Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-11-04

"Was there ever q murder 1 was about
to ask, ''committed in this house n when I
was interrupted by the screaming of the
young woman.
Murder Oh heaven, have mercy upen
mev
AT the came instant tha light that stood
upon the table was exiiD2uished. though
no one was near it. and tie house shook.
and the rappings Were ren, we with ten
fold violence. Evidently. 4 thought. /
had touched the Keynote Of the mystery
when 1 heard terrible grOan, and saw.
or thought l saw (which was il form
rise through the floor, and stand directly
In front of me.
WAS there ever a murder committed 10
this house Z" / asked again. though ]
fairly shuddered at the trembling aud uu-
natural SCUM Of nv voice.
Murder Lock there he stands
replied the mother, pro-trating her-elf
upon the floor, and hiding her face.
"It's his spirit = sgroaned the old
woman. 81 told You he'd come
Proof positive this TO my mind that L
was not mistaken-tbat others Jaw ~
did. Spirit or mortal, there Was some
body there. / clo-ed my eyes, 10 b. Ger
tain that it was not an optical delu-ion
and when / removed my handsan opened
them again, it still stood there.
1t was the form Of an old man with
long gray hair, strongly marked feature,
deep set eyes, of peculiarly cunning eE-
pression-fox-like, would he the mo-t
proper term and in one hand be held q
paper that ratified a. if blown by strong
wind. His hand was uncovered aud hl-
neck bare, and both were hacked aud
bleeding, great drops trickling down. sud
falling in a spatter upon the flour Once
or twice he opened his mouth a. 81 20
speak but there was only horrible
gurgling sound-that which We cii the
death rattle. How long we retained our
relative positions ] cannot tell. ] was
completely under the power Of the ter
rible fascination. At length, however.
the ghost, spirit, or call il what you viii,
Appeared TO step towards me, and stretch
ed its hand as if 10 lay IL upon Ny head
Then all my manhood deserted M. With
a great grO4n ] sank back aud fell upon
the floor, my chair being lifted by un--on
hands. and dashed down again. cracking
in every joint.
Quickly reason came u my aid. and ]
rose and looked anKiousiy around. What
ever there had been before there Wa- mono
in the room then, except thOre ~ mort
mould. and all was silence. txseft ths
storm that was raging without. j srrap-d
mp the ember-. At the candle. and looked
AT NV watch. Ii Wa- tgelye O'Clock. tic
Young woman and the cllildTen were still
in a corner, and the old one roeaiug her
self. IS -he had never ceased - do, - lar
as was aware.
Would the spirit-.refura 4"
Without intending 10 do -, had
spoken my thoughts aloud, and the grand
mother answered, Mot tom CHIT. J think
You had better 20 70 sleep. slr.
Sleep, | would have sooner thou-lf
II sleeping il a madhouse, swltbss Ga.
denizens free u attack me Al any u.H-
ment i knew that i we're vain - a-h
questions had tried that before, aul
tailed so hid nothing To Do huf g. -l.-
and ponder on what had seen. Bui
vas not TO be allowed 20 remain without
sensations. Scarcely hall an hour pBs-.d
without the manifestations being re-
uewed in some shape Now 81 wn- The
bowling Of dog, now the rlamu'u- ~
shutters and doors, now shrlea- and
means. and now the Knocking upnU fLc
floor. No. wonder that ] We -ics au8
nervous when the morning came. 1'-c
gladly ESCAPED from the haunte-- gg--,
leaving the inmates, worn ont with watch
ing and fear. asleep upon file q or.
Somebody more familiar alfb spirjf.
than / must explain the matter. ! cannot
but this know, that j.. IL reality. f. "a
the shade Of departed one. trust
never 10 rec the power exercised again.
For many years the matter rem aired
in my mind, ia Just the state u was when
fed from the iumble-down house on The
moor Thou circumstance made me
-i-i- ths rl-.-- again. aud heard itat
other travellers bad been rinlil Irly effected.
and the matter had az ie8.ta lr1rre8ua
judicial investigation. The hose Lad
been searched. the foOr taken Bn. aud
two skeletons found there; one lYplrcrf-
" an old man. aud the other 81 es,.
Then II was romem beroG that an cid
miser, Ga.a Jones, had suddenly die fT-
peared that the occupant 81 the Eau-l
tad about that time paid # mprts 20
upon it, and subsequently hanged Inn
self
This Was sufficient 70 satisfy -la aa--
sips; and ii rumor be true. never. aIt,r
the bones of the murdered man srers i'r-
Gently buried. were the iuhsbitii4t- die
turbed either by ghostIy sights or sound
To s4tisfy my curiosity / node by fhr
house again, bat IL was unoccufied- Tho
old woman, was informed. va- q. 3
the young one had I'D, fearing rhe would
be arrested a. an aceomplice. ta- sbs.
without doubt, was). and that ihe chill
dren are wandering imheciles a',d homo.
less, driven, IN old lady tod u.e. d" g Ia
i irits."