The Edgefield Ghost.
The Edgefield Carolinian, a paper published in South Carolina, at a town of that name, contains in its number of the 11th of July last, the following statement of facts, in relation to a matter which has produced much inquiry and speculation in that district. It adds- “It may be depended upon by the public, having been carefully composed by a gentleman of piety and well cultivated mind.” This ghost, indeed, is almost as ingenious and mysterious as the celebrated Cock-lane Ghost, which puzzled and frightened all the wiseacres of London a century ago.
The Editor of The Edgefield Carolinian manifestly inclines to the ghost, for he says, with peculiar solemnity: – “We are not disposed to believe that a breach has been made in the laws of nature without any useful purpose, but we have not heard of any satisfactory explanation of the circumstances on rational principles.”
The narrative of the pious gentleman follows, of which we subjoin an abridgment: – “As public curiosity has been greatly excited, and many tales, more or less true, have gone out concerning the mysterious and invisible being that has been heard at Mr Isaac Burnett’s, in this district, for some time, it seems proper that the public should be in possession of the facts relative to the extraordinary circumstances.
The voice was first heard in October last, imitating various noises, such as that of the spinning-wheel, reel, ducks, hens, &c., by Mr Burnett, about twenty yards from the house, which led him to suppose it was some of the neighbours’ children, hiding in the weeds and trying to frighten his children.
It was afterwards heard in the loft of the house, and Mrs B. supposing it to be a bird, sent a boy up to drive it out, but nothing could be seen. It thus continued to perplex the minds of the family for some time, until, at length, one of the children said he believed that thing could talk, and commenced asking questions, which it answered by whistling, pretty much like a parrot.
Mr John Shepherd, a pious and worthy citizen, who lives in the neighbourhood, conversed with it in the presence of a number of witnesses. To ascertain the extent of its knowledge, he asked it various questions about most persons in the neighbourhood, and their circumstances, which it answered correctly. It told his name and the number of children he had; also, the names of most of the persons present. He asked what it came there for? It replied, “Because it had no other place to go to.” It was asked if it came to do the family any harm, it said no – it loved the family. It was asked finally, if it loved Jesus Christ, to which it made no reply, nor answered any more questions which Mr Shepherd asked. The evening after, it answered others, but would not answer him.
For the first three months it was heard only once a month, but afterwards much oftener. It has been heard at various times, both in the day and at night, but more frequently in the day. Search has been repeatedly made by the family and others, but nothing found from which the voice could proceed. There is no place of concealment about the house. It is a small house, with but one room, a loft of boards laid across the joists, and a piazza on one side. The house is not underpinned, so that you can see from one end to the other underneath.
For some time the voice appeared generally to proceed from the further end of the house, opposite the fire-place, and the upper part or loft. If any one, except the children, would go to that end of the house while it was talking, or if any one would steal round ever so softly to that end on the outside of the house when it was dark, and whilst others talked to it, it would instantly stop, and when they returned it would commence again. This experiment was tried one evening when a number of persons were there, so that both the house and piazza were full. Some one from the piazza, without the knowledge of those in the house, who were talking to it, went round on the other side to see if they could discover any one, when it instantly stopped. It has been known to whistle almost any tune, either sacred or profane, which any one would tell it.
“Mr and Mrs Burnett appear to be simple-hearted, upright, and amiable persons, serious in their dispositions, and as far from encouraging any trick about them to make sport as any one. No one in the neighbourhood, who knows them, believes that they know any thing about the matter. They have evidently been much disturbed and alarmed on account of it, but having so far experienced no harm from it, they have resolutely maintained their ground. It manifests a great partiality for a little daughter of the family, who is about eleven years of age. This so alarms her that she generally gets sick whenever she talks of it, and she has been known to quit the house precipitately, when she has heard it alone in the house. Not long since, however, she quoted to it a passage of Scripture, which a pious friend pointed out, and advised her to memorise for that purpose (1 Tim. i.xv.), and it bade her hold her jaw, but she persisted in quoting the passage until it hushed, and has not spoken to her since.
Since so many persons went to hear it, it has become very shy, and is seldom heard when many persons are about, or when any person is in the house except the smaller children. They have never been able to ascertain who or what it is, or the object of its visit. It has told its name repeatedly, but cannot be understood. It will not answer any serious or religious questions. When asked whether it was a man or a woman, it said it was the foolishest question it ever heard, and appeared to laugh.”
The statement then relates the acquaintance made with the voice by the Rev. Mr Hodges, whom it told very frankly, “I do not like you.” When he told it, “I have come to drive you away,” it replied, “do, if you dare.” During this conversation, which lasted about an hour, there was nobody present but Mr Burnett’s wife, Mr Shepherd, and Mr Hodges, with the small children. When it ended, the two gentlemen examined the house and found nothing. During the time of the conversation it was asked to sing a song: it said it did not know any. Mr H. whistled a sacred tune – but it said that wouldn’t do: it then whistled Yankee Doodle very distinctly.
Mr Hodges at first suspected that the noise might proceed from some one possessing the art of ventriloquism; but it had been heard at different times without any reference to the presence of any particular person, and in the absence of every person who has heard it. About two months ago, Mr B, at the suggestion of some one, put a Testament in the place whence the voice appeared to proceed. It instantly left the place, came down into the house, and said it was going away. They asked why it was going away. It replied, it was obliged to go, it could stay there no longer, and bade them farewell. It was then absent about two weeks, during which time it was heard at Mr Dick’s and Mr Nicholl’s, in the same neighbourhood, as they believe. They had heard it at Mr Burnett’s, and believed it to be the same, but did not converse with it. When it returned it was asked, and said it had been to those places. None of Mr Burnett’s family were at those places when it was heard. Since its return it has occupied no particular part of the house, but is heard in various parts. It is now seldom heard, as Mr B. does not allow the children to talk to it, and they do not pay much attention to it.
The statement ends with references to all the persons named in it for confirmation of its truth.
Morning Chronicle, 8th September 1829.