The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-24

tSs 'Sa',Tda wa heard were sufficiently odd
onJ ;neYnlicable 10 ill US with astonish-
1 s5s,,t n nof with terror. Twice during
Z : vjsit Z VAE foused from sound slum.
Der BY q loud, heavy crash, resembling that
which might DO cS1Aol by the overthrow
Of a marble-topped WRshstand or bureau,
or some other equally ponderous piece OF
furniture. The room actually Vibrated,
and vet close scf1Ilhy Of that and the
adjoining apartmentE JAILED 70 reveal any
cause for the peculiar noise, II was such
a sound as could not possibly have been
produced by cracking furniture, falling
bricks, scAmpering rats, or any Other OF
the numerous causes Of supposed ghoStly
sounds, The room overhead was used as
a linen room, and was q ways kept locked;
and besides. tho noise (which alterward
heard on another occasion In broad day
light, when / was wide awake was un-
mlstakably In the room where we found
ourselves. My friend told me that she
had heard 1t very often-so often, IN TACT,
that she had got quite used 70 II, and no
longer felt any emotion save that Of curl
oeity.
There was another room in which (Slso
in broad dAyllght) heard Q strange
cracking sound like the rustling Of 9
sheet Of stiff paper or parchment turned
slowly in the readers hands. The notse
also was one Of frequent occurrence.
Among the things seen BY other member
Of the family was q light that glided over
walls and ceiling in points inaccessible 10
outside light or reflection. Then there
was lady in black silk who had more
than once been seen gliding about the
house, but who always disappeared when
accosted or followed. Three allow, solemn
raps sometimes sounded at dead Of night
at the door OF one member OF the family,
skeptical and irascible old gentleman.
But, strange to say, all these uncanny
sights and sounds portended nothing, and
seemed TO be utterly without apurpose or
cause. Tho house was . cheerful
modern one, and the father Of my
friend was its frst occupant; so there
was nothing in the past to which these
unearthly occurrences could refer. Nor
were they warnings Of coming misfortune.
Neither death nor disaster ever followed
in their train, and In due course OF time
the family ceased 10 trouble their heads
about them-were not at all frightened,
and scarcely even annoyed. There were
other sounds which I did not myself hear,
but OF which l was told-stealthy foot
steps that paced q certain corridor at dead
OF night; o sharp, ratLllng noise like hail
dashing against the wlndow.panes, and
one or two other trifling yet equally IN.
accountable occurrences. Once, too, q
young lady visiting tho house heard in
tho next room 70 that In which she was
loud and lamentable sounds, as OF q
woman weeping bitterly and In sore dis
tress. She listened in considerable per
plexity for some time, fearing to intrude
on the sorrows of some member oil the
family; but at last she resolved 10 go and
proffer aid, II not consolation. AS she ap'
preached the door between the two rooms
the sound suddenly ceased, and, 10 her
Amusement, she found the adjoining apart.
ment not only empty, but with the door
locked and bolted on the inside.
once knew q young lady who, on
going TO pay visit TO 0 friend who had re.
Gently moved into new house, was asked
to walk up stairs, and on complying saw
an old woman preceding her up the stair.
case. Surprising her 10 be one OF the
servants, she took but little notice OF
her, though struck by the popularity Of
her gait, o sort Of jerky limp, as though
one leg was shorter than the other. In
course OF conversation with her friend
she mentioned the old woman, and asked
If she was the housekeeper. "Housekeep.
or no." said the lady: two have no such
person about our house. You must have
been mistaken" The visitor then de-
scribed the person she had seen, and
when she mentioned the peculiar limp,
her hostess seemed startled. After q
pause she said: "No such person lives
hero H0p, but the woman who took
care of this house before we rented
1t was exactly such person as you
describe, and was lame In just
such manner. But she died here
about six weeks sgo-I think in this very
room-so your eyes must certainly have
deceived you" The lady still persisted
that she had seen the old woman; 30 the
servants were called and the house thor
oughly searched, but no Intruder was dis
covered.
Ihave known several instances Of per.
SONS who have seen the "letch" or appari.
ton oil living person, called In Germany
the "Doppelganger;" yet, though such
appearances are usually supposed to pOr-
tend the death or illness of the person
thus strangely doubled" I have never
yet heard Of aCase where any unpleasant
consequences followed. For instance, an
old friend of mine, gentleman OF un'
doubted veracity, once told mo that on
one occasion he entered his house about
FIVE o'clock in tho afternoon, and ran up
stairs 10 his mothers bed.chamber, where
he saw her standing In the centre OF the
room, clad In a loose white gown and en-.
gagged In combing out her long black hair.
he remained looking at her for some mo.
ments, expecting that she would speak to
him, but she did not take notice in any
way of his presence, and neither spoke
nor looked at him. He then addressed
her, but, receiving no reply, became In
dipnant and went down stairs, where, TO
his amazement, he found his mother seat.
ed at the parlor window, dressed and
coffee as usual. It was some years before
he would trust himself to tell Ter Of what
he had seen, fearing that abe might con.
slider 1t an omen Of approaching death,
and indeed, though not q superstitious
man, he was inclined 30 to WOW iehimseli;
but his mother lived for many years after
the appearance OF her wrath. l also
knew q young gentleman to whom the
unpleasant experience Of beholdlng bis
own double was vouchsaied: he had
been spending quiet evening with some
young ladies, and returned home about
eleven o'clock, lot himself into the house
with his latch.key and proceeded tOIhiS
own room, where he found the gas al.
ready lighted, though turned down 10 q
mere blue spark. he turned 1t up, and