Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-02-16
SINGULAR PHENOMENON
[From the Louisville Journal ]

spectacle cltlZen, well TO do In the world, and
settled and opened his farm on Blue river
before 1T was a State. His house was large
twc-StOry building of hewn logs, two rooms
above and two below, with q twO-st0ry gallery
In front, running the whole length Of the build
ing. This ancient couple had two daughters,
their only children; handsome and attractive.
The elder, when about twenty. was married to
young gentleman, who resided some eight or
ten miles from Mr.. r. The yonng couple lived
together happily for about a year, when the
young wife came To her parents house to be
confined. Two or three days after the confine-
ment the mother and infant both died. This
was sa1 blow to all The bereaved husband
aud father was overwhelmed with the af1iction
While he was q wdOwer he spent much of his
time in his father-in-law's house About year
after his bereavement he married Mr.. IS
second daughter, with her parents consent
and took her to his home, leaving the old peo-
pie alone
One warm autumn evening, in the year 1920,
cid Mr. Il. sat alone in his gallery while his
wife was engaged in her domestic concerns in
the house. About dusk stranger rode up and
alishted from hi5hOrSe, and, approaching Mr..
R., asked him if he could be entertained for
the night Mr.. r. agreed to entertain the
stranger, and, desiring him to be seated, took
the horse to the stable, and returned to the
gallery. where the stranger still sat. Mr. X g
account OF the stranger was that he appeared
70 be mildle-aged man, of medium size, his
hair slightly gray, of spare make, but to all
appearance active and alert. He declined the
invitation to supper, and retired at an early
hour. His bedroom was up staiis, and he also
declined the candle offered him. The family
retired, and heard no more of the stranger for
The night.
Mr. R.. as usual, rose early next morning,
while it was yet dim twilight, but early as it
was he found the stranger up and equipped for
his J0urney. The horse was brought to the
gate the stranger offered to pay but Mr.. r.
refused When about to leave the stranger
said he was in great doubt whether or not he
ought to inform his host of what had occurred
to him during the night in his house, but he
felt il a duty to do 50. The stranger then in
formed Mr. r that he had gone to bed and Law
with his face to the open window near him; the
moon ShOne so brightly on the window sill that
he could see objects distinctly, and while thus
lying and looking out the window, he saw an
infant. to all appearance newly-bOrn, pass in
at the window into the room where he lay
tha: he heard it walk the fOor-that it repeat
e1ly passed down and up the stairs-that he
could distinctly hear the steps on the stairs,
R2d that it continued to go about the chamber
aud up and down the stairs all the night and
that at the first Growing of the cock for day
light it passed out at the window at which
it had entered, and disappeared. The stran-
ger said he had not slept during the night;
that he was under np delusion. hut in his sober
senses had all he had related
Mr.. X. felt much sStOniShed at this account:
snd while muslng upon it, the stranger mounted
his horse and rode away, and Mr. r. saw him
no more. Mr.. r. could not account for the
strangers story only by the supposition that
ne had dreamed, or that he was deranged. He
dad not inform his wife what be had heard
Night came sgain, and Mr.. r. proceeded to
the chamber where the stranger had slept, and
seated hmselfquietly on the bedside. He waited
some time and neither saw nor heard anything
to confirm the strange story. and was in the act
OF rising to proceed down stairs, when he dis
tinctly heard light, hasty step, like that of a
small child, coming up the stairway from the
room below. The moon partially lighted the
room he was in. The step seemed to come into
theroom, and to pass about as if seeking for some
thing; II went down the stairs again as it came,
and presently returned again into the chamber
All this Mr. r. could hear plainly but he saw
nothing, though the sound of little feet was
around him, and often very near him. To sat
isty himself fully, Mr.. r went down stairs and
returned with a lighted candle Again he heard
the footsteps, but they did not now come into
the room, but passed up and down the stairs
and walk ed in the room below Satisfied at
length that he could not see the mysterious
walker, or account for the sound of its step, he
proceeded to his wife'S apartment and informed
her OF the strange events Of the day.
For considerable time Mr. r. kept his
secret, but did not relax his efforts to discover
lT
proved Intellectual, and still the footsteps
haunted the chamber and the staircase. and
walked the house in darkness eyadino the
sight OF all but the stranger who gave MIR
the first Information of the nocturnal visitant
But 1t began to be whispered among the neigh
borS that Mr.. RS house was haunted Al
usual in such cases there was rush to the
scene OF the all-ahSOrbing mystery
In this condition Of things, Mr. r. called on
the minister and elders of his church, and in
Slted them To visit his house and to witness the
supernatural phenomena and aid him in the
detection OF the trick, if one were being prac-
ticeu on hlm or In some manner unrayel the
dreadful mystery. An evening was fixed on
Tor their visit. and they all attended and i, was
rom 'ne lips of the venerable minister that the
writer learned the particulars of the story.
ihe company that met was eigh. or ten in
numoer' eideriy and Sedate Christian mon
After solemn prayer and cxbnrtat;or IL
proceeded TO their stations and awaited tb.
coming OF The mysterious visitant Thav dil
not wait long. The step was directly heard nn
the moor OF the upper room, the company then
being below. As they approached tbs sta;r
door with lights the steps were heard sscendl
ing the stairs, and again on the floor of tbs
upper room; pursuing the sounds Of the NV
terious feet with their candles. thew cam. ~
the upper room; they saw nothing and n,us;no
again, heard the little feet tripping down the
stairs behind them. They then descandaS
ny
were surprised to hear the same 6vstsr;ors
sJund in the chamber over their heads Tba
company then divided, person going into the
chamber, and each company carrying lights a.
before. the steps were distinctly audible on
the stairs, going constantly up and down. but
Not entering either room
The minister then went to the staircase in
the lower room and posted himself so that the
light of his candle shone a part only of the
fight Of steps, leaving the remainder in como
parative darkness. The little feet descendsd
the stairs until they came to the last sten on
which the light did not shine then cb.pys.i
their course, and were instantly beard in soma
unlighted part of the house, sometimes abov.
sometimes below; often in the galleries bnt
mostly on the stairs if the lights were absent
Varying their experiments they extinsuish.
ed ali the lights and sat together, sometimes in
one room, sometimes in another; and still the
footsteps passed about the house, movino
around them, often near them, and even in
their midst. Again and again the minister.
.oIcmnly, in the name of the living God in
voked the strange visitant to speak, and tell
its errand, and Why il walked in darkness. dis
turbing the inhabitants of the house; but no
reply was received spd the little feet still