The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-07-09

have their haunted houses, with local
traditions, which arc related with q
least the affectation of belief! Ny inter
est in the subject has led me to fnvesti.
gate the causes of the noises and visions
more than once represented to haunt
certain places. In several instances
where have expressed this intention j
have been met with earnest arguments
to dissuade me from making the attempt
Several of these explorations were made
In secret, without any previous announce.
ment. Such inquiries have brought me
to the conclusion that the ordliaors
noises heard about the soLcalled haunted
houses are produced by rats, mice, flying
squirrels, owls, hawks, bats and other ami.
mails which usually harbor in deserted
buildings. The extraordinary noises are
made by cracking or decaying timbers,
FALLING plaster, bricks, ETC., but sometimes
BY thieves who resort to these places for
the purpose of hiding their plumber, and
who seek to make the suspected places
avoided by the people Of the vicinity.
The lights seen lowering and fitting
around haunted places, whether houses
or dark, dismal retreats, are often car.
ried by the persons referred to, and their
occasional appearance strikes terror
into the hearts of the beh0lders. An.
other and more common cause of these
luminous appearances is found in the
phosphOric exhalations arising from the
compOst-piles, decaying timbers and
tissues of all kinds which abound in such
localities. ~ pa
In one famous haunted house on the
road between Yellow Springs and Xenia,
Ohio, these exhibitions were specially
noted. The people throughout that re.
Fgion hesitated to speak about the place,
and its peculiarities were mentioned in
whispers. Hence my curiosity was
aroused, and after preparing myself to
resist any danger that might occur from
the presence Of desperate characters /
proceeded to the place and provided an
excellent point for viewing the premises
It would have been q tedious business
to wait until midnight, the time when
ghosts are said to appear. But did not
have to wait SO long. About eleven
O'Clock warm stream of air blew up
from the south over creek and quar-
ter of mile or more of rich, black,
warm bottomrland. AS the vapor struck
the hillside it condensed, and little flying
balloons of mist flew hither and, thither
The warm air fingered over and ferment-
ed an old pile of compost, decaying straw
and, q few old boards that were lying
about. Then. there arose vaporous,
luminous body; which, with its base on
the ground and conical or round, fiery,
'cloud:like head in the air, took the shape
of q woman. Crimson and livid blood
like spots and streaks were about her neck
and scattered over her dress. She waved
her hands, and her hair foated about in
clouds of light, while her eyes glittered
like the cold moon. Rising slowly from
her hideous bed, the specter moved hith-
er and thither, as if the wind toyed with
her and she cared not whittier she was
taken. At last she started as if to visit
me in my retreat; then turning q corner
of the stable she nearly disappeared,
there being nothing left visible but q
long, dirty white trail. In a moment the
phantom turned again and crept into the
broken doorway, STOPPING as she re-
tired. Several minutes elapsed, and con-
GLIDING that she had collapsed or worn
out her vaporous strength was in the
act of leaving the place when she came
through the opening of the doorway and
crevices between the logs. Then, after
wdAhluk uO6tAUS 8UOut u Willie uCE
light went out and she became thinner,
and finally disappeared. The shape of
the apparition was such that it was easy
for an imaginative person to see in it the
form of q sad-faced or angry-eyed, rest
less woman. Then how easy to create a
legend filed with details of mysterious
murder, and make this the unhappy VIC
tim, whose shadow must haunt the place
IF hop FOL <,fT until hor vp,o v,oo a ~, M
peased in some legal and effective man.
ner! But my evidence makes this base
less fabric of vision the mere
result of the vaporous exhalations
of a compost-pile. I had very
fine pair Of field glasses, and could see
clearly the effects produced by the stream
of air when it came in contact with the
compost. The vapor began at that mo-
ment to arise, and the result would &C.
cur in all seasons. Then the luminous
jets and variegated colors sprang up
from the warm laboratory wherein Ma
lures chemistry was at work, and finally
the thin, vaporous cloud which really had
not any definite shape was carried ut the
caprice of the soft zephyr winds which
fitted about, but did not blow sufficient
ly strong to carry this heavier body out
Of the regular draughts through the
openings of the dilapidated house.
One Of the most noted haunted places
in Lancaster County, Pa, once attracted
my special attention. The locality, house
and surroundings were famous because
of the strange noises and lights which
had given the place its bad reputation
Many persons had seen and fled from
these visions, and affrighted people con-
stantly reported the strangest and most
unaccountable circumstances concerning
what had occurred to them while passing
by OF near the obnoxious place. A trip
thither one night disclosed to me the fact
that it was the resort of party
of gamblers, who employed certain
means and appliances to brighten
away the curious and prevent them from
exposing the mysteries of the place.
Among their paraphernalia was IN in
strument known by boys under the name
of locust The hideous scraping noise
which this makes when in operation is
calculated to made any one fly from the
vicinity where it is set in motion, espe-
cially when this occurs at midnight in a
suspected place. These persons were
also provided with hideous masks made
of parti-cOlored paper, pumpkins, hair,
cowtails and other articles. Colored
lights were also presented, sometimes
suddenly, and again to illuminate the
apertures through which these mysterious
appearances were made visible to the
scared community. t.e.s
After this exposure of the fOllies of
superstition it may prove an amusing
confession on my part when I acknowl-
edge to having tinge of the same
leaven in my composition. A special
instance in which this crops out is with
regard to ring which I wear, and whose
appearance I often consult with certain
weak. faith in its indications. It was
given to me by crsck-brained chemist
who ruined himself with drink and the
search for the philosophers stone. The
jewel it encircles was made by him in
his laboratory, and he assured me it con-
tanned parts of the iron employed in
making certain famous articles that are
held in high veneratiOn throughout the