River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-03-22
A story OF A Haunted nonse,

SlDle 1 have used her own words as she
described the details to me. For
obvious reasons it would not be wise
to publish the address of the house,
but may say that it was ct one time
inhabited by man who held a high
position in society but is unfortunately
noted in history for his atrocities, and
especially during his residence on the
premises now under notice.
1t is beautifully situated, within
few hours railway journey from Lon
don.
| should say that my friend is not a
Spiritualist, although, without her
own knowledge, she must be Il medi-
UNI.
The following is the narratives:
s'0ne cold winters night | awoke,
and to my great surprise found there
was a bright freight in the room.
| sat up in bed and noticed that the
ordinary CRATE was not to be seen, but
in its place appeared an old-fashioned
open hearth upon which was blaz-
ing a splendid Ere the light of which
had filed the room and had woke me
up. | saw small strip of carpet laid
down in front of the fire, but there
was no fender. When we went to bed
there had been a fender, but no carpet,
and no fire.
"AS | looked with establishment, |
particularly remarked brass pair of
fire. dogs, with very curious and pretty
twisted fire-irOnS resting upon them.
By the side of the fire was beautifully
carved oak armchair, made with q
square seat, the point of which was in
front and round back. 1t was such a
chair as was used two hundred years
ago. In this chairwas sitting old man,
he was resting his elbow on the arm
of the chair, and with his hand sup
porting his head he was lookin g
directly toward me, with an intent,
sad gaze.
SHE was dressed in the style of the
olden times-two hundred years ago
with knee breeches and stockings. l
noticed curiously the flicker of the
fire, as it was reelected in his bright
knee and shoe buckles.
81 woke my sister who was sleeping
with me, saying, do you not see that
old man sitting by the fire 2 She sat
IN by my side, but saw nothing, and
advised me to Go to sleep, advice she
acted upon herself, but lay down and
shut my eyes for a time, then sat up,
and again saw the scene | have de-
scribed, and watched it for some time,
for was not in the least frightened,
not even at the sight of the old man,
and often wish had spoke to him.
At last / laid down and went to sleep.
On awaking in the morning my sister
asked me what | had been talking
about in the night, fully admitting
that when | awoke her ] was myself
most fully awake, and not in dream
ing condition. We had been living
in the house about two months when
this occurred, land we found that it was
known through the town to be haunted.
We lived there nearly two years,
and during the whole time were
annoyed by mysterious knockings and
noises, but the White Lady did not
show herself until just as we were
leaving. My father and mother had
already returned home, sending me
and my younger sister and a young
houSemaid, to finish the packing up.
son Saturday evening my sister and
/ went out, leaving the servant to cord
some boxes and put the rooms in order;
we did not return until past 10 O'Clock,
when, to our surprise, we found the
servant sitting i'll the hall with the
front door open. She began to cry on
seeing us, saying that she had been
much frightened. She told us that
after we had gone out, and she had
changed her dress, as she was coming
out of Der room, which opened on the
front staircase, she thought she saw
me coming upstairs, only l had changed
my dress and had on a long white one;
she exclaimed, '0h Miss A, you
are never going out just now, in your
best white dressl
"By the time she had said this, the
figure was close up TO her, then she
saw it was woman, dressed in long
trailing gown of some white material,
but she could lot distinguish any face.
The figure stopped when quite close to
her, and suddenly she thought what it
really was-the ghost upon which,
with a scream, she sprang over the
flowing train, ran down into the hall,
and had been sitting by the open door
ever since. She had seen the figure
walk into the drawing-room.
''The girl was so much alarmed that
told her she could make up bed for
herself in the room that I, with my
sister, was occupying. 1t was the bed
room where / saw the old man by the
fire. That night passed quietly, but
the next night strange thing hap
pened. We were very late; it was
past II before we all three retired to
our room. You will understand that
there was no one else in the house but
our three selves. As the door would
not latch securely, placed before it,
to keep it shut, a chair, with a heap
of things upon it. The servant and
my sister were in bed. was standing
by the dressing table, when suddenly
the door was pushed open so violently
that the chair was thrown out into the
middle of the room. / turned round
sharply, and there saw, standing in the
doorway, the tall figure of woman in
a long white dress, such as has been
described by the servant. The sudden
opening of the door had so terrified
both the servant and my sister, that
was compelled to give my attention to
calming both of them down. did not
tell them what | had seen, as | would
not brighten them more. ! should add
that when the figure went away, the
door was drawn to again.
"Some few minutes passed before l
had quoted my sister. I then lighted
night light, and put out the candle,
preparatory to getting into bed myself.
To my surprise | saw, when the room
was thus darkened, that there was
bright stream of light all around the
door, which would not close tightly.
went and opened the door, and found
the whole passage illuminated by this
white light, as light as day, but saw
no more of the figure. This brighten.
ed me dreadfully, but | coulo only
jump into bed, and feel glad it was our
last night in that house.
81 should say that for many years
that room had been nailed up, as unfit
for occupation, on account of the haunt
u F1e