Browse:Haunted Tree (Volume 1, entries 116–120)
Haunted Tree
Volume 1, entries 116–120. Source context: SPIRITS → SPIRITS WITH SPECIAL FORMS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 116
I was going through a piece of pines one night - as usually in the summertime, I was tired and throwed myself down by the path by a tree. So this night I started out and I heard a stamping on the ground just as though it were a horse right by the tree I was going to. And I advanced a little more. It didn't only stamp and go like a horse, but it seems as though there was a quick flash around the tree. It seems though it jarred de ground. So I stopped. By and by I started again - the same noise. I started again - the same noise. Then I got out of there pretty quick. My hair was all standing up like that [demonstrates]. It was real. I didn't see anything. The moon Was shining so bright - like this electric light [in my study - late after- noon, March,1936]. I went to the nearest house I could get to. I told the old man about it and stayed there all night. He said, "How Pres, don't you know that place is ha'nted?" I said, "No, I didn't know." So I stayed all night. I don't know why that tree was ha'nted.
Moonlight describes the reported setting; the informant says they did not see anything.
Entry 117
The man was murdered on a certain spot of ground and a tree came up and grew there, and for years afterwards, anytime anyone would strike it or bruise it in any way, there Was a peculiar voice that they could hear. The tree would moan as if it were being mistreated. The people watched it and watched it, and after a long time an older person came along and told them, 'Right along here such-and- such a-one was murdered. There was no tree there then." That was why this tree Was so peculiar. [New York City, (lO), Ed.; Orangeburg Co., S. Car., see FACI, 1st ed., No.10,508; 2ed., Nos.15426-15429.]
Entry 118
This happened near Battleboro, North Carolina. My uncle - was my grandmother's brother - had to watch the team while they was eating in a meadow that was almost grown up. There was a giant oak tree that stood in the meadow. He used to climb in this tree and sit on the branches. One day while he was sitting in this tree and watching his master's team while they grazed, the tree started to moan. He jumped out of the tree and ran into the house just as fast as he could. His master built a fence around this tree and charged people to come in and grew to be a very rich man. People from all over the country would come to this tree.
Entry 119
I saw a ghost one night. I was going up the Riprap Road. A big mul- berry tree was on the ditch bank. When I got right opposite tree a man came out from under this tree. I didn't see no man when I was going up to the tree but when I got there he walked right out on this side, my left side. He said to me 'Where are you going?' I said, "I'm going?" home." He said, "It's a fine evening isn't it?" I said, "Yes." So then - he had on a brand-new pair of shoes, a brand-new broadcloth suit, a hard-bosom white shirt, a black high-top hat. I and him walked on. When I got up to Spring, I said to him, 'I'm going to turn into Spring Street." So then he said, "I'm going this way." And then he tipped his hat to me and said, "Good evening." So the house where I was going at, not being far from the corner, I went to the fence and called the woman to give her her lodge card. She came to the door and said, "Who were you talking to?" I said, "I was talking to a man." She said, "Where is he at now?" I said, "He's gone up the road." In the meantime he turns around and comes back and when he gets in sight for her to see him, I said to her, "There's the man now." She said, "I don't see nobody." I said, "You don't see nobody?" She said, "No." She said, "Where's he going?" I said, "He's going right back to the tree." And so when he got to the tree that's where he disappeared. Then I said, "oh, I've been talking with a ghost." And I commenced to running and I run until I got home and fell in the door. Mama said, "What in de world is de matter with you?" I said, "Mama, I've been talking to a ghost." And she said, "You're always out seeing ghoses."
Entry 120
Once an old man by the name of uncle Esham would go on a hunting trip every night, Sundays included. Friends tried their best to refrain him from going hunting on Sunday but the old man continued as if nothing was said. One Sunday night he heard a voice speaking from a tree, saying, "Esham, Esham, what is the matter with you? You hunt Monday night, you hunt Tuesday night, you hunt Wednesday night, you hunt Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night. Poor 'coons [racoons] can't get no rest." The old man would just listen and go on hunting just the same. One Sunday night when the old man passed be- neath the tree, not only did the voice speak to him, but when he looked around he saw red eyes, a man standing with his tongue out, pointing down the road. And he also said, "Esham, Esham, what is the matter with you? You hunt Monday night, you hunt Tuesday night, you hunt Wednesday night, you hunt Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night. Poor 'coons can't get no rest." Just as this was spoken the tree fell down and killed uncle Esham. He was found lying there the next day. The story was told by an old man who used to follow uncle Esham about a hundred yards away. And that was the end of uncle Esham. My grandmother told me the story.