship was
again on the warpath and confronted a
gentleman Of known sobriety, who, not
daunted, urged his animal forward de-
spite the warlike attitude of the ghostly
visitor. The goat kept in the middle Of
reached disappeared as mysteriously as
ne had appeared. The gentleman re-
lated his experience, which became noised
abroad and gave courage TO the man who
Ilrst sighted the vapory animal to relate
ms experience, and the two conceded so
Well that the people began to give them
credit for having seen something to dis
lurb their peace of mind The story was
gwen enough credence to cause an un-
easy feeling to enter the mind of the
traveller who crossed the bottom at night,
and cause a chill to ramble up and down
MS spinal column as he passed the spot
where the ghost had been seen.
Last year Mr. -, who is not a believer
AL snlngs uncanny at all, ana mas su-
IRENE contempt for a man who has seen
spooks, had been beyond the creek har-
NeStlnS hay, and was detained until after
nghtfall on his return home. The 'night
was intensely dark and a slight rain was
4dAlng. AS he drove through the impene-
uaDle gloom, trusting to the instinct OF
lle mules that drew the rake which he
was astride 10 find the road, the misty
dud uncertain form of the giant goat sud-
nMenly appeared in the road ahead Of him.
Inc mules reared and plunged, very near
" upSetting the rake. Leaping to the
sI0und ne grasped the bits and was graft
.eQ 10 see the phantom recede as the
tgdn moved forward. The mules. trenn-
anu when the bridge was reached he dis
eppeared as on former occasions, mucn
~ the relief Of the gentleman who did
~ ny peiieve in spirits and unnatural ap-
Since that time a number Of thoroughly
sElable Witnesses have been placed in pO-
sttlons TO Voucn for the truthfulness OF
s sle existence Of the phantom goat. Per-
ros VINO travel that road to and from
tIWn make their arrangements to pass
LAT spot before nighffaN and very few
I'VE the temerity 70 invade the territory
- uis goatship after DARKNESS has fallen.