Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-01-23
IA TRUE GHOST ST0RY.

II - tS"a VSss'S II
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"There are no such things as ghosts,s
declared Mildred Edwards. and several
Of the other girls agreed with her en-
phatically. But Helen Duncan and
Ethel Sercomb Quietly shook their
heads In dissent.
1t was the second week after the
opening Of the seminary, and group
Of the girls were discussing the most
striking feature In the neighborhood-'
"the haunted house." This place al.
ways had fascination for the semi
nary girls. The newcomers almost in
variably ridiculed the idea that uncan,
ny spirits held sway In the deserted
mansion, but the older girls Viewed 1t
differently.
AT the fashionable lake resort there
were also skeptlcs and believers. The
people who lived there the year round
stood in awe of the "haunted house,"
While the SUI liner visitors made fun Of
what they called superstition.
The subject Of SO much speculation
was q fine country home known as
''the old Walton place." 1t was high
on n hill overlooking the inland lake.
The house was Of dull stone and was
hidden In n grove of lonely pines and
cedars. Although completely and mag
niticently furnished throughout, 1t had
remained unoccupied for ten years. the
only ones who visited 1t being the 81
lent old keeper and Ills son. who kept
of,l,
house some distance away.
Two mysterious deaths and n mur.
der which had never been explained
had occurred within Its walls. With
such record those who inherited the
house did not care to live In It, and no
one else could be induced to occupy It,
Some OF those whose word was unQues-
toned In the heneighborhoodd declared that
more than once they had heard strange
sounds Issuing from the place rs they
drove hurriedly by Of night on the
main highway, some distance from the
old mansion. Others were sure that
they had seen flickcring and uncertain
lights through the drawn blinds of the
windows and specter figures moving
about.
These stories had been repeated SO
often to the girls Mt the seminary that
the older ones had come to almost be-
lieye them. On stormy nights they had
imagined they had heard weird noises
from the haunted house above the
roar Of tile wind and, looking out
across the way, had seen fltful lights
IN the windows between the flashes Of
lightning.
SO Helen Duncan and Ethel Sercomb
would not agree with Mildred Edwards
and the other new girls on their theory
as to the nonexlstence Of ghosts.
iii tell you what" said Mildred n
few days later. "Let's have big lark.
After dusk this evening the crowd Of
us Will get away from the seminary
and go over to look for ghosts Mt the
haunted house. l know there are no
such things, and want to prove 1t to
some Of the superstitious ones. We
VIII get some of the boys from town to
go with us. To tell the truth, l have
arranged It all with them already"
Good, Mildred! You're bricls!"
cried the others enthusiastically. eve
are In for the fun, and wen 20 clear
to the house."
1t required some persuasion to get
Helen and Ethel to accompany the par.
ty, but they were told that the excur.
sion had been arranged especially for
their benefit. The light had faded
from the west when the party found
itself on the wide vcranda of the house.
The approach through the grove had
been cautious. and several stops Ind
been made. but the boys had assumed
q bravado which quieted the fears OF
the girls.
The windows and shades were rais.
ed, and then, with IN incredulous smile.
the party peered into the gloomy rooms
Tor sight Of airy figures In white. AS
none appeared they began to laugh at
Helen and Ethel and banter them.
whispered alarm brought silence.
One OF the boys was certain he had
seen In one of the doorways n Tapping
OF white drapery. which immediately
vanished. All looked intently and were
terrified to see white robed figure
with ghastly features stride. through
the room. From the sounds, 1t seemed
to have gone to the sidcboari and to be
eating from empty dishes. From the
other part Of the house dim, yellowisb
light famed up and went out. Then
another figure In white. with great
splotches Of red OIL it's drapery, wan
dorcd into the room, groaning and
searching the floor intently.
The ghostly visitation had been SO
sudden that the adventurous crowd
had been too frightened to move. The
groans Of the second epcctcr aroused
them, and the boys started t, ry
the girls from The place. Mild .ow-
ever. had sunk to the floor In a dead
faint. Tho boys carried her through
the grove and over into the grounds Of
the seminary. The party was unable
to rouse her, and she was carried to
the seminary, and the principal soon
learned the whole story. He notified
the town authorities. and n search of
the Walton place was made. Nothing
nnrsnal wns found. md FOR g few days
the story Of the girls was discredited
Then 1t was learned that the keeper
and his son had heard OF tho intended
visit and had played the part Of ghosts
The old place Is still avoided by those
who travel In that neighborhood after
dark Chicago Times Herald.
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