Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-09-22

4
the kitchen, and proceeded till it seem
ed to stop with a sudden and hollow
sound at the kitchen door. Instantly a
loud and struggling noise, attended
with heavy crash, was heard In the
kitchen, which lasted but moment,
which slow heavy, appalling thump
-thump-thump-was heard pro-
ceeding from the kitchen towards the
room in which Mrs. Mosely and her
daughter were in bed. They heard the
noise, but escape was hopeless; the fire
had gone out, and it was as dark in as
out doors, and if during their lives they
had never before prayed, they begged
heartily now, but in vain: the noise adj
vanced; it passed the threshold, thump
-thump-thump; it turned to the
bed; Mrs. Mosely screamed aloud, but
the relentless appari:ion stopped not
till it was fairly at the bed side, s,rug-
Cling, groaning and humping.
Mrs. Mosely was frightened to des-
peration; she called aloud for mercy
and help, and. springing from the bed,
raised the window, and calling on her
daughter to follow, leaped into the
street, and midst the peltings of the
storm made her way quarter OF a
mile to farmer Hodges, where she ar
rived almost dead with fright, cold and
rain. AS soon as she recovered suffi-
Gent breath she gave her astonished
neighbours the reason Of so unusual
visit, and entreated Hodge to save if
possible, the children she had left at
home, from--she knew not what.
Hodge was an honest fellow, not pos
sessed on such occasions Of an exuber-
ant degree of courage, and the storm
was so violent, and SO many frightfui
stories crowded at once on his recollec-
ton, that Hodge scratched his head,
and would willingly have declined
concern which would have tested the
proves of Hooker himself. 1t was
but for moment however, and his hui
manity, and pity for the good woman's
dIs,~ssr rreyailed. he seized bis lantern,
and welding in one hand sound wal
nut cudgel, which had formerly served
for hand-staff, accompanied by Mrs.
Mosely who had put on some OF Mrs.
Hodges clothes, and whom no entrea-
ties could prevail upon to remain, he
sailed forth ready to meet whatever
might dare him 20 the encounter.
They reached the house;-it remain
ed as they had left it. They cautious
~ and tremblingly entered the room
where Mrs. Mosely slept, when the first
thing that saluted their ears was.
Neutrality-suspicious.
ed by the frightful strangling noise
which had given so much alarm, ap.
pearing to come from under the bed
which they had just quilted. Hodge
inyoluntarily shrunk back, but opening
his lantern, with palpitating heart; he
ven;ured to the bed and cautiously raj
sed the coverIet which hung nearly to
the floor, and peeped under, when, mer.
ciful Heaven what scene presented
itself to his horrour-struck vision )! !!
There was no ghost, TO apparitlon, no
spectre from The murderous grave, no
straegIer from the "vasty deep" but
. real, white, huge, bloody and ierocious
lomcat. with his head wedged into
Mrs. Mosely's large, pewter, quart cup,
which had been left half full Of milk,
standing on the kitchen table! Honest
Hodge relieved the cat in the same way
hat EPaddy from Cork" did his dog,
When caught in similar circumstances
cut off his head to extricate II from
The mug.
The fright having subsidized, the
Whole mystery was developed, and a
worthy family delivered from their fears
If hobgoblin, spooks and apparitlonss
/ was found that branch ofthe oak
lad displaced clap-board, and made a
Iole through which the cat, VIVA
,rowler of the woods, had for long
ime found its way into the house.
On that night he entered in the usual
manner and finding 1t all still, descend
cd to the kitchen. The mug had oeeh
lift in the manner stated, and with con
siderable difficulty he introduced MS
head and began his feast. AT that mo.
ment the force of the wind drove the
large brass-kettle from its moorlngs,'
rolled it the whole length Of the sned
and brought it up with violence agaihs'
the kitchen door. Frightened IN MS
turn, Grimalkin attempted to e2tricate
his head, but it was impossible, and II
the struggle, he came to the floor, whert
the mug was still lessened in its al
mansions by falling on the edge OF
chair. Half suffocated in the miik' ne
endeavoured to make his retreat ou
was unable, and as fortune would nav
it, found his way, humping the pew
ter mug upon the floor at every sep, I
the apartment occupied by Mrs. Nose
ly and her daughter. -,
| To conclude the whole the OAK nm
:. was dismembered--the clapboara re
placed--and ghosts and apparltioh
/ 80. Tho ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS