Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-04-27

toned to see the shad0wy thing on the
gtalrx md no longer started at sight Of 1t
but the superstitious clement in US became
strong and active, and we were ready TO
believe anything.
One night while taking my usual look
of curiosity and terror l observed that
the figure had undergone change-one
arm appeared TO hang hdplessly down by
her side AS ! was aboe1 to call sttention
to thisnew phenomen0nIl heard my SIS
ter say, "Why, who has Ven tearing the
blindp
l turned round quickly Our windows
were furnished with rolla- blinds of high
ly glazed white linen, over which were
festooned curtains of DARK green. / saw
that one side Of the blind had been torn
away from the nails fastening it to the
roller, and had fallen back, Naving part
of the window uncovered Thought is
rapid, and some intellectual telegraph con-
nected in my mind the torn blind and the
armless figure on the stairs.
3 SAe6ta1d up on chair" | said, land
fasten it as well as you can"
She managed it easily; and had the
satisfaction of seeing that my ghost was
furnished with her proper complement OF
arms.. But to make assurance doubly sure,
I eaid. "DrsW the blind up for moment !;
Twill tell you why afterwards"
She drew it up; and with greater relief
and satisfaction that can describe, saw
the figure disappear gradually; commenc-
Jag at the feet, finishing at the neck a
shadowy head still remaining. / speedily
announced my discovery; and after minute
investigation, and much experimentalizing
and proving, we at last discovered the en-
tire nature and origin Of our .spectra And
this was il. From the position Of the
fire-grate, the entire light Of the flames
fell on the window opposite the door; and
when the door was open, this light was
again reflected from the dazzling surface
OF the white blind on the opposite wall,
which formed the curve Of the stair, and
where stood the window. Every one
knows that two festooned curtains will
give to the space between them the form
OF human neck and shoulders; here was
the foundation Of the figure and the cur
tains nearing each other as they approach
ed the ground, completed the illusion of
long scanty garment The phantom foot
was nothing but the space between the
dark drapery terminating in point. The
immense width Of the festoOned part as
compared with the rest, gave that appear
ance Of bulk about the arms and shout
dcrs and the head was caused by the re-
appearance of the light-colored wall above
the curtain. The wall, Of course, rose
square and shapeless, hence the suppose
ton of sheet envel0ping the figure. We
found, too, that when the door was opened
wide, the reflection vanished this, fancy,
was caused by the light being digused, in
stead Of concentrated through small
opening. And the strange movements OF
the spectre were simple enough. Natur-
ally, the more the fire blazed, the more its
light fiickered and danced on the window,
and sent its dancing and Pickering shadow
outside the door. But why the reflection
seemed to stop short on the, landing, in
stead of being conveyed to the opposite
wall, have never fully satisfied myself.
| fancied it to be in some way caused by
meeting the light from the staircase win
dow, and 80 throwing it back upon itself;
but this is only my supposition. I leave
it to those more learned in the laws OF
light than am to settle the matter. Thus
every particle of our ghost was explained,
even to the head, which remained station
airy when all the rest had disappeared.
The head, being reflection from the. wall,
Of course never moved when the blind
was drawn up. r.r .A ,sf..s-
Having proved our discoveries in the
most satisfactory manner, we published
the matter among our friends; and many
came to look at the ghost, and see it made
and unmade; and l have no doubt that
some who have read this will be of that
and bear witness to the truth of
what have written. l have been tempted
to make this curious circumstance public,
knowing on what much smaller grounds
houses have gained reputation for being
haunted, to the extreme terror Of the in
habitanrs, and great detriment of the
owner. And certainly the remarkable co.
incidence Of the former building having
been destroyed by fire, in which woman
and her baby persisted, and the spectral
appearance Of woman holding child
being visible on the very spot where the
poor thing was last seen alive, whenever
that spot was illuminated by strong
blaze, was enough TO convince the most
incredulous. With this experience, there.
fore, before me, strongly advise any one
who sees or hears Of q ghost to examine
carefully all doors, windows, ard other
means of conveying light, before he be-
lieves his eyes or ears; and / think I may
venture to predict natural and simple
solution to the most alarming and mystic
rious apparition. A.h --
The second wonderful sight that wit
messed was seen by myself alone, % my
readers must be good enough to credit me
with truthful tongue while ! describe it.
/ was staying at SOuthsea. Southsea is
well known to possess a very clear atmos-
phere, and sometimes an almost Mediter-
ranean moonlight. l was fond Of the
moonlight, and slept with my blind up and
my window open to enjoy 1t. My bed
faced the window, and the door Of my
room was on the. right, close to the beds
head One night I was, restless. Though
very tired, could not sleep. My head
was turned rather to the left, and I re-
Trained from moving, hoping SO to coax
myself into forgetfulness. Finding this
useless, at last turned suddenly round
The strangest sight met me. The top Of
the door was spanned by y beautiful lumi-
nous arch, in color and shape more like q
lunar rainbow than anything else that
have ever seen. As, wonder. stricken and
half alarmed, stared at this portentous
sign, it changed. The arch gradually
faded, and was succeeded by a train of
fiery fipurpa tn INV uurre cticpd eve Orp