Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-12
Haunted Houses.


The belief in haunted houses is one of the
most inveterate of supersttions. Almost every
village has house which, at some time or
other, has been the reputed habtation of some
unquiet split, and which, consequently, timid
people pass at night only when they must,
and then with some misgvings, and could
hardly be persuaded to enter alone A house
readily acquires the reputation of being haunt
ed. If it stands long empty somebody is pretty
sure to see or hear something mysterious, or
imagine that he does so, and his report, gain
ing as it is repeated, soon takes such shape
that you must either deny the story or admit
the ghost. ghost with a fixed abode and
regular habits has such an advantage over the
vagrant and casual spirit as is enjoyed by the
householder, whose name is in the directory
in comparison with a srolliug vagabond. Be-
havior which would cause the latter to be
packed off TO the workhouse, is tolerated in the
former without provoking even a rebuke The
apparitlon without name or history, which used
TO appear occasionally on the high road, has now
become an object OF contempt and incredibly
II has hardly any terrors for the most tim
orous, and when its appearance is reported, the
story IS either met with ldcule or with proof
that the spectre was nothing more formidable
than an old white horse or an Illuminated
pumpkin, modified more or less by the i'm
aeination and the fears of the spectator.
Bat the ghost which has an abode and an oc-
cupation, however desultory and eccentric,
stands upon quite different footing. Very
few Of us profess to believe IN its existence but
Rhar * nd
strong held upon our minds that many find
in themselves strange willingness TO accept as
possibly hue what their intellect positively as
sures them is incredible. The domiciled ghost
has the advantage of legal maxim which was
never intended Tor his benefit. His house is
his castle. We may deny his existence or scoff
as1he irivolity and inconsequence of his reported
employments; but we respect his rights, if
rights can be imputed TO ghost, and do not,
as general thing, willingly invade
his seclusior. Some ghosts are venerable
Tor their antiquity and the dignity of the families
10 which they have attached themselves. Most
Of the ancient dwellings of the aristocracy in
Europe have, it is said, their family ghosts. for
whose residence they are often better fitted than
for the comfortable abode of human beinos
These spectres command the firm belief of the
servants and dependents of the family. Intelli-
gent members Of the household, of course, do
not admit their belief in the ghost, but they are
proud Of il as family possession and often dis.
posed to resent as personal insult any unbe.
coming levity OF remark upon the subject of the
her, dtary apparition.
Certain ghosts, which have long held undis-
pufed possession Of a number Of London houses,
have just been elected without the least respect
for their prescriptiye title. The houses in ques-
ton, situated in various parts of the city, have
remained empty Tor nearly half century, and
were suffered to become runous, although their
rental value was many thousand pounds wear.
Or course they were haunted. Ghosts bad been
seen 10 some of the rooms, generally carrying
lanterns. Crowds collected about them occasion.
ally, drawn Together by the report that lights
were seen cleaning from the windows. # does
not appear that any definite reasons were known
why these ghosts or any others should select
these very prosaic houses, In rather vulgar
negaborhoods, for their rambes. III might have
been because they felt secure from interruption
there; bur this would be inconsistent with
what Is known Of the habits of spectres who
are understood to prefer meeting occasionally
with living persons, to attract their attention 70
some grievance by which the spirit Is disouiet.
ed, or sometimes to take malicious Satisfaction
In The terror which their presence excites
Moreover, according to the popular belief Tho
occupancy Of the houses by spirits caused theh
desertion by living and embodied tenants, rattle,
than the reverse. The evidence that they wer
indeed haunted could hardly have been stronger
wager is one Of the most conclusive arpu
menis known among Englishmen, and the own
erofthese tencments was apparently backing hi