The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-12-23
A HAUNTED HOUSE.
From the Autobiography of DR.. Todd. edited by

From the Autobiography of DIR. Todd. edited by
his SON.
Hardly were they settle in their new
home when there began to be rItinors
the house was haunted at was
large three-storied house with brick
ends, wood front and back, 1t was well
lighted with a multitude of windows.
!t stood in the midst of thick neigh
borhood, other houses clustering all
around it. In short, there was nothing
about the house inside or out, that
would lead one to suspect it was the
place where ghosts would resort. 1t
was the last place one would select for
q murder to be committed and yet the
house was said to be haunted. 1t stood
empty, and strange noises were heard
in it. Sometimes it would seem to be
filled with groans, then again with signs,
and then the patter Of little feet would
be heard and then the walls of an infant.
The neighbors became excited. Some
heard noises of all sorts, some only one,
and some almost heard them In the
night, when all was stiffness and dark
ness. the noises were the most fearful.
Some felt sure that call was not right
there :" some said, 'tstrange secrets lie
concealed within those wallis some
were very sure that murder had been
committed there, and the dead one was
haunting the place. They were not exact
" sure whether the murdered one was
full grown man, as the many groans
would seem to indicate, or whether 1t
was little child whose feet were patter-
ing on the naked floor. They were al
most afraid to go past the haunted
house in the night, and no one, even In
the daytime, dared to enter it.
'sAs I had occupied the house last,
and as [ had lost my little infant boy
there, it was natural that should hear
of it: and, though [ believe no one
actually accused me of murder, yet
they shook their heads, and arched their
brows, ard thought the whole thing
wonderfully strange At first I paid no
attention to it; but as the hints became
louder, and the whispers deeper, and
the murrurs Cle&rer, I saw it would
iniure the Character Of the house, and
prevent the owner from renting it, even
if it did not injure me. L must con-
TESS, however, that though [ could never
hear any noises as l passed by IN The
evening, yet the testimony of SO many
staggered me. J determined, therefore,
TO investigate it myself, and that very
quietly. So l procured the keys, and
strange to say, went towards the house,
and was seen to have the hardihood to
enter it alone. The neighbors gathered
round the front door in the street to
watch the result. I said nothing, but
went in. A few moments satisfied me
about the little feet that battered on
the floorl There had been many such,
for the rats had made the house their
headquarters, gnawing the floors, tear
ing off the paper from the walls, scatter
ing the plaster, and leaving their little
footprints very abundantly. But those
groans I could find nothing that cast
any light on them. The house was
silent as tomb; the sunlight streaming
in the windows, and had only to think
over the hours of Joy and sorrow [ had
passed there. There I had happy
home, had rejoiced over my first-born
child, aud had there seen him breathe
out his young spirit to God who gave it.
From room to room I wandered, and
all was silence till I opened the door of
the chamber in which my child died
Then instantly there was sharp, deep
groan. What could it mean The peo-
pie about the door heard it, and what,
an awful feeling of terror went through
them. I was not frightened, but was
at loss to account for it. It evidently
had been called out 10y my opening the
door. But the room was perfectly bare,
not thing in it. Soon the groan was
repeated. / now went to the chimney,
and tore away the fire-board, and looked
up. And there, just in the throat of the
fireplace was-not a ghost, but shin
gle that had been blown into the chin
ney, and fallen down and lodged in the
throat, so that it could swing backward
and forward, and when the wind blew,
it would groan sharp, or shrill or deep,
according to the strength of the wind.
Thus it was that, on my opening the
door and letting the wind into the room,
the single swung and nearly filled the
throat and the air rushed and groaned
past it. [ took pains to call up the peo-
pie, and I verify believe they wished
rather to go home than go in. put
back the fire board and opened the door,
made them hear the groans, took away
the fire-board again, showed the shingle
and how it ratified and groaned, then
took it away, and put things back, and
opened the door, and-there were no
more groans. A little ratsbane on the
floor stopped she pattering of little
feet" and the house ceased to be haunt
ed. And yet it was haunted really as
one ever was; as I verify believe.
|
HEALTH BEFORE EVERYTHING. = A
farmer was yesterday walking around