The Bell Witch: The Full Account by Pat Fitzhugh Read Free Book Online Page B

tried
    unsuccessfully to find the source of these pranks,
    but became frustrated and gave up after a short
    time.

    THE BELL WITCH: THE FULL ACCOUNT
    47
    Faint Whistles and Whispers
    After the pranks and disturbances had continued
    for some time, the Bells began hearing faint,
    whistling sounds coming from the walls and ceilings
    of their house. These sounds soon grew into faint
    whispers that sounded like an old woman crying.
    Unlike most of the disturbances up to that point, the
    whispers could be heard during the day as well as at
    night, and were no longer confined to the house. The
    faint whispers seemed to follow the Bells everywhere
    they went, and sounded as if “something” was trying
    desperately to tell them something.
    Mysterious Lights in the Dell
    After dinner one evening, John Bell, Lucy, John
    Jr., and Drewry gathered in the family room to
    discuss the two sons’ upcoming flatboat trip to New
    Orleans and their plans for returning home. After a
    few moments of conversation, Lucy Bell frightfully
    exclaimed, “Look! Look at those lights outside the
    window in the dell and along the lane. I‘ve never
    seen anything like that before. They are so
    beautiful…the lights along the lane are flickering
    slowly, and the lights in the dell look like candles
    dancing! Where did they come from, John?” “I
    haven’t seen them before, Lucy, but the slaves are
    probably just having some fun; they worked very
    hard today and need to have a little fun. I think I’ll
    go out and pay them a compliment,” John Bell said
    as began walking out front door where he
    immediately discovered that the lights along the lane
    and in the dell were gone. He was perplexed as to
    how the lights could have been blown out in the
    short time it took him to leave the room and walk to
    the porch.

    48 P A T
    F I T Z H U G H
    Bell wandered across the property to the slave
    quarters, where he found everyone but Dean fast
    asleep. “Dean, why are you still awake when all the
    others are sleeping? You and the others worked very
    hard today, for which I am grateful; but you need
    your rest.” Noticing that Dean’s body was trembling,
    Bell continued, “You look like you’ve just seen a
    ghost! Is there anything wrong?” “I think I have,
    Mister Bell!” Dean replied. “I was getting ready to
    crawl under the covers when I saw all those light
    things in front of your house and in the dell. I
    thought it was you and your family walking around
    with candles, but when I went to take a closer look
    they disappeared right in front of me!”
    “That wasn’t us, Dean,” replied John Bell; “have
    you or any of the other servants seen things that you
    weren’t really sure what was?” “Yes, Mister Bell. We
    have seen some frightening things around here
    lately. My mother says it is probably that old “witch”
    that Philis has been hearing some of you talk about
    at dinner,” Dean remarked. “We don’t know what it
    is, Dean; but tell the other servants not to say
    anything about what they’ve witnessed or heard my
    family discuss. It’s very important that we keep this
    a secret,” Bell said. “Yes sir, I will,” Dean replied.
    John Bell walked back to the house and rejoined
    the conversation in the family room. After discussing
    John Jr. and Drewry’s upcoming flatboat trip for
    several minutes, a loud, whispering sound filled the
    room. Much louder than it had been up until this
    point, the Spirit seemed to be trying hard to say
    something important. “What do you want? Is there
    something you are trying to tell us?” asked John
    Bell. The whispering became louder but remained
    unintelligible.
    A cold, strong draft was felt, followed by several
    pieces of furniture being tossed about the room as

    THE BELL WITCH: THE FULL ACCOUNT
    49
    though the Spirit had become very angry. John Bell
    fell to the floor as his chair was kicked out from
    under him while Lucy and Drewry sat watching in a
    state of total fear. John Jr.’s