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

oiu Y nccm qulCt AZ cfou uItdk. I1e
was to stay there and listen to the
music Of her voice while / heard the
roar of the cannon. He would sit by
her ,side in the summer twilight,
while 1 slept out in the rain and
helped to make history, and the
thought of it put hardness in my
heart that had softaned 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 she'll, and live to come home,
to her, while he, poor devil, had been
kicked by mule, and died.
| Tomorrow he would be planted,
and 1 should be there to see how she
took it and console her as he had done
when answered my coantry's call.
1t must have Deen nearly midnight
when l entered lonely lane that led
past the principal burying ground in
the neighborhood. Looking over the
h;ss fence, 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.
| spurred and whipped my horse, but
with another wild snort he whirled
around and headed the other way.
Putting him about, + 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. by Godl it
was from the open grave-his grave,
too. I made no doubt. For the first.
time in my life my blood ran cold.
sat like one paralyzed in the saddle
and saw the white thing rise and fall.
Again I urged my frightened horse,
but as often as I brought him up to
the scratch, he whirled. snorted and
dashed away down tic muddy lane. I
could not go round, and he would not
go past the frightful object. In this
way we worked forward and back,
churning the mud, but getting &c
nearer home. At last, discouraged
and disgusted, I determined to pull
down the high fence on my right and
| pass through. the field.
"Ae | reined my horse toward the
fence he refused to go, or to take his
eyes from the grave. With a wild,
uneal*hly cry, such es 7 had never
heard from horse, the Door an;ma!
sank trembling to the earth. cut
him with my riding whip, brought
him 70 his feet, and swung into the
saddle again. Looking over the wall
l saw this thing come right up out of
the grave. There could be no mistake
now, for the moon was shining almost
full. Isaw it put out its 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. / had
never seen, up to this time, thing
on earth that I.would not approach.
But this was too much for me. Tt
was not of this earth-it was uuearth-
ly, and I was sick at heart. Now, I
began to wonder how this story would
sound when should go home and tell
it.
81, who had faced death upon tie
battlefield. day and night, ssST weeI1is I;
and months, must say that I had s1en
Q ghost in graveyard. The very
thought Of It made me angry, and I
swore that / would solye this mystery
or die.
Life at best was not grand,
sweet song to che people Of the
sSouthat that time, and that thought,
perhaps, helped me to be little mite
reckless. Taking firm hold Of what
was left Of my. once ample stock Of
courage I dismounted and made my.
horse fast 50 the high fence. Cross
ing the road, I looked over the wall,
bat nothing could be seen.
had never been afraid Of this
man ip the flesh, then Why should ];
fear his ghost, 81 whatever Or wihosv-
er was doing duty at his open lraye,
i was now aware that 7 was shAking
with cold. 81, ;s;..;Ss 4 s..
~ took q drink. A friend! had giv-g
en- me- a hottie nf hras, 4 - !, x tn.,,,