The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-08-31
TALES OF VISITS FROM
THE SPIRIT LAND.
Ghosts and Their Warnings to the Living.
Wonderful Happening Told of in an
Interesting Way.

talk fell upon the supernatural, ano
there were cited a number OF In
stances showing either vivldness OF
imagination or something harder to
explain, but not less interesting be-
cause not understood.
A man in the party according to
an exchange, said: 81 am telling you
this Just as it was told to me by my
father.
"Both my father and my uncle
John were planters before the war.
They owned thousands of acres which
they planted in cotton and rice, and
lived several miles apart on separ-
ate plantations. Their father had
been dead for several years at the
time of my story. He had always
been fairly idolized by his sons, for
while a stern man he was loving
father.
,"My uncle owned number of ne
groes, one of whom, Black Dan, he
had special fancy for and kept as
valet, Or body servant, as they were
called then in the South. No one
could understand my uncle's fancy
for the negro, for he was a surly fel-
low.
zone night Uncle John was sitting
in front of the fire in his study read
ing. I do not know what the book
was, but will mention, however,
that it has no direct connection with
the story, that he was an agnostlc
and was looked upon by the family
as little better than an atheist-a
stern, embittered, irreligious man,
intensely materialistic, believing lit
tie in either God or the devil, and
given to reading authors of his own
scofing tendencies.
ttSuddenly a shadow seemed to
fall across his book, and he glanced
up. Standing on the opposite side
of the fireplace and looking gravely
at him was my grandfather, who had
been in his grave for years. My
uncle jumped up, dropping the book,
and the figure disappeared.
thinking that he must have been
dreaming, he sat down again and
tried to resume his reading, but a
sense of uneasiness possessed him,
and he felt himself impelled to rush
out into the darkness of the night.
MY uncle had much sorrow, and he
began to wonder if his trouble had
affected his mind. He endeavored to
fix his attention on his book, when
suddenly the shadow fell again, and
he looked up to see his father stand
ing facing him with a heavy frown
darkening his face.
"My uncle sprang up and held out
his hands, and the apparition disap-
peared, leaving behind sense OF i'm
pending disaster. My uncle tried
again to settle to his reading, re-
fusing to give way to impression OF
danger with which he seemed pos
sessed, and had almost convinced
himself that the presence had been a
dream when the apparition suddenly
appeared again. My uncle sprang up
and my grandfather spoke, frowning
and pointing to the door. My uncle
thought he caught the words, John,
20. go!' and then the ghostly visi-
tant for the third time disappeared.
"My uncle rushed from the house,
and following an impulse, saddled his
horse and rode to my fathers, three
miles away. I was small child, but
can we'll remember hearing the clat-
ter of the horses hoofs as he dashed
up to the door. He told of his ghost
ly yisitant, and said he wished to
spend the night with us.
teMy mother and father thought
him i'll, but forebore to argue with
him. He spent the night with us
and the next morning my father rode
back with him to his plantation.
When they entered my uncle's room
they cried out in amazement. Two
heavy loads of buckshot had been
fired into the bed the night before
from an open window. Had my
grandfather appeared to his son to
save him from death the night be-
fore?
"Years after Black Dan was hang
ed by a mob for crimes committed
against the white race. My uncle
endeavored to save the negro's life,
but his efforts in his behalf were in
vain. During the last conversation
nv uncle had with him the former
slave told him that it was he who
had fired the buckshot into his bed,
thinking he was asleep in it as usual
at that time of night, and hoping to