The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-10-31

~Sso4
monotonous existence, but when such
event does occur, whether it be Of joy
or sadness, it is apt to be looked upon
as an epoch in the lives Of those con-
cerned from which to date. SO, even
unto this day, it is.a common occur
renee among the older citizens Of the
county Of Denton, Texas, when the
snhiect of spooks or other supernatu-
ral phenomena are under discussion to
hear one remark: swell, that beats
all since Jones' ghost" And, ones 8
chest occupies position considerably
above that Of the average ghost in that
il is doubtless the only case on record
wherein the testimony Of his ghost
ship was accepted in the settlement
Of an estate and is part Of the public
records of the above county.
As number of the parties closely
connected with the following occur
renccs are still living, will substi-
tu,e fictitious names for the real:
In the year 1877 there resided on q
farm in the county of Denton Mrs.
Laura Jones, widow, with two sons,
D Frank and John, nearly grown, and
several smaller children. William
Jones, deceased, had been hard
worker and successful farmer and
stock raiser, and at his de,tb had be-
queathcd to the widow aud her chill
dren a model farm, we'll titled and
stocked with the best the country at
the time ,fforded, together with a
valuable tract of land in the southern
part Of the State.
The following spring, after his
4 death, considerable number Of their
! horses strayed away from their ac-
/ customed range and, the country at
\ that time being sparsely settled, were
4 soon lost track Of and the usual course
Of inquiry served to elicit no inforu.a-
q ton except that the band had been
4 seen headed south.
a HIS LAST JOURNEY.
4 Early in the fall, after the crops had
i been garnered, it was decided that
4 Frank, the eldest, should make an ex-
& tended trip to the soutnward and an
4 deavor if possible to locate the truant
stock, as their entire loss meant a
serious blow to the Family exchequer.
i On a bright September morning as the
Il rising sun was painting withTlavish
d hand the fading green autumn Frank
Jones drew the double cinch to an
easy notch under his faithful horse,
q and, bidding his mother and John
II farewell, sped away to the southwark,
never to return again in the flesh.
There was yet plenty of work to be
done on the farm, and time whica
otherwise might have dragged YEARLY
! = to the lonely widow vas slled with
labor and pleasant anticipation Of the
absent ones early return. Days
passed in rapid succession and an oc:
easional letter from Frank, describing
the beauties of the country aud hia
own hardships in travelling alone
through such unsettled regions, fur
nshed food for discussion in the fad
Ing twilight. At last Q letter came
Which stated that he was on the right
trail and would soon overtake the
slowly retreating herd. This was the
last letter ever received. He was then
A A some two hundred miles south OF the
/ home place and they began to speou.
5 "a late upon the day Of his probable re-
turn. Allowing for delay for grazing
'he stock en- route homeWard, o day
vas set which it was considered, !,
barring unforeseen accidents, aAould
aVe him ample time for the return
journey.
The appointed day came, but with
u !, came no Frank and no tidings; nor
i,'e next day, nor the Aext, and as the
q ss'ass heightened into weeks the anxi-
gus mother, with moistened eyes, daily
sauned the dustry trail to the south-
8pard. s3s
lie country at this time was none
e' y safe from marauding bands Of In
S,a0s, and horse thieves we're more
Plentiful than now and cared little for
.ll .a@an life when vavey-yard was at
.'ase' These possibilities we're anxi-
,asly discussed BY the distressed
.nlly and inquiry was made By iet1ar
,,.ailous points liong the route from
~ szvn'ca letters had had been been received from
lank. But all their inquiries came
1aught. They did not know whe.h-
a. ne was still goi.s sopthWard on the
al or had overEaken the stock and
81 ''' even then on mis- return.
THE GHOST APPEARS.
on the night Of November z shera
atue a rouoI ~. . n 81 !. (, "