The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-11-01
The Peoples Journal.
PICkENS s. @.
THE STRANGE VISITATION.

II IS seldom anythIn" occurs III the
life of the average rural aSrIculiurlst
10 break the routine IT mS generally
monotOnouS existence, but when Huch
an event does occur. whether II be ni
jov or sadness, il Is apt t" h" I"nkrd
uron as an epoch in the lives OF those
conccrcncd from which 10 date. SO,
even unto this day. II l. common "c-
currcncr among the older citizens "i
the county of Denton, IrNaS, Whrh
the subject Of sp"ukS or other super
natural phenomena are under discuss
sion TO hear one remarks: "NcII.
,hm beats all sine, )UnvN'S ghost.
Aud .IoncS's ghost occupies position
considerably above that oi the aver
ace ghost in that il is doubtless the
only case ON record wherein the trSli-
mony of his ghostship was accepted III
the settlement OF an estate amd Is a
part OF the public records oi The above
county. A. Il number ui the parties
closely connected with the following
occurrences are still living, | VIII t5-
sututc fictitious names for The real:
In the wear ISL there resided ON a
farm in the county "t Denton Mrs.
Ialr, Jones. widow. with two sons,
Frank and John, nearly "rUWn, and
several smaller ChllNrru. WiNiam
Jones, deceased, had been I hard
worker and successful farmer and
stock raiser. and 1T his death had be
Oucuhrd 10 the widow ana her child
rem model farm, we'll titled and stock
Ct, with the hes, the country at the
fine afforded, together with yalua-
bic tract of land iu the Soulhrrr part
or thc State.
The following spriu", after his death
q considerable number of their horses
s,rovcd away from ,hcil accustomed
ronTc and ihr country al that ,iInr
hcinu sunrsrlv Settled. were soon lost
Track of and the usual course or IN.
uuiry served tn ciir,l no Information
rxrcui ,hat :hc band hol been seen
heodcd south.
Earlv IN ,hc fail. ,i,r,. thv rruu- head
hccn Torurrcd if wps decided That
Frank thc rIdr., shuu|I make. ,u rv.
tended ,r,u ,o the sou,hward AND en-
loovor # nnosihlu io lnr,tr I'M. ,,,,.rI
stock. as thcir entire loss meant = ser.
IONS blow in ,hc family cXcl,ruuvr
On burht Srp,cmhrr molujuv AZ Ih,
ris;ny sun was uoiu,inr with !,yi.l
hand ,hc fadno Green autumn rronI
.Ioncs drew ,hc double cinrh TO =,
easy notch under his faithful horse
and, bidding his mother and JOIN
farewell. sDcd away TO thc southv;rd
never to return again i'm the flesh.
There was vet pcnty of work ,o IL
done ON the farm. and time wine
otherwise miuh. have lrluurH wcori
" to the lonely widow was GIlcd vii
labor and pleasant anticipation ,r IN
absent Oncs's early return. DAY
passed III raud succession and nm nr
casional letter from Frank. dcscribiu,
the beauties Of The country and hl
own hardships in travelling alon,
through such unsettled rcyIrus, fur
niShcd food for discussion in the fading
twilight. At last Il letter came which
stated that he was ON the rrhr tra,l
and would soon ovrrtakc the slowly
rctrcating herd. This was the last let
ter ever received. lie was then some
two hundred miles south OF the home
place and they began t" speculate up
on the day OF his probable return.
Allowing Tor delay tor grazing the
stock en- route h"mrward, a day Was
Set which il was c"n"idcrcd, harrin"
untorcscrh arcidrnis, should 2Hyr him
ample time Tor the return Journey.
IN" appointed day cam" hut with 1t
1t came no Frank amt n" udluG,, mon
the next, nor tn" nrNt, and Il th" days
lcnSthrnrd into weeks tn" anxious
mother, with m"INt'n meet eyes. daily
scanned the dusty tialI /" the south
ward
lhc country at lh'S i!mc was none
100 sale from mNauIing bands of In
dianS ;hd horse thieves W"r" mor"
pienlliui lllan now ana cared IIttr for
hamah ME when Il raVrN'yard wa at
stake. These possibilities wrr" any
lonsIy dlscuS*rd hy the distressed fam
ny an" inquiry was made by letter
al various p"itI'S a"llS the route from
Which Ir'erS h;h hrrn received from !
FRANK hnl "a! lhcir inquiries came !
TO nau@ht. 1hcN dId not know whether ,
4. II Al ! 4.