Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-03-18


these that have made it famous.
AS long ago as the early part of
last spring the pupils Of the school
BEGAN to call the teachers attention
10 people who seemed to be stand
ing in the entry. Now and then
child's hand would be raised, and
point to the window saping, with
unmistaken conviction: "There is
a boy out there. There is some
body looking in.'
These incidents became more and
more frequent, but it was a long
time before the matter-of-fact mis-
tress permitted herself to be dis
turhed by the new fo1m of annoy
ance. She succeeded for a while
calming and persuading her child
ren, on one preteXt and another,
and she left no means untricd to-
convince hereself that what the
the children beheld were but the
reflections Of their own figures in
the panes, or the practical iollings
of some mischievous child. But
her efforts in both directions pres
emily came 20 naught, for the ap-
perances were SO vivid and graphic
that even her ingenuity failed to
account for them.
The most frequent manifestation
was the whitish shape OF Il child's
hand and arm, which seemed to be
pressed hard against a lower pane
of the window in she partition.
The fingers were slender in shape
and waXen in color. At other
times the whole arm to the shoul-
der would be exhibited, and with
undeniable distinctness. In all
eases the arm was bare and its
shape attenuated. The most ter
i-ifying object seen up to tho first
of November was the pale face Of
boy, which frequently pcered in
at the window, and fixed its eyes
immovably upon the scholars in
their seats.
: The appearances became more
and more frequent, and there was
corresponding increase of the tu-
multous noises and agitations. In
the garret there seemed to be q
number of men at work hammer
ing, walking about, and now and
then dropping their materials and
utensils. Sounds of conversation
were also clcir. There seemed to
. bc three voiccs-one deep and
harsh, another high-pitched, and
: the third quelulous aud complain.
ing. On one occasion only was
there an ineligible utterance, anG
this was coupled with rather for
ceible eNpression-"IIang il,
where's my hammer p
The climax Of this long series of
visitations and troubles was reach
ed on the date previously suggest
ed--the lst of November. All day
long, from early morning till the
middle of the afternoon session,
the customary disturbances were
in full force. BY long experience
the fears of the boys had become
somewhat deadened, and the furi-
ous uproar now afforded them rath-
er moro amusement than terror.
While i'll the middle Of the recita-
ton n general alarm from the
whole school was raised. The face
OF the boy was again staring in at
the window. 4 lad named Lyd-
stou, who was at the head of the
class, looked in the entry, and at
once exclaimed: "There is a boy
out there :"
Miss Perkins fastened into the
passage and heheld what Lydston
had discovered standing at the fur
ther end. She approached it has
tily until within six or seven feet,
when she became impressed with its
true charctcr, or, rather with the
fact that the figure was not sub
stantial. She describes it as rep
resenting a boy II or Is years OF
age, slender in body, and with a
pale face. He was dressed in
brown clothing, and had his arms
partially folded, with his left hand
somewhat projected as if to receive
something. His face, though
pinched, had pleasant expression.
His eyes were blue; his hair was
of yellowish white, such as is
common among the fishermen's
children in that part of the town,
and it was cropped of at the haci,
of the neck, aud was di-arrancod
upon the top of his head. About
the neck was bandage OF consid-
erahle width.
When Miss Perkins discovered /
that she was encountcring some /
thing unreal she faltered, and, be-
ing partially overcome, she seized |
the coat hooks beside her shoulder
for support. At this moment the
figure of the boy started from its
position in the corner beside the
window and advanced toward the
door opposite to him, which led to
the galret stairs. 1t opened of
itself, and he passed through, fol-
lowed by Miss Perkins, who at
tempted in vain to seize him. He
advanced up the steep stairs, close
ly followed by the intrepid girl.
Midway up she stumbled over a
brush and when she again raised
her eyes the figure was standing at
the top, looking fixedly at her. In
this interval it had changed some
what-its dress, which had appar-