The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-08-22
SCARED BY A PHANTOM GOAT.
strange Sights In Mississippi I'm and IN
OF the Rock Rear sa,,,

--
Tango sights In mississippi In and Ont
of the Book Beer Season.
Ihree miles west of New Albany
the Rocky Ford road crosses a creek
which was originally named Bic
creek, bat was more appropriately
named Hell creek by persons whc
have been compelled to cross the AL.
Jacent bottom in recent years. just
beyond this is another little RIM
called Mud creek, which stream il
grown up with thicket and heavy
underbrush, and on cloudy nights
tho blackncss that surrounds the
travellers could be sliced into chunks
and sold for ink. The bottom or
lowlands adjacent to the stream is
of unusual width for one so small,
and at tho best is exceedingly unin-
yiting.
Some years ago a gentleman pass
ing through the bottom at night was
almost thrown by his, horse shying
to one side, and when he looked
ahead was confronted by a monster
goat of white color rearing upon his
hind feet as if to annihilate the ami
NAL and rider. One look was suffi-
cient, and, making a sudden turn,
he galloped out of the bottom at the
risk of his life, swearing that he
would drink no more New Albany
blind tiger liquor. Not wishing &,
put himself up as a target for the
jeers of the public, he held his coun-
sci and heard Or saw nothing more
OF the apparition for some time.
About a year later his goatship
was again on the warpath and con
fronted a gentleman of known So
briefly, who, not daunted, urged his
animal forward despite the warlike
attitude of the ghostly visitor. The
goat kept i'll the middle of the road
and when the small bridge was
reached disappeared as mysteriously
as ha had appeared.
The gentleman related his expe-
rienoe, which became noised abroad
and gave courage to the man who
first sighted the vapory animal to
relate his experience, and the two
conceded so well that the people be.
gan to give them credit for having
seen something to disturb their
peace of mind. Tho story was given
enough credence to cause an uneasy
feeling to enter the mind of the
traveller who crossed the bottom at
night and cause a chill to ramble up
and down his spinal column as he
passed tho spot where the ghost had
been seen.
Last year Mr.. -, who is not a
believer in things uncanny at all and
has a supreme contempt for a man
Who has seen spOoks, haG been be.
yond the creek harvesting hay and
was detained until after nightfall on
his return home. The night was in.
tensely dark, and a slight rain was
falling. AS he drove through the i'm
penetrable gloom, trusting to the in.
stinct of the mules that drew the
'no "iAiSA LIZ Ndo tStIllG " llu
the road, the misty and uncertain
form OF tho giant goat suddenly ap-
peared in tho road ahead of him.
The mules reared and plunged, very |
nearly upsetting the rake. Leaping
to the ground, he grasped the bits
and was gratified to see the phantom
as the team moved forward.
The mules, trembling in every r
carried him along, and when the
bridge was reached he disappeared
AS on former occasions, much to the
of the gentleman who did not
believe in spirits and unnatural ap- !
partitions.
Since that time a number of thor
oughly reliable witnesses have been
in positions to vouch for the
truthfulness of the existence of the
phantom goat. Persons who travel
that road to and from town make
heir arrangements to pass that spot
before nightfall, and very few have
temerity to invade the territory
Of his goatship after darkness has
fallen.-New Albany (Miss.) Ga
sette.