Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-03-10

assured, the family retired.
So certain was Mr. Macdonald, that
all was we'll about the house, that
when his wife attempted to arouse
him half hour later, saying that she
smelled smoke, he was unwilling to in
vestigate. Finally, however, he was
prevailed on to make search, and
discovered fire again blazing in the
boards about the kitchen chimney,
which had been cold for six hours. He
had only returned to bed a short time,
when he was called to extinguish an
other fire in the same place.
The next day another investigation
was conducted, the floor boards were
removed in the loft of the house, swept
clear of all dust and replaced: On the
following Sunday evening the kitchen
fire again was allowed to die out, and
although satisfied that they had thor,
oughly searched the premises, the
family retired in fear and trembling.
Three times Mrs. Macdonald warn
ed her husband that she smelled
smoke, before he would consent to
arise. Fire was found round the
stcvepipe again and extinguished, and
Mr.. Macdonald sat down in the icy
coldness of the kitchen completely
dumfounded.
Almost Immediately fire broke out
over his head and scarcely had he ex-
tinguised 1t when another was dis
covered. In ell five fires were extin-
guished before the dawn broke. Mon
day was uneventful, and when Tues
day came without recurrence of the
fires the family began to breathe
easier.
Spooky Fires Persist.
Late on Tuesday afternoon Mr.. Mac
Donald went out to the stable to at
tend to his stock for the night, and in
his absence Mrs. Macdonald discover
ed fire in the wallpaper in the din
ing room. She extinguished 1t with a
pan of water and sent Mary Ellen to
cell her foster father. Within few
minutes another fire was discovered in
the same room, and again the board
over the ceiling broke into flames. The
boards which were on fire were thrown
out into the snow and Macdonald
stated that small pieces Of cotton adi
hered to them, although they had been
thoroughly swept on the Sunday be-
fore. -.,.,,.
Fires were discovered. in rags in an
upstairs room, ON various places on
the bare wall, where 1t Is reported cot
ton was found under the burned spots,
although the paper had been on the
wall for years, and bore no evidence
Of being disturbed until the fire broke
out.
Terrified lest they should lose their
lives and convinced that some super
natural force had set out to destroy
their home, it was decided to send to
their nearest neighbor for assistance.
Mrs, Macdonald and Mary Ellen
started out, but the aged diwoman found
her declining strength too feeble for
the ordeal and collapsed before half
the distance had been covered. Leav-
ing her foster mother where she had
fallen in the snow, Mary Ellen ran on.
Hearing her cries, Leo and Dan
MacGillivray, and Duncan MacDon-
aid, neighbors, ran to her assistance,
and made ready to accompany her on
a return journey. Mary Ellen stayed
with her foster mother while the men
ran on to the house to assist Mr.. Mac
Donald
Macdonald Dazed With. Fear.
They found him dazed with fear and
bewilderment He had seen three
more fires break out. While Mr.. Mac
Donald went to assist his wife the
three men watched the house.
Later in the evening a roaring fire
was built in the kitchen stove, and all
sat around it for warmth. Leo Nc
McGillivray, and Duncan MacDon-
commanded a complete view Of the
dining room and parlor Suddenly,
those present said, the whole house
was illuminated by q blush white
light. Leo, saw that it came from the
parlor and dashed in there. A window
shade was burning from top to bot
tom.. He tore 1t down and put the fire
out with his hands. There was much
blaze and smoke, but little heat. From
that time until the following morning
the family underwent q most terrify-
ing experience.
Thirty or more fires are said to have
broken out. The majority of them
were in odd places, behind pictures
on the wall, on the bare wallpaper in
boxes under sofas, and in upholster-
ing. A cushion which had been left
upstairs a few moments earlier was
found blazing in the parlor down.
stairs.
A dishcloth, which was lying in
pool of water on the floor, almost COM
pletely saturated, Is said to have burn
ed before the eyes Of the watchers,
giving off a red light. A piece of pa
per- saturated with water, was pick
ed off the floor and placed on the bare
kitchen table, where it almost imme-
dately burst into flames The same