The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-19
A TURBULENT GHOST.
Noisy Nocturnal Rounds of an Invisible
Visitor.

Visitor.
II am not exactly prepared to say
that l believe in ghosts" said the old
gentleman from Virginia, ''but at the
same time, in view Of certain things
that have been told me by persons
whose regulations for veracity do not
admit OF doubt, cannot allow my
self to ridicule the ideas of others who
do believe in an occasional return to
earth OF the dead.
There Is one case In particular that
l know Of personally and that can be
vouched for by a number Of citizens
in the upper counties Of my state. and
that is the case Of old Uncle Jabez
Martin, who knew a number of well
to do farmers in Fauquier as well as
in Spottsylyania, Rappahannock and
other counties in the northern part of
the state. Uncle Jabe,' as most every
one who knew the old fellow called
him, had considerable Of the nomad in
his disposition and led wandering,
pastoral life. he was always willing
to work when any one needed his serv-
ices and did good deal of rough car
pentering in return for meal o.
whites and a shakedown, as he ex-
pressed it, and as he was pretty well
known In the Land of his pilgrimages
It was rare occurrence when he was
not given a welcome.
eff old Uncle Jabe thought more OF
one family in the state than he did Of
another 1t was the Greens. Virginia,
as all know, Is full Of Greens. An es-
Unable crowd they are, and yearly ali
Of them consider themselves as relat-
ed in some degree of consanguinity to
the others of that name. The Greens
of Virginia Is the finest tribe of that
name In seven states was the con-
slant boast Of Uncle Jabe, and above
and beyond any other Green anywhere
he placed Marse Diclzie Green of Eau
quier, and that is where my ghost
story, If you win please to consider It
as such. begins.
"One wild night Id the month Of 0c-
tober not very long before the war the
old wanderer made his appearance at
Squire Green's. Mr. Green was called
squire by virtue Of being justice OF
the peace. Jabe wanted his usual
meal o. whites and shakedOwn,' and
1t was at his service, as usual, and
after good supper he sat on the back |
steps of the house, smoked his old
pipe for awhile and then went to bed. |
Squire Green was engaged In some |
work that kept him up until midnight,
and as the clock struck ~ he heard q
heavy sound on the stairway. 1t seem |
ed as IL some one was coming down the |
steps with heavy irons on the legs.
The sound was carried to the door,
which was opened noisily and then |
closed with a terrific crash.
Thinking 1t strange that old Jabez
Martin would be guilty Of making
such unnecessary noise, the squire |
rushed to the door and opened IT. The
moon was shining in all its beauty.
and everything was perfectly calm and
nobody in sight Back again went the
surprised squire and up into the attic
chamber, where Martin always slept /
when he made his calls. He found
everything calm and quiet there. 1t
was the quiet of death, for old Uncle
Jabe was lying supine on his back,
with bis CLASSY eyes staring right up
to the ceiling, where the squire left
him until the morning.
when he related the circumstances
in the morning 1t seemed that every
other one of the house had been dis
turbed by the uncanny noises. The
strange part of 1t is that next night
the same sounds were heard again,
even to the slammipg of the door. and
an investigation proved that there was
no person to make them. There were
no towards In Squire Green's family,
but the noises disturbed them, and
when they were heard, as they were,
at midnight they became so
used to them they would simply re-
mark that Uncle Jabe was tramping
again and 90 to sleep again.
Friends and nelghbors who knew Of
the ghostly exercises were ayerse to
staying all night In the house, and the
1arkies couldn't be bribed to come near
he place after nightfall The sounds
never ceased until after the house was
lorn down. and even its demolition,
which IT was hoped might reveal the
source Of its strange and grewsome
sound. failed TO present any explana-
ion. There are folks living today IN
Fauquier county, said the relater Of
lie ghost story. who can. and have
10 doubt readily viii, testify to the
ruth Of what ! have made mention
f. Washington Post.