Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-07-09


any of the unlucky days, unless provided
with talisman to ward off the evil, must
take spot luck" and play a grab game
all the days of his life. No business of
importance must be commenced on Fri
day, save that of hanging trimming the
nails or cutting the hair. Do not move
on Saturday, for if you do you will not
stay long Saturday is also an especially
unlucky day to be married on.
These superstitious beliefs are kept up
in the same manner in which they were
transmitted to us from our Scandinavian
ancestors-by teaching them to children
too young to question their truth. Old
people sit by fresides and tell ghost
stories until every listening child's eyes
grow large and glistening with fear.
Thus impressions are made on the plastic
mind which years of study and intelli-
gent reasoning do not always eradicate.
How many persons are afraid to go into
the dark alone or to pass graveyard in
the night How many neighborhoods
on this continent, as well as in Europe,
have their haunted houses, with local
traditions, which are related with at
least the affectation of belief NV inter
est in the subject has led me to investi-
gate the causes of the noises and visions
more than once represented to haunt
certain places. In several instances
where have expressed this intention |
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 ordinary
noises heard about the so-called 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 beholders. 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.
In one famous haunted house on the
road between Yellow Springs and Xenia,
Ohio, these exhibitions were specially
noted The people throughout that re-
gion 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.
1t would have been a 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 a creek and quar-
ter of a mile or more of rich, black,
warm bottom-land 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 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 a 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 floated about in
clouds Of light, while her eyes glttered
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 corner
of the stable she nearly disappeared,
there being nothing left visible but
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-
Guiding 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
walking or floating about a while her
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 sad-faced or angry-eyed, rest
less woman. Then how easy to create
legend filed with details of mysterious
murder, and make this the unhappy vic
tim, whose shadow must haunt the place
of her taking off until her names are APP
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 compost-pile. | had a 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 oc-
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 at 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
IF tho OF apua pnispl and lipbta which