Mexico weekly ledger., 1900-07-12
A SPOT SOUTH OF vAKDAL1A. MO.
WHERE GHOSTS NIGHTLY
HOLD HIGH CARNIVAL.
TIE old CRAWFORD HOMESTEAD.
Probably a Dark Tragedy Enacted
Thsrs-Ghastly Rsvs!= and Ger
emOnies-spectsr Forms Of
Strange and Terrible
shaps-Phantom
Beasts Galore.

Out q short way south from Wanda
lis is all that 10 left Of the old "UncIe
Tommy" GraffOrd homsstead-a tum-
bie-down, weather scared three
room house that was probably built
ffty years ago. To reach the spot
where this relic Of pioneer days tot
teringly stands the traveller would 90
one and q half miles due south from
Andrain's second city in size, through
q picturesque lane, on either side Of
which al be viewed Is fine growing
crops az ever came from the bosom OF
mother earth. A turn to the right is
then made into q by.road, little trav-
eled, and two hundred yards west
brings to view . dense growth of
locust and silver maple trees, frosty
with age. 1t 10 q grewsome looking
spot and within its unoanny confines
daylight merges into darkness, and
the boot of the owl and the iutter of
the bat ia heard. Within this mInIa-
ture jungle standsithe old Grafford
house and s'they say" ii lie haunted
that at nights high noon troubled
spirits do most roam about at will and
when the stars OF midnight rise and
the pale dead moon CLEANS down with
it's cold glazing eyes, weird specters
hit about and strike terror to the
unfortunate belated wayfarer until
the very marrow In his bones freezes
from fright.
just why this old house is haunted is
not clear. There may have been at
sometime In the long ago q tragedy
enacted there, for within an hundred
yards Of the house there Ia q lonely
grave and no one seems to know
aught Of whose bones lie 10 this out
of-the-way spot. In the days Of yore
gossips lied-a dreadful double
murder and suicide occurred right
where this old house stands. The
story goes that a young girl and her
lover, probably among the first white
people ever In that section, were
murdered by the father OF the girl. A
gang OF freeb3otsrs from the East
made it's way this far, robbing and
numbering the early settlers as they
travelled westward. The young girls
lover was one Of the gang OF cut
threats and thieves, but the old chief
OF the band, father Of the girl, aur-
missed he was not loyal 10 his com-
rades. A consultation was held ct
once and ii was decided 10 put
the youth out Of the way. When
the young man returned TO camp late
in the evening half Q dozen bullets
pierced his body and the gIrl,In trying
to save him, was herself killed by .
shot from her fathers weapon. When
the old man realized what he had
done he killed himself on the spot.
The balance OF the gang fell to fight
Ing among themselves over the III
gotten gains, which now had no GUS
todian, and all we're killed except
one, who, tradition says, located neal
m Pike county and died
there long before vsndalia a. . town
vas ever thought Of.
Even In early days troubled spirits
seemed to have taken possession OF
the place, for with the coming of each
nightfaIi unearthly visitors = phan-
toms, ghosts, Or what you will-ap-
peared to have full control. CHASTITY
stories Of frightful fantastic figures,
bearing the forms OF every con-
ceivabIe creature, have been told BY
those whose business 1t is to pass
through this benighted district after
nightfall. Sometimes piercing screams
of agony were heard, as though oom-
ing from q woman. This was invar-
iably answered by the shrilI voice Of
some night bird.
And thus the tale has bosu brought
down from sire to son. Anon a spook
more Impudsnt than the others ap-
pears upon the scene. Time and
again belated pedestrians have been
waylaid In the road by = lean, lank
figure, clad In black, who as
mysterIonsIy disappears as he sudden
ly comes. Every oncs in awhile he
hobs up ssrensly and peers impEdent-
Iy into peoples faces and nearly
frIghtens them out Of their wits.
Some few years ago . lone traveller
was beguilsd to the spot BY the pitifnl
pleadings Of . woman be never found.
As he entered the narrow gate that
led to the fateful spot cold, clammy
hand, long and beny, was laid heavily
upon him. On looking up he beheld
beside him . sksletsn-llke peing,from
whose syss, mouth and nostriIs there
was emitted q blush colored fame,
which bore the fumes OF sulphur. The
very air about va thick, sIckly and
infectious. The CHASTITY and death.
like skeleton held Ita grip like 9 wise.
Transported with horror by such q
spectacle, the lone traveller cried out
In mortal terror, "Fiendl In the
name Of heaven, I charge thee be-
gonel ~ Immediately the skeleton
shaped frame seemed to dilate and
tremble; its eyes streamed forth q
supernatural light, and, with a
diabolIcal smile, suah as would lighten
up the countenanee Of the High
chancellor Of Hades, the thing dis
appeared. No light or vapor &C.
oOmpanied lie departure; IL seemed
a. though the horrible spectsr had
dissolved into afr.
Here II is these ~dsspollsrs Of the
night hold high carnival. Some per-
sons attracted to the old house by the
dim lights that were fitting about cav
a most remarkable sight. As they
watched, the lights burned brighter,
and all around Gould plainly be seen
phantom forms lowering about 40
though preparations for . burial we're
Al hand. The foremost form carried
a human skull, In which alight burned
brightly. Then, ell Of . sudden, the
whole ornament was > blaze Of light,
and the phantom procession moved
slowly and stealthily, each form bear
ing in its bony hand 9 skull which
.n,ttad an unearthIy flame. Two by