The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-28
GHOSTS RECALLED
(New York Sum-

At a house party in the South the talk fell upon the supernatural, and a number of instances were cited showing either vividness of imagina- tion or something harder, to explain, but not less interesting because not understood.
 A man in the party said: "I am telling you this just as it was told 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 separate plan tations. 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 a loving father
 My uncle owned a number of ne- groes, one of whom, Black Dan, he had special fancy for and kept as a 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 surly fellow.
 "One night Uncle John was sitting in front of the fire in his study read ing. I do not know what the book was, but I will mention, though it has no direct connection with the story, that he was an agnostic and was looked upon by the family as little better than an athcist-a stern, em- Differed, irreligious man, intensely materialistic, believing little in either God or the devil and given to reading authors of his own scoffing tenden- cies
 Suddenly 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 e. ! in his grave for years. My uncle jumped up. dropping the book, and the figure appeared
 Thinking that he must have been dreaming, he sat down again and tried to resume his reading, but sense of uneasiness possessed him, and he felt himself inpelled to rush out into the darkness of, the night. My uncle had had much sorrow and he began to wonder if his trouble had affected his mind He endeavored to fix his att tention on his book when suddenly the shadow fell again and he looked up to see his father standing facing him with a heavy frQwn darkening his face
 My uncle sprang up and held out his hands and the apparition disap- peared, leaving behind sense of inn pending disaster My uncle tried
  ing to give way to the impression of danger with which he seemed pos sessed, and had almost convinced him. self that the presence had been dream when the apparition suddenly again. My uncle sprang up and my grandfather spoke, frown- ing and nointing to the door. My un- c,e thought he caught the words; John, go! Col and then the ghostly visitant for. the third time disap- peared.
 My uncle rushed from the house and, following an impulse, saddled his horse and rode to my fathers. three miles away. was small child but I can well remember hear ing the chatter of the horses hoofs as he dashed up to the door. He told of his ghostly visitant and said he wished to spend the night with us.
 My mother and father thought him III, but forbore 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 put in amazement. Two heavy loads 1f buckshot had been fired into the ped the night before from an open Had my grandfather ap- eeared to his son to save him from 1eath the night before? M
 Years afterward Black Dan was hanged by a mob for crimes commit ed against the white race. My uncle to save the negro's life, put his efforts in his behalf were in yain During the first conversation ny uncle had with him the ex-slave old him that it was he who had fired he buckshot into his bed, thinking he was asleep in it as usual at that time ,f night, and hoping to kill him.
 Was not a good master to you, Dane' my uncle asked. Why'd you wish to kill me?' !" You were my master the negro said. You were white and I am black and I hate the, white people. and hat is. the reason for every crime I lave committed
 When my uncle was a very old nan he had another dream or visita- ion, whatever you choose to call it. Tn his early life he married beauti- 'ul woman whom he loved very dear V She died of typhoid fever six weeks after the marriage. In the ,arly days of their honeymoon they lad given a promise that the one who lied first should, if possible, return md warn the other of approaching leath.
 My uncle's wound healed as time passed and he married again. Hist second marriage brought him great but he lived to be an old nan. In the early stages of his last Illness he told my mother the date md hour of his approaching death.
 't--- came to me last night he said, and sat beside me. She told ne that my hour was approaching and hat I must prepare to meet her in ,eaven.'
 My uncle died at the exact date md hour predicted
 Another member of the party con- ributed the following experiences:
 My great-grandmother had made fer home with us for a number of -ears. She was a tiny little woman, -ery old as I remember her, and in 1 h ehabit of reading her Bible almost | constantly. At night before retiring | he would kneel beside little table | n her room, read a chapter in her l Bible while on her knees, say her | and then no word would pass | Ter lips for the night. Many and 1 many time have seen her kneeling l here making her evening supplfca- ions
 .-She moved with a daughter to 'exas and had been living in that tate for number of years when one ay I entered the room which she had | coupled while with us, and there, neeling beside the little table, her 'ible before her, was my great-grand- 1other She smiled at me and point a upward and then seemed to fade ito. nothingness.
 'It was broad daylight and I could