The Washington herald., 1906-11-25

that refused to abide peacefully in any
abode but her original burial place, and
after upsettlng whole village had to be
taken back to her barrow" sounds like
an old wives tale, yet It is a true story.
and happened in no earlier time than our
own prosaic twentieth century-to be more
exact. on Saturday last-and in an ordinary
English village IN Wiltshire The skeleton
was that of venerable British woman
who reigued as high priestess Of the Tenn
pie OF AvebUry. famous for its Druidical
remains, some 1900 years ago.
In the south of England are many OF
these barrows. They resemble large, grassy
mounds, and were made by the natives OF
Britain thousands Of years ago for their
sepulchers Many of them have been ex-
plored. and old weapons, ornaments. and
domestic vessels have been found in them
keeping company with the bones Of their
owners.
One Of these barrows near the little
village Of Northampton, in Wiltshire, was
explored last week. and In 1t were found
a large number of very valuable gold or
naments. With these lay a woman's skele-
ton, computed by the archaeOlogist who
discovered II to be 1900 years old This rare
treasure he decided TO remove, and the
ancient dame was carefully taken TO a
farmhouse near by, and placed ln loom
by herself. Next morning the terrified in
habitants came hurriedly to the man who
had placed her there. and implored him to
take her away at once.
PFiestess Is Angry.
It seems that as soon as darkness fell the
old lady began strenuously 10 object 10 the
disrespect which had been shown to her
venerable bones, and from the room where
she lay came the clatter Of the most fear
fuI "shindy" ever heard. All kinds of hor-
rible noises proceeded from it, and the
farmer and his family were unable to
sleep the whole night.
Thinking this was probably more due
to superstition than anything else. the
skeleton was once more removed and
placed in the house of DR.. Maurice, in
the same village. And that night the
noise was repeated. only ten times worse.
1t sounded to the frightened listeners
outside as If a fearful struggle were going
on. and the next morning when they
went into the room there were marks
that Tesembled blO0d-stains on the walls
Many other strange occurrences had also
happened. The archaeOlogist's bicycle
had disappeared. and q searcl high and
low in all parts of the house and garden
proved fruitIess. Also a gold bracelet.
which had been on the wrist CT a lady in
the house for eight years. and which she
had never once taken on IN that time,
had gone. and could be found nowhere.
Several more attempts were made TO
house the skeleton, but With the same
alarming results, so the archaeologist de
cided that the only thing TO be done was
to restore her to her original resting
place. which was eventually done On
returning to the barrow they found the
bicycle and the bracelet.
Career OF the skeleton.
Here is the career Of the skeleton and
its accompanying 'spOOk'' since the dis
lnterment, in chronological order:
aturday-Unearthed, put on tea tray
and carried to the house of Mr.. Bucknam,
IN Marlborough.
Sunday morning CS:3O-Weird noises out
side Mr.. Bucknam's house.
Monday-Continuation CT peculiar noises.
Tuesday-Parts of the skeleton taken
to the house Of another gentleman. Serv-
ants declare that the table silver turned
the color Of blood.
Wednesday-Orna taken by Mr.
Cunnington TO be mounted and identified
a gold bracelet belonging to lady Of the
household lost Town clock at Devices
stopped, and the chimes ceased to play
until it was decided that the BODY should
be reinterred in its old resting place.
Friday-Four "disinterred" teeth taken
to be fitted in the Jaw. On the following
afternoon they were discovered on the
dining-TOom table Of house twelve miles
away.
Tuesday-A letter received by De-
vizes gentleman announcing that two
mysterious fires had occurred IN a house
where some Of the remains were stored.
The discovery was one Of which the
arehaeologist Mr.. B. H Cunnington, z.
;. A (Scotland). may well be proud. II
Is more than a century since the last
bronze-age remains, with gold ornaments
were unearthed in the county Of Wilt
shire. Il was the desecrating spade and
scientific brain OF Mr. Cunnlngton's
grandfather that brought to light this
archaeological marvel. But this later dis
covery is beyond everything that preceded
IT,
Person Of Importance.
Ine richness or The ornaments indi-
Gated a person of great Importance said
NJ. Cunnington to your representative
yesterday. but an unusual circumstance
IS that, although a cinerary urn vas
found near at hand no other bones wore
dug up. It was customary for groups OF
people to be inferred together in those
far-off years"
Mr.. Bucknam detailed to a reporter
the phenomenon that has followed
his reception Of the bones 'I awoke at
S;S0 a. m" he said and heard a shrilI
weird cry, aroused my wife, who de-
ciared that it was the hooting OF an owl
l replied that II was like the wall OF a
banshee. The sound was unusual
Noises were also heard on the follow
Ing night. When some dogs were sent
out TO investigate. one Of them made
straight for shed in which the remains
Tepcsed and hOwled dismally.
Il am a scientific man." said Mr.. Cum
nington, and DO not attempt to account
for any Of these things. From a scien.
tif1c point Of view the find is interesting
The rest I leave to psychologists. The IN
cident Of the teeth is certainly remark
able"