Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-03-01

peared, aud was plainly seen In the
wild dash down the land. A daugh-
ter of the house sickened and passed
away.
1t was then that the condolences
were discussed, and the superstition
became firmly imbued IN the minds
of the descendants of the famous old
fighter. They lived in mortal dread
of his temperance and for time
considered the advisability of diapos-
ing Of the property and removing to
some other locality, but this idea was
finally abandoned.
As years passed and nothing furth-
er was seen of the ghostly form which
brought misfortune, and the house
hold had settled down to life OF
peace and quiet, it was again dis.
turbed by the sight of another appa.
rition. This time it was little old
woman in black, and those who saw
her stated that it was a negress.
what calamity awaited them because
of this supernatural visitor caused
great speculation. But instead OF
bad luck the Little Old Woman in
Black" as she became to be known,
brought good luck in various forms.
After her first visit letters were re-
ceived from a near relative who resid.
ed in Maryland stating that this queer
creature had appeared in their home.
Her coming was also the result Of
good fortune in that branch of the
family. Thereafter the Little Old
Woman IN Black" was always welcome
at the Virginia homestead, but no
one but members of the family could
see her, although others we're present
and would have her pointed out to
them, the direction she was taking
and what she was doing.
But the Little Old Woman in
Black" was superseded by the now
unwelcome ancestor, who persisted
once more in bringing himself to their
view in another mad gallop down the
lane. Again death entered the house.
The head of the family succumbed to
pneumonia. From the first day of his
illness, while physicians brought all
their skill to bear, there was no hope
of recovery felt by his wife and chill
dren. They were firmly imbued with
lhe belief that his death was caused
by the temperance of the apparition.
The eldest son, now the head Of the
place, sought to put an end to the
wild rides of his grandfather. Call
ing a force OF slaves, he had the lane
ploughed from the barnyard to the
main road, and across the field through
which it ran he placed fences, think
ing TO efectually stop the old soldier
and the i'll fortune that invariably fol-
lowed his ghostly movements.
The plan appeared to have been
successful for years. There was no
more trouble, and then the civil war
broke out. The then head of the fam
| ily entered the service of the Confed-
eracy az a lieutenant, and, after four
years hard service, surrendered at
Appomattox as commander OF Vir-
ginia cavalry regiment, which made
an illustrious name for itself on many
| 0lstorlc DSltie-nelus.
Returning to his home, now almost
desolated by the ravages of the civil
war conflict, he set about building up
his fallen fortunes.
During the excitement of the war
and the trying times which followed
"the banshee" was forgotten, but sev-
eral years later, while sons Of the Con-
federate soldier were tilling the soil
near the site of the old lane, they
started back in alright. Down the
path of the old lane thundered the
revolutionary soldier mounted upon
an animal of large proportions, TAX
ing fence after fence through fields
and out the main road. disappearing
behind clump of trees on the road
to town nearby.
The sons returned to the home and
told of having seen the ghostly rider.
Before night the Confederate colonel
received telegram from Frederick,
Nd. informing him of the sudden
death of a married daughter.
In the early COS the colonel and
his wife were sitting one summer af-
ternoon upon the broad veranda, when
both started from their chairs at once
and pointed toward the route OF the
old lane. Both had seen the specter
which brought calamity to the family.
Turning to his wife the colonel asked;
(Which one will it be this timer?
His wife did not reply but went into