The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-11-10

WAS W SGSy oASAS ~"
music of her voice while I heard the
roar of the cannon. He would sit by
her side in the summer twilight,
while slept out in the rain and
helped to make history, and the
thought of it put hardness in my
heart that had softened only at the
news of his death. 1t was pleasant,
however, to reflect that [ had faced the
enemy-had walked lin the shadow of
the shell, and live to come home,
to her, while he, poor devil, had been
kicked by mule, and died.
"Tomorrow he would be planted,
and / should be there to see how she
took it and console her as he had done
when I answered my country's call.
1t must have been nearly midnight
when I entered lonely lane that led
past the principal burying ground in
the neighborhood. Looking over the
high fence, I saw a new grave, and
! doubted not that it was for my neigh
Dor.
"The rain had ceased. The moon
shone dimly behind the clouds. Sud
denly my horse stopped with his head
grazing over the graveyard. I spur
red him and he started forward, but
stopped again, raised his head and
snorted
II listened, but heard nothing
looked, but saw nothing but the white
slabs cleaning ghostlike in the night.
spared and whipped my horse, but
| with another wild snort he whirled
around and headed the other way.
Putting him about, I looked over the
low wall and saw something white rise
and fall. The scared horse trembled
under me, but I urged him on to
where he had stopped first. Now the
white object rose again. My God! it
was from the open grave-his grave,
too. made no doubt. For the first
time in my life my blood ran cold. l
sat like one paralyzed in the saddle
and saw the white thing rise and fall.
Again / urged my frightened horse,
but as often as I brought him up to
the scratch, he whirled, snorted and
dashed away down the muddy lane. |
could not 60 round, and he would not
go past the frightful object. In this
way we worked forward and back,
churning the mud, but getting no
nearer home. At last, discouraged
and disgusted, I determined to pull
down the high fence on my right and
pass through the field.
''As reined my horse toward the
fence he refused to go, or to take his
eyes from the grave. With wild,
urearthly cry, such as I had never
!. heard from a horse, the poor animal
sank trembling to the earth. J. cut
him with my riding whip, brought
him 70 his feet, and swung into the
saddle again. Looking over the wall
I saw this thing come right up out Of
the g-ave. There could be no mistake
now, for the moon was shining almost
full. | saw it put out it's hands upon
either side, as though it were trying
to- lift itself up. The white arms
seemed to beckon to me ia the moon.
light and then it sank back into the
grave again.
II was never superstitious. | hac
never seen, up to this time, thing
on earth that I would not approach
But this was too much for me. Il
was not of this earth-it was unearth
ly, and I was sick at heart. Now,
began to wonder how this story Woulc
sound when [ should 80 home and tel
it.
''I, who had faced death upon tht
battlefield, day and night, for week.
and months, must say that I had seer
ghost in graveyard. The yer.
thought of it made me angry. and
swore that I would solve this myster,
or die.
''Life at best was not a grand
sweet song to the people Of tn
, South at that time, and that thought
perhaps, helped me to be little nit
reckless. Taking firm hold Of wha
was left of my once ample stock o
courage I dismounted and made M,
horse fast to the high fence. Cross
ing the road, I looked over the wall
but nothing could be seen.
II had never been afraid of thi
man in the flesh, then why should
fear his ghost, or whatever or whoev
er was doing duty at his open grave
/ was now aware that I was shakin
with cold.
HT took drink A friend had civ