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By Will JohnsonMessenger Reporter HOUSTON COUNTY - Growing up in the late 1970s and early

1980s in Grapeland, there wasn’t a lot for a teenager to do. The movie theater in town had shut down and there were only so many quarters you could waste on a video game. There were no really cool things like the internet, cell phones or interactive gaming systems to occupy a teenager’s time.

As a result, many Friday and Saturday nights were spent riding around with friends and seeing just how much trouble you could find without really causing any harm. Sometimes, some type of adventure would be discovered and would be talked about for the next few weeks. Sometimes, however, things happened and not one word was ever said.

I guess it was 1982 or it might have been 1981, when a friend of mine named Larry King told me about a place he had recently discov-ered. It was called Bridgesville and had a population sign which said

it had three (3) people. It was a Saturday night and we had nothing better to do, so we decided to take a ride out to Bridgesville and see the sign. I told you already there was very little to do in Grapeland.

We loaded up and took off. To get to Bridgesville, you head west of Grapeland on the Rock Hill Road and just before the paved road ends, you turn to your right. You wind your way along a dirt road make a couple of turns here and there and in about 20 minutes you’re in Bridgesville.

Before heading to the booming metropolis, we summoned our courage and went to Palestine with an ill-doctored I.D. in hopes of purchasing an adult beverage or 12. Lo and behold, we were success-ful. After we got back to Grapeland, Bridgesville beckoned.

Because he knew the way, Larry was driving. As I mentioned, it’s a pretty fair hike and with adult beverages added to the mix, a pit stop was necessary. We had reached the dirt road and about two, maybe three miles down the road, Larry pulled over.

I got out from the passenger side and as I stepped out of the car, I noticed what I thought was a white colored rock, just inside the fence line. I walked over to it and realized it wasn’t a rock. It was a tombstone.

I was a little startled at first because it seemed very much out of place. It was dark and the overhanging trees made it even darker, but I could tell it was old. I thought I heard Larry say something, but when I asked, he said he hadn’t said anything. He asked what I was looking at and I told him. He came over to see and just shrugged his shoulders. I was a little creeped out by the whole thing but I certainly didn’t want to show it.

Anyway, as we started to get back in the car, I swore I heard a kid’s voice. While I have forgotten a lot as I have grown older, I remember hearing that voice just like it was yesterday. Almost in a whisper, I heard it say, “Don’t go.”

Sometimes They Never Leave - A Houston County Ghost Story

See Ghost, Page B3

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Page B2 Thursday, October 30, 2014www.Messenger-News.com

By Sarah PeguesMessenger ReporterIt started out as just a quiet, peaceful

October night at a riverside cabin out in the country. But for one East Texas fisherman, the evening was anything but ordinary.

He may not have been successful at catching any fish, but that doesn’t mean the night was a complete failure.

This gentleman claims to be among the lucky UFO believers who has been presented with hardcore proof of the supposed fact that we are not alone here in the universe.

The subject recently granted an interview to ‘The Messenger’ – provided that his name and location be kept confidential. For all intents and purposes, he will be referred to as Howie Noran, a resident of Deep East Texas.

“It was just a normal night,” said Noran as he began relaying the story. “I had gone out to my riverside cabin about fifteen minutes out of town, just like I did on a lot of weekends. My wife – and you can just call her Ethel May when you write your story – usually went out there with me, but she went out of town with her sister, so it was just me and the dog, Boots, out there this weekend.

“Me and Boots was (sic) out at the river doing some fishing that evening – this was last Saturday, by the way – and we wasn’t (sic) catching anything or getting no (sic) bites or nothing (sic).

“Well, of course, it was getting dark at about 6:30 or seven; the skeeters (sic) were starting to bite pretty bad, so I got my rod and reel and tackle box picked up, and me and Boots started heading back toward the cabin,” Noran went on. “We were just about a quarter mile from the cabin, so we had just walked down to the river.

“Well, we was (sic) heading back to the cabin, and everything was still going normal,” Noran continued. “I was just kind of looking down and not really paying no (sic) attention, and right when we got in front of the cabin, Boots stopped and started barking.

“I was thinking it was just a coon or armadil-lo or something that he seen (sic) in the yard or something, but I looked around and didn’t see nothing (sic),” Noran explained. “And then I look at Boots, fixing to say, you know, ‘what’s wrong, boy?’ and I see that he’s just like he’s frozen in place and looking up at the sky.”

Noran followed the dog’s gaze, and soon, he, too was practically frozen in his tracks.

“There was this big, bright, orange, lit up thing,” Noran divulged. “It had red and green lights on the outsides of it – the way the lights were, it kind of made the thing look like it was

shaped like a triangle.“I knew it wasn’t no (sic) star, because it

was too big to be just that,” Noran said. “And I could tell it was kind of moving real slow, not making no (sic) noise, just kind of gliding.

“It was kind of coming up from the direc-tion out behind the cabin – I guess that would have been from the south,” Noran elaborated. “And it got kind of right above the cabin and just quit moving. It sat there for a minute, and then, the bright orange light in the middle of it shut off.”

Noran went on to say that the red and green lights on the outsides of the object blinked twice in unison before going dark as well.

“After all that went off, me and Boots was (sic) still just standing there looking up at it,” Noran explained. “He quit barking when the lights went off and was kind of whimpering.

“Me, I wasn’t making no (sic) noise; I was kind of just a little too shell-shocked for that,” he laughed.

After a minute or two longer of waiting, the pair witnessed the lights blaze back on in all of their perplexing glory.

“It got real bright again – all the lights, you know, just flashed on all at the same time,” Noran explicated. “And right after that hap-pened, whatever it was just zoomed away real quick back toward the direction we had just came from.”

Noran said that he and Boots then retreated into the cabin and spent an uneventful night – but the experience did not end there.

“I got up at a little before 6 a.m. the next morning,” Noran recalled. “It was still pretty dark out there, but the sun was, you know, kind of starting to get ready to come up. And I was getting stuff together and kind of picking up around the cabin, getting ready to head out and get back home to get ready and get the wife home and go to church.

“Right before it was starting to get light out-side, I was loading up the truck, and me and Boots hit the road,” he went on. “I had kind of looked around while I was loading up, but I didn’t see nothing (sic) like the night before.”

The absence of the extraordinary, however, proved to be short-lived.

“We was (sic) about a

mile from the cabin and all the sudden, Boots – he was over in the passenger seat – went to whining. And I looked over there at him and seen (sic) he was looking out up at the sky like he was the night before.

“So, I slowed the truck down and looked where he was looking,” Noran expounded. “And I was thinking, ‘Naw (sic), surely there ain’t nothing (sic) up there like it was last night.’ But sure enough, I looked out, and there it was.”

Noran described the object this time as being circular and laminated by a white light with four smaller red lights creating a type of “diamond pattern” on the “edges” of the circle.

“Well, I pulled the truck over – there wasn’t nobody (sic) else around; it was just a little old backroad that nobody really is on that much,” Noran explained. “And I got out of the truck real slow and just kind of stood there on the roadside looking up at the thing.

“The one that had come up the night before wasn’t making no (sic) noise,” Noran reiterated. “But this one was doing this kind of low humming type thing. It looked like it was going a little bit faster than the other one and was maybe a tad bit bigger.”

As the object drew slightly nearer to him, Noran retrieved his cell phone from the truck, hoping to capture some evidence of the object’s presence.

“I did get a little video footage of it,” he reported. “It didn’t come out real clear, though; the camera on this thing (phone) really ain’t (sic) all that good. It’s just a little flip-phone thing; it ain’t nothing (sic) fancy.”

When the object showed no signs of “zoom-

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Page B3Thursday, October 30, 2014 www.Messenger-News.com

Strange Happenings in East Texas

By Brandon LeCompteMessenger ReporterEAST TEXAS -Investigators had been on a visit to House

near Groveton, an early 18th century mansion with a long his-tory of paranormal sightings and occurrences.

The most notable incident of the night however happened not inside the building itself but on the road out front when group co-manager Robert went to help a seemingly injured woman who had been seen crawling around outside.

“As he helped her up she was very cold and pale and, although she was crawling on the floor in heavy rain, her dress seemed dry and no signs of mud,” the team wrote in a report.

“She had no weight to her whatsoever and seemed perfectly fine once she was standing up. Within a few moments of walk-ing away, he turned round and she was gone,” said Robert.

The incident occurred several hours in to the group’s inves-tigation at the house.

“She was crawling on the floor and it looked like her arms and quite possibly her back had been broken - but there was no sign of that when she stood up,” said Robert.

“And then, obviously, where did she go?”

SA Paranormal Group Gets East Texas Scare

Pineywoods PanicBy Brandon LeCompteMessenger ReporterGRAPELAND - Ashley and Lisa had set up their tent and

camping equipment in dense woodland on the outskirts of the city in the hope of enjoying a relaxing night under the stars, but as darkness fell things started to take a turn for the worse.

“During the night we heard the sounds of, what can be described as, people walking around,” said Ashley. “Twigs and branches were cracking and breaking, like footsteps on the forest ground.”

The women became increasingly aware of the feeling of being watched but were unable to see signs of anyone else in the area. At one point Lisa whistled out and was terrified to hear someone whistling back at her from the darkness. Some of their camping tools also seemed to have gone missing.

The two friends eventually made the decision to flee after hearing what sounded like a baby crying at around 1 a.m. “After midnight it all got too scary and, in our panic and fear, packed up our tent and got the hell out of there,” said Ashley.

The experience didn’t end there however, as the following morning while flicking through the photographs they had taken in the woods Ashley discovered an image showing what appeared to be a strange glowing figure in the background.

“I immediately threw the phone to the ground,” she said. “I knew we were being watched, and that picture proves it.”

The Healing GhostBy Brandon LeCompteMessenger ReporterEAST TEXAS- Diane had been suffering from an infec-

tion following the removal of her gall bladder and had been unwell for months when, during a day out with her husband, she decided to have a sit down for a while on a pew in a local church.

As her husband Peter wandered around the church taking photographs, Diane recalled feeling a sudden “warm and comfortable” sensation while praying for a full recovery. She thought little of it at the time, but when the couple went back over their photographs a few months later something unex-pected turned up in one of the shots.

In a photograph of Diane sitting praying on a pew at the church, a white figure wearing a bonnet can be seen sitting directly behind her. “When we saw the white figure sitting behind me on the projector screen, we just stood there with our mouths open,” she said.

“I came back, saw Diane sitting there and took the photo,” said Peter. “I couldn’t see anyone behind her but it’s so clear on the image. It’s incredible.”

A church worker later told them that the White Lady was the legend of a healer who would appear to help the sick. According to the story, in 1830 a man climbed the belfry claiming that he would kiss the White Lady if he saw her. He was found huddled in a corner murmuring “I’ve seen her” over and over before dying a short time later.

By Brandon LeCompteMessenger ReporterEAST TEXAS- Nick White said the ghost has materialized

several times in the building, which was originally a chapel near Lufkin.

He claimed it has moved around piles of tires during the night while the garage was locked.

Two pre-World War II coins have also mysteriously turned up on the garage floor, and Mr White believes they were left by the ghosts, which has been seen wearing 1940s dress.

White found the first of the old penny pieces, dated 1936, when he arrived for work one day in February.

The second copper coin, dated 1938, was lying in almost the same spot when Mr. White, 35, and one of his mechanics turned up at the garage last week.

White said, “I took all the strange stories with a big pinch of salt when I bought the place. But I wouldn’t like to say it’s not true anymore. There’s no logical explanation for the two old pennies turning up like they did. I wish there was.”

“It’s a little bit scary knowing that there’s something hap-pening while the place is locked up at night.”

Previous owner Daniel Lee once called in a clergyman to perform an exorcism.

White added, “Daniel told me all about the tires being moved around when the place was locked up at night and customers witnessing small change and stones coming out of nowhere and flying here and there.”

“It’s all right being skeptical about these things, but I’m the owner of two very old pennies now, and I’d love to know where they came from.”

Pennies From Heaven?

Bright Lights In The Backwoods

See Lights, Page B6

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LocaL SportSWWW.MESSENGER-NEWS.COM THE MESSENGER SPORTSTHURSDAY, October 30, 2014

Sandiettes Battle Lady Tigers On Senior NightBy Barrett SteedMessenger SportsG R A P E L A N D — T h e

Grapeland Sandiettes took on the Centerville Lady Tigers for their last home game of the season on Friday, Oct. 24.

With this years’ grueling district schedule coming to a close, the 2014 Grapeland Sandiettes seniors wrapped up their last home volleyball game of the season this past Friday. A largely veteran squad, this year’s squad represents one of the teams in the district with the most upperclassmen on the team. The seniors taking the court for the last time include: Cymone Davis, Destiny Moten, Holly Musick, Rebecca Vasquez, Shandrika Potts, and Rosalind McCoy. Though Friday’s matchup was hardly the last time these girls will be representing their school and community in a Sandiettes jersey this year, Friday certainly marks the end of an era for Grapeland vol-leyball.

The Sandiettes would take on the second place Centerville Lady Tigers, looking for ret-ribution from their previous meeting. The girls lost three straight to the Lady Tigers in the first half of district, and cer-tainly looked to not go down without a fight.

In the first games of the series, the Lady Tigers con-

tinued their domination as most teams save Iola have seen this year. Centerville is quickly turning into a volleyball power-house, and in their new district, they are having much success against this year’s opponents. In the first game, the Sandiettes would barely make a dent on

the Lady Tigers’ momentum. The second game however, the girls would go all in, tying up the match through most of the game until both teams reached 18. The Lady Tigers would jump ahead and end up winning by a five point margin, 25-20. Despite great play from

Grapeland, beating the Lady Tigers would require a com-bination of flawless execution and determination.

Refusing to go three games and out for a second meeting, the third game of the series would see the Sandiettes fight to the bitter end. Great defense

by the veteran Sandiettes and complete domination by Davis put Grapeland past the halfway mark, leading their opponents by three. Showing glimpses of the bright future for the squad, Hailee Sheridan, Bri Bolt, Whitney Musick and Monic Davila helped their team stay

solid as the fierce Lady Tigers began to comeback and hold-ing the lead to one point before a Holly Musick service streak would advance the score 19-15. But with all great vol-leyball teams, there is a rea-son the Lady Tigers are at the top of the tough district stand-ings, Centerville chipped away at the Sandiettes’ lead, quickly advancing to twenty, but the resilient Grapeland squad continued to apply pressure, needing only one point to walk away with a game three vic-tory. Despite a four point lead heading into the home stretch, Centerville began to get lucky break after lucky break, even-tually tying up the game at twenty-four. The Sandiettes held on as long as they could, but this year’s district runner-ups tacked on two more points, winning by a margin of 26-24.

With Friday’s loss, the Sandiettes are set to travel to North Zulch looking to have a repeat performance from the previous meetings. With a win over North Zulch, the Grapeland could manage to even up their record as the season comes to a close in the next week.

For more information and results from the 2014 Grapeland Sandiettes Volleyball season, check out Messenger-News Online or follow Messenger Sports on Facebook.

Photo by Barrett Steed / Messenger Sports

With a monster hit Senior Cymone Davis gives it all she’s got along with the rest of the Sandiettes team in Friday nights Senior Night action against a strong Centerville Lady Tiger team.

Courtesy Photo

6 pound 2 ounce by Trey Crosby caught on Houston County Lake Sunday.

Houston Co. Lake RepoRt Courtesy Of Crockett Family Resort

Special to the Messenger76F surface water temperature, water stained and nor-

mal level.Good black bass to 8.38 pounds by Phil Daniel on buzz

bait early AM.  Other bass averaging 3 to 6.2 pounds on watermelon, amber, and green pumpkin worms near structure.

Good crappie using live minnows evening fishing. Good bream on live worms.  Good catfish on jug lines.

Crockett Family Resort Lodging, Marina, & RV ParkHouston County Lake75 Dogwood Lane WestCrockett, Tx 75835 936/544-8466www.crockettresort.com

Elks Dominate Kemp In Friday Night ShowdownBy Barrett SteedMessenger SportsGRAPELAND—The Elkhart Elks faced

off against the Kemp Yellowjackets on Friday, Oct. 24.

Following a tough loss against Malakoff the previous week, the Elks looked to get back in the district race against the Kemp Yellowjackets. Though winless on the sea-son, the Elks refused to pull any punches against their opponent en route to a huge 41-3 victory, moving their district record to 2-1 on the season.

Dangerous offense and solid defense helped the Elks roll through their oppo-nent on Friday, putting Elkhart back in the playoff hunt. Led by the powerful Zack Gray, the Elks came out hot in the first half, showing that when they are on they cannot be stopped. The strong running attack complimented by the abilities of Austin Sheridan and his receiving core, proved to be too much for Kemp to handle on their home turf. The Elks managed to tally three scores in the first half and only incurring three points of damage on their

way to a 20-3 lead at the midway mark. Refusing to let up, Elkhart returned to

the game in the second half matching the vigor of the first. With a comfortable lead intact, sophomore D.J. Williams and junior Traylon Swanson helped lead their defense, amassing 35 tackles and 5 tackles for losses, to a shut out half to secure the lead. With the defense outperforming their first half play, the offense refused to be outdone, tacking on 21 more points against their opponent. As the game came to a close, the Elks led the Yellowjackets 41-3.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Elks’ players were unstoppable. Elkhart’s quarter-back Sheridan hit the 200 yard mark, com-pleting eight for sixteen of his pass attempts with one going the distance connecting with junior receiver Jackson Adair and also managing to skate in the end zone to record a rushing touchdown for his offense. Gray would add on to his phenomenal season, rushing for 241 yards on the night and two touchdowns. Junior Lane Lisecki helped tack on to his team’s lead getting the ball in on the ground as well. The talented

receiving core consisting of juniors Alex Flores and Chad Taylor and senior Cullen Adams kept the threat through the air alive in Friday night’s victory.

Defensively, Elkhart shut down their opponents. After managing a first half field goal, the Elks’ came out in the second half relentless. Leading tacklers for the night include: Traylon Swanson, D.J. Williams, Rowdy Upchurch, Chris Box, Nathan Vick, and Justin Warren. Upchurch and Williams would also get to the quarterback in the night for a combined three sacks. Tunstall’s fumble recovery and 46 yard scamper would also set up a touchdown for his offense.

With the Elks firing on all cylinders with a big win over Kemp, they are ready to prepare to take on the tough Westwood Panthers fighting it out for that coveted third place spot in the district guarantee-ing a playoff berth.

For more information on the 2014 Elkhart Elks, check out Messenger-News Online or follow Messenger Sports on Facebook.

Elkhart Junior Varsity Wins BigBy Barrett SteedMessenger SportsELKHART—The Elkhart Elks junior varsity football squad

faced off against the Kemp Yellowjackets at home on Thursday, Oct. 23.

With the solar eclipse as a backdrop at Jerry Ives Memorial Stadium, the Elks took on the Yellowjackets looking to continue their successful season. As the temperature dropped, Elkhart turned up the heat, shutting out their opponent in the first half of play 32-0. Kemp attempted to rally on the boys in red, but the damage from the first two quarters had been done as the Elks marched to victory 44-14.

The Elks kicked off their first drive showing their depth in the backfield. Carlos Whittaker and Jonathon Simmons duel run-ning assault softened the defense for a thirty yard connection from Hunter Bush who would find Simmons to cross midfield. Not letting up on the Yellowjackets, a halfback pass attempt from Simmons to the speedy Trint Huff would fall incomplete, but a pass interference call on the defense put the line of scrimmage at Kemp’s red zone setting up for the first Elkhart score of the night. Bush would find Justin Davis a yard shy of the goal line, leaving it up to the sure handed Christian Duncan to cap off the 70 yard touchdown drive with a reception in the end zone.

A great return by the Yellowjackets put them in perfect field position to threaten the Elks’ momentum. A great defensive stand led by Hippolito Marquez forced Kemp to contend with a long fourth down conversion attempt. In an instant, the offenses’ botch gambled turned into the Elks’ gain as a fumble in the backfield recovered and nearly taken to the house by Gavin Defore, setting the line of scrimmage for Elkhart’s second drive of the night at the one yard line. The power running Bryce Rodgers would get the ball in the short yardage and capitalizing on Kemps costly turnover, scoring the second touchdown of the game.

The Elks’ coverage on the second kickoff pinned their opponents behind the thirty yard line. With the previous stop and costly turnover in their recent memory, the Yellowjackets elected to grind the ball away at Elkhart’s first line of defense. Not giving an inch and just three plays into the drive thanks to a huge tackle for a loss by Hayden Smith, the Elks’ special teams set up on field to recover a punt. The utility player Simmons would be back to receive. After running at least thirty

yards before advancing the ball a yard on the return, Simmons somehow slipped through the coverage team to make a phe-nomenal return to Kemp’s ten yard line. But in most cases of spectacular plays and kick returns especially, a penalty would undo the player’s progress, resetting the line of scrimmage at the spot of the foul, backing up the offense to the 35 yard line. With the wind seemingly knocked out of the Elks’ sails follow-ing the penalty, an explosive 30 yard run by Brannon Bedre put his offense back on track. As the first quarter ended, Elkhart would lead Kemp 13-0.

In a continuation of the last play, the Elks elected to hand the ball off to Bedre again and again and again. And as the saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” as the Elkhart coaches called Bedre’s number over and over allowing the freshman to score on the 80 yard drive he began in the first quarter. The offense would hit the field after another great defensive stop, scoring on a 25 yard scamper by Whittaker.

With just minutes remaining, another stroke of luck returned the ball into the offenses hands following a Yellowjackets fumble, giving the Elks one last possession in the half. This time the offense would take to the air, as Bush connected with Simmons for another Elkhart score. Kemp mustered a big return in the final seconds, but a heads up play by Rodgers pulling down an interception ushered both teams to the locker room with a half-time score of 32-0.

The Elks came out in the second half with a hefty lead, allow-ing their team to show the depths of their roster. Great defen-sive play by Nate Mendoza, Michael Jones, Merlin Corson, and Ross Rampy held the Yellowjackets’ longest drive in the game to a missed field goal attempt. Elkhart responded to the drive with a huge 84 yard touchdown pass to Davis from Bush. Kemp wouldn’t score until late in the third quarter. But the Elks’ high powered offense led by the unstoppable Rodgers allowed them to return gunfire at will.

Kemp managed to score again late in the fourth quarter, giving the Elks the ball with just minutes remaining. Nate Bell would grind through the defense looking to milk the clock, but an unconverted fourth down allowed for one last appearance by the Yellowjackets’ offense. Elkhart’s last defensive stand of the night was led by freshman defensive lineman Nolan Grant, recording a tackle in the backfield in the final seconds, ending the Elks’ amazing night 44-14 over Kemp.

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Page B5Thursday, October 30, 2014 www.Messenger-News.com

Special to ‘The Messenger’At the Dallas State Fair, Shelley Curry received second and fourth

places in her heifer class.At the Piney Woods Fair, Mikey Curry received third place in

his class and Champion Showman for his age group. Grayson

Hogg received second place in his class and overall Reserve Grand Champion Brahman. Shelley Curry received first and second places in her class and overall Grand Champion Brahman.

In the East Texas Show Star Series, Hogg received second place twice in the Brahman division. Mikey Curry received third place in his

division, and Shelley Curry received first, second and fourth places in the Brahman division.

At the East Texas State Fair, Maggie Parrish received first in her class, and Hogg received third in his class. Mikey Curry received fourth place in his class, and Shelley Curry received fifth place in her class.

Kennard FFA Students Bring Home Several Awards

Courtesy Photo

(Left to Right) Mikey Curry, Shelley Curry and Grason Hogg

Courtesy Photo

Maggie Parrish

CMYK

Page B6 Thursday, October 30, 2014www.Messenger-News.com

GhostNeedless to say, my creeped out factor was now

approaching epic levels. Larry got back in the car (I had been there for what seemed like a month) and we continued on towards Bridgesville. Not sur-prisingly, we found the place and with no offense intended towards the folks living there, it was every bit the let down I expected.

It seemed strange to me, but something about that tombstone stuck in my mind the rest of the night and into the next day. The following day, I was curious if the adult beverages might have influ-enced what I thought I saw the night before. I tried to convince myself, even though it was a let down, Bridgesville was still kinda cool, and I wanted to see if I could find it on my own and in the daytime.

I made it out there and had no intentions of stopping, but for some reason that tombstone was almost like a beacon. I’ve always been curious by nature. I wanted to see what was on that tombstone, so I stopped and read the grave marker for the first time. The chiseled out letters were worn down and somewhat faded, but what I remember was the grave marked the burial site of a little girl named Sally who died in 1866. I couldn’t make out the date of her birth but it was sometime in the 1850s.

It may have been the wind, but as I stood up I swore I heard the voice again. It seemed to come from behind me. I slowly spun around and in the distance, I saw what appeared to be something small and brightly colored running through the trees.

Realizing I was late for something, somewhere I jumped back in my car and tore out of there, setting all kinds of land speed records for a Ford Mustang II. I swore never to go back there.

You know what they say about the best laid plans? Larry (and probably me as well) had told others about Bridgesville and before long we might as well have been giving tours out there, however I never stopped by Sally’s marker until years later.

One weekend when I was home from college, I was bored and for some reason, Bridgesville beck-oned. Off I went, knowing there was no way I would stop at Sally’s grave. I should have known better…..

I hadn’t been out that way in probably two years, but I knew exactly where to look. The area was a little more overgrown and the tombstone was a little more weathered. As I walked up to take a closer look, I noticed what appeared to be fresh flowers and in the distance, a little girl.

She was strange looking which is the reason - maybe - I didn’t run. Looking at me, I heard those famous words, “Don’t go.” That broke my trance and mister, let me tell you, the parents’ Pontiac could fly.

That last adventure, literally, haunted me for several days. Later in the week, I was in the library at A&M. Don’t laugh - it happened. I had learned quite a bit about research methods over the three years I had been in College Station, so I decided to dig a little bit and see if I could find anything about this little girl named Sally.

I learned there was quite a lot of activity in the Houston County area immediately after the Civil War. People were moving in and as the area gained more people, a demand for some type of entertain-ment arose.

The circus was growing in popularity throughout the nation and several came through the Grapeland / Houston County area. I learned a little girl was found dead in a creek, west of Grapeland, after one of these circuses departed.

Apparently, these circuses had some nefarious characters associated with them. Following one show, several of the circus performers had been accused of theft. The other performers had gone back to where they were staying, west of town, when they were confronted about the alleged theft. The situation escalated and the circus was forced to leave the area in the middle of the night.

According to the legend I had found, the circus left in such a hurry, one of the youngest perform-ers had been left behind. She was named Sally and worked as a clown, along with her parents. The legend read Sally had snuck out of her parents tent that night and no one noticed she was gone until the next day. When her parents realized they had left their daughter behind in their haste to flee the area, they returned to look for her. They discovered

her body face down in a creek. I have gone back towards Bridgesville several times

over the years and stopped by Sally’s grave. Nothing ever happened. No voices, no weird looking charac-ters appeared - nothing that is - until Monday.

With Halloween approaching, my boss said she needed a creepy picture for the paper. I hadn’t thought about Sally in years, but some corner of my mind spoke up and said, “I got one for ya!”

Off I went to find Sally’s tombstone, once again. I couldn’t find it at first but when I met a Consolidated

Water truck heading the other way down the road, I was forced to pull over and there it was. A little more faded, a little more weathered, but just outside my passenger window, I saw the grave marker.

I got out and was setting up to take the shot, when I heard a soft, far away voice saying, “Don’t go!” I looked up and there she was. Sally was stand-ing back in the trees, wearing her costume and pleading, “Don’t go!”

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at wjohnson@messenger-news.com.

Continued From Page B1

Photo by Will Johnson / Messenger

In an area west of Grapeland, a tombstone sits by itself off to the side of a lonely dirt road. The scarred, pock riddled monument marks the final resting spot of a little girl named

Sally, who perished in 1866.

Messin’ With Sasquatch…Again and Again and AgainBy Sarah PeguesMessenger ReporterIt is a question that has been asked for hundreds

of years.Who – or what – is Bigfoot?Many have speculated on the mysterious crea-

ture’s existence. Heated debates have ensued among skeptics and enthusiastic believers.

Some very lucky – or perhaps unlucky – individu-als claim to have actually come face-to-face with a being they are sure is the famed legend itself.

Throughout the different regions of the world, many monikers have been created for the creature. In addition to the popular nicknames of Bigfoot and Sasquatch, some that exist in the United States are The Bad Smelling Tree Man, Cave Yeller and Devil Monkey.

The Bella Coola Tribe of Canada likes to call the enigmatic beast Boqs, while natives of the Hopi Tribe prefer The Big Hairy Man and residents of northwestern Pakistan often use the term Barmanu.

Among the seemingly countless names, Bigfoot remains perhaps the most recognizable, regardless of location. According to information provided on bigfoothunting.com, the creature was first referred to as Bigfoot in 1958.

“A worker named Jerry Crew at Ray Wallace’s con-struction company found large, 16-inch, human-like footprints,” the website explains.

The discovery was learned of by the ‘Humbolt Times’ of Eureka, CA, and in the newspaper article, the source of the footprints was referred to as Bigfoot. The name gained momentum and eventu-ally stuck, replacing the term Sasquatch, which had been used since the 1920s when “J.W. Burns started to take the stories from the Native American culture and made a series of Canadian newspaper articles.

“Burns coined the named Sasquatch from the word Sesquac, meaning ‘wild man’ to use in his

articles.”For many individuals, venturing out into the

wilderness in pursuit of Bigfoot seems like a wonder-ful and exciting way to spend a day, night, or even weekend. Perhaps some are drawn to the idea of the fame and fortune that would surely result from solid proof of the creature’s existence, while others are simply all about the thrill of the chase.

As with any hunting expedition, there are a number of items which hunters must be sure to remember to have packed up before heading out. If the prey being pursued is Sasquatch, some of the most important pieces of equipment include the following:

A map of the area in which the hunt will take place

A compassA first-aid kitA knife or multipurpose toolMatches or a lighterWhen packing food for a Bigfoot hunting trip, it

is important to select meals that will provide a great deal of energy – after all, Sasquatch is an elusive creature, so hunters without adequate energy are sure to easily fall behind.

Among the best food options are:Dried meats such as beef jerkyCanned meats such as tunaTrail mixCandy barsJuice boxesIt is also vital for hunters to remember to bring

enough water. When deciding how much water to carry along, factors to consider include the number of people in the group, the temperature and the amount of work to be done.

A great deal of cooking gear is not required, but it is advisable to bring disposable plates and utensils. A pot to boil water in is also encouraged, and hunt-

ers may also find it beneficial to bring along a frying pan and cooler with ice.

In addition to the aforementioned items, hunters will need some more advanced equipment to better the chances of a successful search for Sasquatch. Among the most important things to remember are:

Photographic equipmentA GPSA cellular or satellite phoneTwo-way radiosNight vision gear, provided that the hunt is taking

place after darkAlthough it would certainly make the hunt an

easier feat, Bigfoot cannot be expected to simply pop up out of the woods and start posing for pho-tographs. No, the creature must be coaxed out of hiding, much like any animal which finds itself prey to hunters.

“The technique of baiting is a common prac-tice when hunting various animals,” the website explains. “The idea is to set out a food source that Bigfoot would want to eat and wait for the creature to come.”

Of course, this begs the question, “Exactly what kind of food tickles Bigfoot’s fancy?”

Past examples which are said to have garnered success include apples, and a mixture of mineral lick and deer attractant.

Other popular suggestions include the following:Various plant rootsBlackberriesCornWalnutsSquirrel meat“It is thought that the best way to accomplish

this is to set out some bait with a trail cam,” the website instructs. “You should then wait at least one week before checking back at the site, because it is

thought that animals can sense if a human has been in the area recently and may not come within the first couple days.”

In addition to food, many Bigfoot hunters employ the use of pheromone chips, “a method used to attract Bigfoot by creating an impregnated scent.

“The chip is attached to a tree branch and left for Bigfoot to arrive. They are often accompanied with a trail cam to capture an image.”

The chips are composed of a mixture of human and ape pheromones. Hunters should be aware that while they may not wind up luring in Bigfoot, attracting other wild animals such as deer and pri-mates.

According to information provided by the Gulf Coast Bigfoot Research Organization (GCBRO), there are plenty of locations right here in East Texas in which creatures of the Bigfoot variety are alive and well.

“There is heavy activity continuing along the Sabine River through Greg, Harrison and Panola Counties,” reported GCBRO co-founder Jim Landsdale. “Five months ago, a GCBRO group saw a total of five young creatures scampering around the area in a single day.”

For East Texas hunters that are willing to ven-ture a little further away from home in pursuit of the beast, an ideal location is the Toledo Bend Reservoir, which is located on the Sabine River in between Texas and Louisiana near the city of Natchitoches, LA.

According to GCBRO reports, the location “is a prime area for Bigfoot sightings, sometimes gener-ating two reports a month.” GCBRO members have seen “packs” of the creatures appearing to inhabit an area spanning across four or five parishes.

For more information on hunting techniques, as well as links on where to purchase gear, visit www.bigfoothunting.com.

Lights

ing away” as the previous object had done, Noran decided to get back into the truck and see if he could track it – or, rather, if the object decided to follow him.

“I kind of felt like maybe that’s what it was doing,” he explained. “Before I pulled off the road, it looked like it was kind of keeping up with the truck; it wasn’t getting in front of it or too far behind it or noth-ing (sic) like that.

“So, I started driving real slow, and sure enough, it was kind of keep-ing pace with me,” he went on. “And it did that up until we got about two miles away from town. And then, all the lights on it just went out, and it went zipping back toward the direction it had come from.”

Noran said that these experiences will not hinder him and his canine companion from returning to the cabin. In fact, he expressed his inten-tions to return even more often than usual.

“Oh, yeah, we’re gonna (sic) get back out there pretty soon,” he stated. “Hopefully, Ethel May will be able to come out there next time.

She’s crazy about that kind of stuff, so I know she’s looking forward to hopefully getting to be there next time.

So, does Noran support the belief that we are not the only beings in the universe?

“I definitely don’t think we’re alone,” he declared. “I never really have, and this experience just makes me really feel like we’re not.

“I think old Boots was a little shaken up by it,” he laughed. “But I enjoyed seeing whatever these things were. I feel pretty honored to be able to say I’ve had this experience.”

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Don’t Let Decorative Lenses Haunt Your EyesBy Sarah PeguesMessenger ReporterWhile many individuals fear ghoulies

and ghosties and things that go “bump” in the night as Halloween approaches, offi-cials with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are experiencing a fear of their own.

Individuals dressing up as creatures such as vampires and tigers – or perhaps who just want to give their eyes an odd look for the night – often resort to using decorative contact lenses to bring a little something extra to their costumes. The FDA fears that by using unapproved products for this purpose, consumers will be haunted by damage to their eyes.

“Although unauthorized use of decora-tive contact lenses is a concern year-round, Halloween is the time when people may be inclined to use them, perhaps as costume accessories,” said James Saviola, the leader of the Ear, Nose and Throat Devices net-

work in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

The problem is not that the lenses are used; the FDA is perfectly fine with vam-pires who want that authentic, red-eyed look or goblins who want an especially creepy image. The issue lies in the fact that many consumers go about using the lenses in the incorrect way, putting themselves in danger.

Although recently passed legislation has made the over-the-counter marketing of decorative contact lenses illegal, the FDA is aware that the products are still being purchased by individuals without valid prescriptions from locations such as beauty salons and convenience stores.

“What troubles us is when they are bought and used without a valid pre-scription, without the involvement of a qualified eye care professional, or with-out appropriate follow-up care,” Saviola explained. “This can lead to significant

risks of eye injuries, including blindness.”Other perils associated with incorrect

use of decorative lenses include corneal abrasions and ulcers.

Before scouring the Internet or rushing out to the nearest beauty salon in search of decorative lenses, consumers are encour-aged by the FDA to receive an exam from a licensed eye care professional – even if they feel that their vision is not impaired in any way.

During the appointment, the consumer should obtain a valid prescription which includes the brand of lenses and the dimensions of the lenses.

The products should be purchased from an eye care professional or a vendor which requires the prescription information to be provided by the consumer before the transaction takes place.

All directions regarding the cleansing, disinfecting and usage of the lenses should be carefully followed by the consumer.

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