The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-06-01
THOUGHT IT WAS A GHOST.


Story Told ON the Late Dr. LPh'a"
Calhoun, by One Of His Relatives.
judging from the number of ghost
stories that have been written. it is
comparatively easy matter to think out
a plot in which some spirit Of the other
land plays a more or less star role.
It may be that lonely country churches
on lonely country roads and a fast
approaching storm are responsible LOT
the greater number of them. A better
setting for real ghost story couid'
not be wished for unless it be the
ruins of some old castle upon which
the moonlight sleeps. The other day
a relative of the late DR.. Ephra1m
Calhoun was in the city and told an
interesting adventure of that dlstin-
guished old gentleman. While the story
as related is not true ghost story. 1t
it still closely akin to the spook yarns.
Many South Carolinians remember
that DR.. Calhoun for years was
practicing physician in the city OF
Greenwood, S. G.
Zone night" said his relative the
other day. "Dr. Calhoun was called
into the country to the bedside OF
wellto-do planter. In those days bug
gies were practically of no use and so
for the sake of convenience and time
almost all travelling was done on horse
back. The good doctor logged along
over the country roads to the house
of his patient. In an hour or so he had
I prescribed and had taken leave OF the
family. AS he left the house there was
laundering in the distance and he rode
very rapidly. so as to outrun the
storm. About half of his journey was
covered when furious rain began to
fall and there was much lightning.
Fortunately there was small church
near the road. and in this the DOCTOR
took refuge. He tethered his mare on
| the outside and rushed up the steps.
| The church was bleak and dark. He
decided to walk up the aisle and take
a cushioned seat within the chancel
railing, because he had been riding
| fast and felt fatigued. For all he
knew there was not soul within miles
| of the deserted church. Not being a
approximations man the fear OF spirits
never entered his mind.
"As he got about midway UP the
aisle a voice. apparently very near
him. said, in quiet and subdued tones:
'Tempestuous night. DOCTOR The doc
! tor never said so but he certainly
agreed with the voice. or the owner
| of il. About face he instantly wheeled
and literally tore for the door. He
| jumped on his horse and rode as fast
| as he could for home.
"The doctor was upset, OF course,
but he didn't mention his encounter
with the ghost that night. His fam
| ily got him off to bed. attributing his
| condition more to the fact that he had
been drenched by the rain than any,
thing else.
"The next morning the doctor was
I'D and feeling himself again. About
10 o'clock he strolled down to the
postofice. You know that in a small
town the postotice is a great gather
ing place just about mail time. AS
the doctor greeted the crowd some
tne. whom he could not see. returned
| the greeting by saying: 'Tempestuous
| night. doctor The doctor took his
| cue. but instead of confessing that ne
had run away from what he supposed
to be a ghost he rebuked the speaker
| Then came the story. followed by
much laughter. At first we laughed
the thing over. but he took it so seri
| ously we checked the teasing for oul
own good 1t was several years after
ward before he pleaded guilty. =
| Charleston News and Courier.