Period "Ghost Story"

[27thNCdrummer]

In response to another thread here is a period "ghost story":

[FAYETTEVILLE, ARK.] THE ARKANSIAN, June 1, 1860 Couldn't Fool Her.—The Lafayette (Ind.) Courier tells an amusing story of a company of young ladies and gentlemen of that place who took it into their heads to adjourn from a social party to walk near the cemetery. As they approached the ghostly place a lady screamed. All eyes turned to the point indicated by her alarm, and saw a ghost coming toward them, appareled in orthodox white. They all run, but one sturdy woman of the strong minded class, stood her ground till the ghost got to her, when she seized it, and thrashed out of his frightful disguise a mischievous fellow who had heard the project of walking about the graveyard discussed, and hid himself there to give the party a fright. She led him back to the house; and in reply to the questions that poured upon her, said: "Can't fool me. I've seen too many men in sheets to get frightened at them!"

[brown]

Re: Period "Ghost Story"

Some stories can make you laugh 147 years after the fact. I bet those young gentlemen couldn't live that one down, even if the served as the bravest men from the county for the next 4 years.
Thanks for sharing.

[1stMaine]

Re: Period "Ghost Story"

Oh my... her response could be taken in so many different ways.... :wink_smil

[Justin Runyon]

Re: Period "Ghost Story"

In Indiana...not that many different ways.

[coastaltrash]

Re: Period "Ghost Story"

...and that my friends is how Justin Runyon spent his prom night.

[Prodical Reb]

Re: Period "Ghost Story"

Considering that this story takes place before a certain organization (Men in sheets) was founded and spread, there are only a few ways it could have been meant! Elwood (north of Indianapolis), Indiana was known for years as that organizations HQ in Indiana! Had a frat brother (not one of the races favored by that organization) in college from there who told me the past history and association of that organization in that town!

She must of dealt with a lot of pranksters wearing sheets or dealt with a lot of discussion of her ruined reputation after that!

[Missouri Mule]

Bell Witch

I seem to recall a discussion of the Bell Witch a few years back when the movie "An American Haunting" came out. That would be a "period" ghost story. I tried to do a search on the AC for any potential links but was not successful; perhaps the mods can do better.

Here are some links to the Bell Witch -- a story that anyone from north central TN and/or Kentucky would have been aware of. (Obviously, this is not all of the links, nor the most scholarly -- a simple Google search reveals much more):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bell_Witch

http://www.bellwitch.org/

http://www.prairieghosts.com/b-cave.html

[Jeff Prechtel]

Re: Period "Ghost Story"

Wizzard Clipp is a period ghost story from the West Virginia
area, that is dated to the late 1790's (it's earliest recording).

It has to do with the ignoring of last rites for an 18th century
traveller, and the subsiquent haunting thereof, of the offending
individual's house and property by the aggrieved party.

Here's a link to a 1904 edition of the West Virginia Historical Quarterly
that relates the story in detail.

http://www.wvculture.org/History/notewv/wizardclip1.html

[Jeff Prechtel]

Re: Period "Ghost Story"

Almost forgot ....Washington Irving's
The Legend of Sleepy Hallow, from the Washington Irving
Sketchbook, would pre-date the war by many years, so therefore
could be counted as a period "ghost story", although not one
taken from a local paper.