A House Full Of Ghosts.
Weird and unearthly sights observed in a deserted southern residence.
Charleston (S. C.) Special.
For years and years the house of the Trummonds, in the Joyce branch neighbourhood of Barnwell county, has been known as “the haunted house.” The story goes that on dismal, rainy nights the ghostly visitations are manifest by the house being suddenly brilliantly illuminated by an unearthly light. Doors are slammed and clanking chains proclaim the presence of an invisible visitor who treads heavily about the house, but never troubles the inmates except by the noise.
The illuminations proceed from the hearths. Without an instant’s warning fire blazes in empty fire-places and throws a weird light that gives the windows from the outside the appearance of huge locomotive headlights. This always occurs in the dead of night, between 12 and 2 o’clock, never lasting but a few seconds. No member of the Trummond family ever died a violent death. Two generations of the family have lived there. These charges against their abode are partly admitted by the family, but they never talk upon the subject when it can be avoided.
On last Saturday night the mystery of years was deepened. A wagon-load of coloured folks returning from a meeting passed the house at midnight. They were singing a camp-meeting hymn, when, as they passed directly in front of the house, an unearthly glamour shot from the windows athwart their terror-stricken forms. The mule attached to the vehicle darted towards darkness carrying his shrieking and praying load swiftly from the scene. The yells of the frightened coloured people awoke every one for half a mile about them. Soon a sheet of flame shot skyward, apparently from the chimney of the Trummond residence, wavered for an instant and vanished.
The air was damp and the sky cloudy, but no rain was falling, and the atmospheric conditions were not as favourable for the ghostly flame as on occasions when it had appeared in a less striking degree. The flame was intense, and rendered the smallest objects in the vicinity distinctly visible. No one approached the house that night, although the inmates remained inside. The family were ignorant of there having been a ghostly illumination of more than usual brilliancy. Doors had slammed that night and lights appeared.
The story, as improbable as it seems, is vouched for by persons of the utmost trustworthiness. D.L. Perkins, a prominent farmer, who lives near the haunted house, says that he has frequently seen the flames. The story was published by the Sun this afternoon, and telegraphic inquiries from Barnwell bring the answer that it is correct in all essential facts.
The Indianapolis Journal (Indiana), February 20th 1889.