The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1903-04-22

great respect for the devil and think
he Is the very medicine for some
people whom / know, and If those
aforesaid denIzens don't change their
gait they will some day land in his
latitude for a stay ofindefinite dura-
ton.
/ say / don't believe in those
things just as you say you don't,
because other people say they don't
and it's "kindern brave to say SO
when in truth we are all as super
stitious as we can be and all the
education, from the backwoods
schoolhouse to Harvard University,
can't educate it out of us.
Now, liam going to tell a ghost
story, and not abarefaced fabrication
after the fashion of some other men
who write for the Enterprise; but a
ghost story that is true and can be
vouched for by the leading citizens
of Rocket, some of whom have
been raised here, and a more truth
full, honorable act of men the sun
never shone upon,
Rocket bridge and Red Oak creek
are haunted, and when | give you
my experience and the evidence OF
/ other men whose yeracity is undis-
puted, you will believeit too for you
will have the pro of, and man will
believe anything you prove to him.
This story or legend has been
known here from time immeInorial
but still, it has never been openly
talked before, for the people who
had seen this unearthly apparition
Just simply feared to tell it, thinking
that their more increIulous neigh
Dor would consider them a little
daft You know "A fellow done
like TO tell a thing when he knows
he won't be believed but still among
the old-timers the story was known
and would be talked of among them.
selves, but always in secret places
and in whispered tones.
OF late this thing" as it is call
ed, has been seen so often and by SO
many people that it has become q
subject of common talk. Some say
it is not a ghost, yet they will admit
that its appearance has been hereto.
fore non eXplainable.
i Years ago when Tom Andrew
was swain of nineteen summers
he would accounting 20 TO see mai
den fair who lived over near Stet'
rett One evening as Tom wa
! meandering homeward pear shs
wee sma' hours OF midnight, O.
saw, on approaching the bridge, D.,
man Just in front of him at "A dI-,
lance of some ten feet and what
puzzled Tom was the fellow was
headless. Now Tom says be WASH I
scared a bit, but at that particular
time he didn't care for bridges any,
way and as the creek was only
about half banks he just forded il
And ford il ne did but, he lost his
bat and ruined a twenty-dOllar suit
Of clothes. Tom went home and
: like the honest man that be is told
is father the straight OF his night
rscapade. The old gentleman did
not fall out with him for he, too
had heard various and sundry ru-
mors of the Red OAK ghost" and
knew that the boy told the truth
He took him TO Waxahachie the
next week and bought him new
"toggery" from head to foot and as
an encouragement To the young man
presented him with horse anC
buggy.
The next Sunday evening found
Tom with his lady again. Ton
says he fully intended when he left
home to get back before dark, but
ii is the same old, old story over
again--a fellow just cant 20 when
his girl begs him to stay just &
little lsnger. Midnight found Ton
on the bridge again and he says he
had driven clear over without being
4 molested, when just as be got of
the bridge be looked 10 his left anC
there was that headless fellow In
the buggy beside him. The thing
staid there till he got around pas
where the schoolhouse now stands
when il disappeared. Like the fel
low who went TO the Bowery,
Tom never did "go there any more
He says he did not blame the CIR
for the ghost, but ghost and mid
night Was just little too airiSh fol
him, and be went sparkling the mex
Sunday in the opposite direction
and there hangs another romance
Now, as | told you at the outset
do not believe in ghosts, or rathei
did not, so when / came here and
heard of this mystery l concluded "a
( make an investigation. l did moi
: want TO go alone; not that i was
afraid at all, but wanted evidence e
. corroborate what | might see anC
hear. so / asked Dave Prude anC
VIII Rocket To accompany me
Both these men are truth personifieC
aud as brave a set of fellows al
ever lassoed "A watermelon or charg
ed a hen-roOst.
Il When | mentioned the matter &
i Dave and told him how famous .
would make Us to clear up thil
iack-o-lantern or will-o-the-wisp th a
had hung around the neck of thi
{ community so long, he lit his pip
s aud said be couldn't 20 because hi
{ girl had told him to be careful will
whom he associated OF course
, tumbled 10 his insinuation, although
/ am "A little dull OF comprehension
and went over 10 see viii Rocket
when i rode up TO his front gat'
VIII came out the friendliest felloS
YOU ever saw and invited me {
/. come In" and partake If his hos