Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-07-11

highly educated man, and We csll on the
reader 70 credit, thus mtich-though he
may put what construction he pleases on
the circumstances j. details for facts
oupposlng it true, it would suggest 8
query reasonable enough, viz:-whether
those who were welded most e. exclusively
to this life and its trivialities are not thos
who cling most TO it after death, and are
not most eager and most likely to stumble
on some way to speak to US. Ghosts
have continually appeared, to see about
property, buried money, and such mere
matters Of this world, whereas no intelli-
gent ghost (that we ever heard Of, at
least has once put his nose back,
through the dropped curtain Of time and
desire, to tell us single thing that il
either useful or agreeable. And yet, that
all ghosts, gentle and simple, see things
with their new eyes which it would be
most interesting for US to know, can
scarcely be doubted. Is it possible that
none but Glow" ghost would have any
communication with US? The reader
will follow out the idea. -...-
To give a second instance :-r
A gentleman Of our acquaintance, who
had been a politician for many wears,
(and, of course, had no nerves that any
thing unsubstantial could much worry, J
heard Of a farm which could be bought
cheap, because "the house was haunted" :"
Feeling simply obliged 10 the ghosts for
the accommodation, he became the pro-
prietor, and moved there with his family
for summer quarters. His wife had no
objection to the disqualification of the
place, for she was Swedenborgian, and
was willing to see any spirit who had an
errand to her. They had been there but
a short time when the ''knockings," COM
menced. The new tenant was famous
cross-examining lawyer, and would be-
lieve nothing on p'ausibilities. He set all
his wits 10 work to discover how tho
ghosts did their pounding-for they were
the blows Of a sledge hammer apparently
--and, the house being wooden one, the
disturbance to sleep and comfort amounted
to serious nuisance. He was wholly
unsuccessful. Three days ago he told
the writer of this that il was still COM
plete mystery. His wife, ITO her own be-
lief, has seen spirit walk through the
locked door of her bedroom. but as it
made no communication, they remain in
the dark as to its object. The place has
no history beyond crops. 1t has been oc-
cupied always by such people as none but
very illiterate ghosts could have had any
acquaintance with.
One instance more - *..@
A family of young people, whom we
know very well, moved into new three
story brick house, in the upper part Of
10 haunt only Iy -a6t17quafei dwellings, but,
here. they even got the start Of rats, cock
reaches, and other nuisances, for, unac-
countable knockings were heard before
the coming in of the bill for the first
quarters rent. They sent down to order
the servants to stop pounding, on tho
evening when they first heard it, but the
cook was alone and had done nothing Of
the kind. They lit candles at night, and,
again and again, ransacked the house
from garret to cellar, to find out what that
confounded knocking conld be, and dis
covered nothing that would any way ex-
plain it. Being young people, full Of
health, and with no unsettled accounts
worth dead mans while to come back
about, they are getting gradually indifFer-
ent to it, already alluding TO the matter
with more fun than terror.
II is point gained, Gas a riddance Of
fright on such subjects, even if we may
reasonably question whether all ghosts are
respectable enoughto be worthy Of notice.
IT. indeed, Gas we suggested in our paper
of last week, new and intelligent me-
dum of electricity is to be subjected to
our service-if spirits who will, now at
command, move tables and shake chairs,
are to be put under the control Of the liv-
ing-they are, of course, inferior to the
spirits still in The body. I. il not a class
Of the damned who are about being turned
TO account? Was there not wanted, in
the progress of the world an intelligent
slnre, to play the messenger between our
intellects and the clearer perceptions Of
the spirit world, and has not Providence
given us a clue to communication with
this new agent, in these electrical knock
ings which may be the first lessons in an
alphabet Of spirit language?
Oc course there will be much less sim
ming, when ghost can be put on the
stand for witnes. /; and, indeed, il is in
this view, mainly, that we fear it TO be q
thing for which the world is not qnite
ready. That spirits are coolly looking on
and listening, whatever we do and ssy, is
fact that has not hitherto been much of
an embarrassment TO us-but, phen they
can go and tell !--virtue becomes inevita-.
bic The pulpit's uty-encouragemen
10 these knockings-is very clear; but
will it be popular, on the whole, to know
things easier than at present, and will
people be willing to see established, (what
seems very likely.) system of commu-
nication between the other world and this
for triAins ghostage, as now between
cities for trifling posfage-news by ghost
easy as news by post? 1t is a subject
which, as Rulwer SAYS, opens ups
The New York Courier says the i'm
portations of the last nine months have
been upwards of sixteen millions of dol
lars greater than in the same time last
year, and the exports thirteen millions less.
PnoNocnArnY.-A lazy boy out in
Indiana writes Andrew Jackson thus
&ru Jaxn. ....-.