The weekly standard., 1869-09-15

have sworn that I had heard dog, and tina
the knocking was beneath the floor. Blu
even while Twas thinking of it, my chai
was shaken so violently that could hardl
keep my seat, hold on as I would, The
| pleadings, as if for mercy, and shrieks an,
groans, followed each other in quick sue
cession; and, brave as supposed myself t,
be, my nerves began to tremble, and COLI
sweat began to start upon my forehead Il
vain tried to reason that it could not b.
from supernatural causes; that the spirits o
the departed are not allowed to revisit tn,
earth. There were the effects, whatever tn,
cause; and they were entirely beyond m!
comprehension.
"Was there ever a MURDER" l was abou
to ask, committed in this house" when i
was interrupted by the screaming of thu
youngerwoman.
Murder! o Heaven have mercy upon
mem
As the same instant, the light that stood
upon the table was extinguished, though nc
one was near it; and the house shook, and
the rappings were renewed with ten-fold
violence. Evidently, thought, I had
touched the keynote of the mystery, when
heard terrible groan, and saw, or thought
/ saw (Which was itD form rise through
the floor, and stand directly in front of me
WAS there ever murder committed in
this house?" asked again; though fairly
shuddered at the trembling and unnatural
sound of my voice.
Murder! Look there he stands 2" re.
piled the mother, prostrating herself upon
the floor, and hiding her face.
'It's his spirit !n groaned the old woman
'I told you he'd come"
Proof positive this to my mind that l was
not mistaken-that others saw as 1 did.
Spirit or mortal, there was somebody there.
closed my eyes, to be certain that it was
not an optical delusion; and when removed
my hands and opened them again, it still
stood there -.....
1t was the form of an old man, with long
gray hair, strongly marked features, deep
set eyes, of peculiarly cunning expression
fox-like, would be the most proper term
and in one hand he held paper that ratified
as if blown about by strong wind. His
head was uncovered, and his neck bare, and
both were hacked and bleeding, great drops
trickling down, and falling in q spatter
upon the floor. Once or twice he opened
his mouth as if to speak; but there was only
horrible gurgling sound-that which we
call the death-rattle. How long we retain.
ed our relative positions cannot tell. To
me, it seemed an age. StirI could not.
was completely under the power of the ter
rible fascination. At length, however, the
ghost, spirit, call it what you will, appeared
to step toward me, and stretch its hand as if
to lay it upon my head Then all my man.
hood deserted me. With great groan,
shrank back, and fell upon the floor, my
chair being lifted by unseen hands, and
dashed down again, cracking in every joint.
Quickly reason came to my aid; and I
rose, and looked anxiously around. What
ever there had been before, there was none
in the room then except those of mortal
mould; and all was silence, except the storm
that was still raging without. l scraped
open the embers, lit the candle, and looked
at my watch. 1t was twelve o'clock. The
young woman and the children were still
huddled in corner, and the old one rocking
herself, as she had never ceased to, SO far as
/ was aware
Would the spirit return?"
Without intending to do SO, had spoken
my thoughts aloud and the grandmother
answered, mot tonight, I think. You had
better go to sleep, SIR"
Sleep! would have sooner thought of
sleeping in madhouse. with all the denizens
free to attack ME at any moment. I knew
it was vain to ask questions. l had tried
that before and failed !; SO I had nothing to
do but to sit and ponder on what had seen.
But was not to he allowed to remain with
out sensations. Scarcely half an hour pass
ed without the manifestations being re-
newed in some shape. Now it was the
howling of dog; now the slamming of
shutters and doors; now shrieks and groans;
and now the knocking upon the floor. No
wonder that was sick and nervous when
morning came, and gladly escaped from the
haunted house, leaving the inmates, worn
out with watching and fear, asleep upon the
floor.
Somebody more familiar with spirits than
l am, must explain the matter. 1 cannot
but this know, that if, in reality, it was
the shade Of a departed one, trust never to
see his power exercised again.
For many years the matter remained in
my mind in just the state it was when / fled
from the tumble-down house on the moor
Then circumstances made me visit the vicin-
ity again, and heard that other travellers
had been similarly affected, and the matter
had at length undergone Judicial investiga-
ton. The house had been searched, the
floor taken up, and two skeletons found
there; one apparently an old man, and the
other of dog. Then it was remembered
that an old miser, one Jones had suddenly
that the occupant of the house
had about that time paid off mortgage
upon it, and subsequently hanged himself.
This was enough to satisfy the gossips;
and, if rumor be true, never after the bones
of the murdered man had been decently bu-
ried. were the inhabitants disturbed either
by ghostly sights or sounds. To satisfy nv
curiosity, 1 rode by the house again; but it
was uuoccupied. The old woman, was
informed, was dead the younger one had
He'd, fearing she would be arrested as an ac-
complice (as she without doubt was) and the
children were wandering imbecile and
homeless, driven, an old lady told me, "by
the spirits"