The Ghostly
Lovers
by Traci Poole
June 24, 2000 ©
Author's Note: I do not know where this story originated
and I cannot remember who told it to me or whether I read
or saw it somewhere. It is one of my favorite ghosts
stories. I do not remember the names of the people
involved so I will name them 'Jimmy' and 'Sara' for
clarity. I believe it was supposed to happen somewhere in
North Carolina or in Virginia.
Enjoy!
It was during the times 'Prohibition' and many of the
mountain folks had stills. It was against the law to have
any type of liquor and beer at that time and so
distilleries were plentiful through out the hills and
mountains. Even though the pay was good to hunt down such
people
who had them, the law was often shot. The story starts
here.
Jimmy and Sara had lived a 'mountain' apart. Jimmy would
often make the trek over the hill to visit this lovely
young girl. He would come to borrow food or maybe tools
for his mother. It became a habit and soon Sara's dad
knew something was up. He sternly told Jimmy to stay away
from his daughter and if he kept coming to see her, then
there would be trouble.
Jimmy didn't listen. He would give a quail whistle at
night and Sara would climb out of her window to meet him.
Night after night, the two lovers planned to run away and
elope. One day, the law came knocking on Sara's door.
They were looking for her father. The law found out that
he was running a distillery. Her father took off to the
hills to hide and protect his investment. With the law
hot on his trail, Sara's father began shooting at them.
Needless to say, the law lost. Her father came back down
from the mountain and swore that it was Jimmy who turned
him in. He swore that he would kill Jimmy.
Sara snuck out and ran to her elderly neighbor's house.
She wanted to send word to Jimmy and warn him that her
father had plans of murdering him. The old lady began her
journey through the fresh fallen snow to Jimmy's house.
Sara retreated back to her home so she wouldn't be in
trouble herself. Several hours had passed and Jimmy gave
the quail whistle. Sara went to the window and saw Jimmy
there under the full moon. He instructed her to get her
clothes and her wedding veil ready. They were leaving
tonight. Sara grabbed all that she could. Jimmy had told
her that a preacher man was waiting at the old woman's
house and
the preacher had agreed to marry the couple. Sara snuck
into her mom's room and kissed her goodbye. She rejoined
Jimmy. They ran as fast as they could to the old lady's
house where the preacher had intended to marry them. As
the preacher married the couple, the old lady came back
to tell the couple that Sara's father knows of her
leaving. Jimmy and Sara bounded out of the house and onto
a horse. They headed for the hills.
Soon into their journey, something had happened to the
horse. Jimmy and Sara began walking deeper and deeper
into the woods. A snow storm was brewing and they had to
get to their destination fast. Sara had left her winter
coat at the old lady's house and Jimmy took his off to
give to his new bride. Sadly, the newly weds didn't make
it to their destination. The snow blizzard came to fast
and it froze them to death. Their bones were discovered
on the mountain after the spring thaw.
It is said that on cold winter nights when the moon is
full and bright, the couple can be seen on a ledge of the
mountain top. Jimmy can be seen holding his lovely Sara,
trying to keep her from freezing.
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