The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-06
CITY INTELLI NOE
tFcr additional Local Hems see Third Page.l

THE HAUNTED, HOUSE HUMBUG.-
The Inquirer startled the community yes.
teIday morning with the announcement that
a house on South Fifth street was discovered to
be haunted by disembodied spirits. number
of marvellous manifestations were recited,
which, however, we're all reducible to these:-
Dinner plates flew off the table; window-panes
were smashed unaccoUntably; combs, brushes
waterfalls, etcetera, were thrown on the floor;
looking-g lasses jumped TO far corners of the
loom; the mantel ornaments reduced themselves
to atomic particles against the walls; tumblers
flew violently against servant girls os fronts;
the door keys Topped out of the locks; and the
ancient Henry, generally, was to pay. We quote
a paragraph or two:-
"kn attempt was made to set the table for the
Sunday dinner, In valn-the plates jumped off the
tab and went to atoms against floor and ceiling,
the hapless family ate their Sabbatcal dinner from
their aps A daughter of the family on her return
Iiom church, entering the parlor, had her bible torn
from her hands with such force as to tear the
entirely of Even the bread became endowed with
life, ana went spinning over the table in the most
eccentric manner. During tie afternoon there was
comparative quiet; there were rambling noises but
no movements of lnanmate objects. Several
Spirualists visited the house and expressed them
selves confident that evil spirits were at work. though
who invoked their power they were unable to tell
None of the mediums seemed TO bave sufficient
power TO lay the dIstprbOg spirits beneath the
OF the Red Sea.
"The master and mistress of the family being COM
municants of the Bapust Church, impaItea the cir
and on Saturday evening that gent. man, accom-
panied by another clergyman, went to the haunted
dwelling to pass the night. With one of these cler-
col gentlemen we had protracted interview He Is
very clear minded scholar has received collegiate
framing and during mis- studies paid considerable
attention 10 the seeming phenomena of natural phi
losophy. He assures us nat he entered the haunted
dwelling with the belef that the inmates were the
dupas Of tiickery and he left the house Yesterday
noru the aft no
entered the parlor hymn-DJok was projected from
table and thrown with violence against the door.
With his own hands he picked up the book aud re-
placed II; before his eyes the volume seized by
an invisible Iorce, and for second tine thrown
across the room and testament sent to keep 1t
company"
This morning our contemporary devotes more
than halt column to the marvellous phenomena.
The excited reporter tells us that he visited the
house yesterday, won't upstairs, downstairs
and in the ady's chamber" and besides hearing
loud noises, saw-just nothing.
The real truth OF the story, sifted out from the
mass of eXaggeTaton and fabrication surround
ing it, is smDly this:-A family living in an un.
pretending three.story brick house." in 'the cid
District OF Southwark" happen to be in the
retail drygoOds line. The retail drygoods
trade is not as brisk as some other trades at the
present writings but advertising is the soul OF
business, and a ghost is a capital advertisement.
ghost doesn't cost ten cents line, or more,
for its displays" A ghost is never liable to be
Crowded out" but, on the contrary, thrives
in among the reading matter, with startling
headlines; while another form of advertisement
would be excluded from the local columns. So,
in every way, the ghost, even If he smashes
CIOckery and furniture, is the cheapest and most
preferable advertisement.
Still there is one marvellous feature of this
ghostly sensation-and that is the conduct of the
reporter. For instance, he tells us, this morn
ing:- 3 ...
Shortly after wards, while several of the family
and our reporter seated in the kitchen, waiting
tor develop ments heavy crash heard up stairs
accompanied with the violent screams of two three
young ladies' Here was something, thought our
reporter. Up stairs every body ran and met the
screaming young ladies running down, with unutter-
ah horror depicted on their countenances The
front thIrdrstoIy room was entered a9ain, and 1t
was found that large wasbstand, containing wash-
violently to the door, and the basin broken into q
dozen pieces. 1he young ladies stated as soon as
they recovered from their apparent fright, that the
washstand was upset before then own eyes"
1t would have occurred to almost anybody
| else, that the young ladies with horror-suicken
countenances were themselves the authors of
the crash, which they saw with their OtC0
! eyesw If not, what business had they up-stelrs
! alo e, away from the bosom OF then family,
with no one to protect them against flying wash
basins and lurking devils, especially when an
! interesting reporter was down stars, striking up
| an acquaintance with the family?
| SUPPORTING A FALLING MANA new
and novel way of supporting falling man, far
L
! OF IoodleS, transplred last night A trio of Ger
| man citizens, on their wav TO the ball desired 10
purchase masks. At Sixth and Market streets
| they came across store, and on OF them being
! slightly mellow, his comrades being ashamed to
| take him in, buttoneu him to an aWning-post by
| his coat An officer coming along, deserted the
individual making laughable pantOmime; ''Move
! on" said the officer. II ca-Cantr hi5Cupped
| the Teuton The officer giving HIM @ shove, DIS
covered to his amazement that the fellow was
| butioned around the post. While unbultonine
him. and giving him some salutary advice, his
two friends came out and took him away.
New MAGAzINEs.-Mr A. Winch, No
sos Chestnut street, has sent as the usual budge
| OF good thines in literature, embracing the
! latest received numbers of AAHe Year Round
Punch, 0nse-o Week, CasSeFs Illustrated Family
| Paper, etc.
John J. KRONER, No. 4OS Cnesnut street, sends
Us lie Beau Monde for January, London Fra
FoTn'ghtJ Reote9, Argosy, etc.
A NUIsANCE.-Hig Constable Clark ha!
notified the occupants Of premises along DocI
street, from Second street to the wharf tina
they cannot store lumber on the highways
Converting the public streets into a lumber
yard is decided nuisance.
ARREST OF VAGRANTs.-This mornin,
twenty-five vagrants were committed to prisoi
from the First District Station House. The par
ties were all dodgers, some OF them having beer
in the habit of sleeping in the Station Houses 70
the last ten years.
AWAITING AN OWNER.-A handsome
| smoking cap, found in the possession OF THE
and supposed TO have been stolen, is at tn
i Central Station awaiting an owner