The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-05-12

tleman, q near connection and great
friend. One evening it happened that
the family had all gone out to Christ
mas junketing; and. as was left at
home alone, at once determined to
retire to the snug little study "a very
favorite resort of mine. for it was well
filled with books. Like most old
fashioned country-houSes, the sitting.
rooms were all on the ground floor.
The study had one window, the sill
Of which was about five feet from q
gravel walk, which ran all along that
side of tho house, SO that any one could
readily have touched the window in
passing.
Having requested the maid to light the
lamp for me, I was just following her
to the study, when was somewhat sur
prised by the girl running back into the
drawing room in state ofgreat perturb-
alton, and declaring that some one had
Knocked sharply four times at the study
window; but that, on looking out, she
saw no one right or left ON the gravel
walk; adding that she was much fright
ened and quite put out in consequence.
Thinking it some joke by possible adj
mirer,el merely smiled at the girls
agitation, and betook myself to the
study for o comfortable read.
1t was q bright. clear. moonlight
night now; but heavy fall OF snow
during the afternoon had covered every
field, road and path with its beautiful
mantle of spot!ess white; and a sharp
breeze was springing up which seemed
likely to increase to a gale. had
been reading barely half an hour, when
l was rather surprised to hear four or
five sharp taps at the outside of the
window, such as might have been given
with the end of a stick. Jumping up,
l instantly threw open the window and
looked all around. NG.hing was
to be seen but the bright,
frosty moonlight and the clean,
white snow; and what also noticed was
that the snow under and near the win
dow was perfectly smooth, untouched
and untroddeu; clearly indicating that
neither man nor beast had passed that
spot, or even near it.
L
and not knowing exactly what to think,
l sat down again to read. l had not,
however, got through score of pages,
when tap. tap, tap again carried me to
the window, with exactly the same un-
satisfactory result-nothing to be seen
nothing to be discovered. These
tappings occurred three different times
in the following hour and a half, and
defied my utmost endeavors to find out
the cause. I examined the window
which was surrounded outside by ivy
and creeping plants-most carefully,
but found nothing. went outside to
each end of the house, and again OBJ.
served that the snow was still untrod-
den and untouched. confess was
both surprised, puzzled and annoyed.
Here was an undoubted mystery. a
series of tappings. the cause of which
had, after close and careful investiga-
ton, totally failed to discover. 1t was
a mystery, certainly, and one which
ought to be explained; but how?
In due time the family returned home;
and after the ladies had retired, took
the doctor into the study and told him
of my mysterious experiences. He
laughed, and wagged his head incredu-
lousy; adding, with a merry twinkle of
his keen gray eye, that he hoped, as the
night was so cold, had taken glass of
grog, and had enjoyed a comfortable
sleep in the coy armchair; mildly sug-
costing the possibility of my dreams
running in the direction of supernatural
sights and sounds; politely intimating,
in fact, that had been asleep aud had
dreamed the whole thing! This I at
once refuted by reference to the maid,
who proved a very willing witness, in
deed. The doctor seemed puzzled,
shifted sharply two or three
times, took an enormous pinch of
smut, and then stood looking
intently into the fire; when suddenly
tap. tap. tap. tap, loud and sharp ut the
window, caused us both to run forward,
throw it open, and look out; but, need
hardly say. with the usual result. l
drew the doctors special attention to
the smooth, untrodden snow, and told
him had again and again examined
the window and wal both inside and
out, but without effect.
'.Well, Jack, it is certainly very
odd" said the doctor; ''but as / am
convinced the taps arise from some
perfectly natural cause. I'll stop here till
I find it out, if I should stay all n hit. -
We discussed the probable Causes
tricks, cats, birds pecking. ETC., but
abandoned our theories almost as soon
as started, until our delibefation, were
cut short by the tapping being again
renewed louder and sharper than ever.
The doctor now nearly lost his temper.
and throwing open both halves of the
window lit was a French, not sash
window. fetched out overcoats and
hats, and proposed to extinguish the
lamp. and to sitdown opposite the open
window, and there carefully watch.
This we accordingly both did. with an
amount of patience and exemplary per-
severance never, perhaps, before exhib-
tied by the most determined ghost
hunters, until. in spite of the blazing
fire behind US. we were nearly half
frozen by the keen biting air and the
wind, which had now increased to a
complete gale. At length, temper and
patience alike gave way, and as no
taps or manifestations of any kind had
occurred, vexed and annoyed beyond
expression-for his open. honest nature
hated mystery and incertitude of any
kind-the doctor reluctantly closed the
window, and hatr just slowly pulled
down the blind, when the tapping was
again heard as vigorously as ever.
so, so!' cried the doctor; stone
thing at least is clear-the taps, find,
ale given at the top of the window.
Run, Jack, and fetch the bull's-eye Ian
tern 1.-The wind is too high for candle
whilst get the steps,"
Armed with the lantern. the doctor
mounted the steps and closely exam
ined the whole top of the window both
outside and in. but still could discover
nothing. Much irritated, he was about
to give up the search, when, as he pro-
jected his head through the open win.
dow, he was suddenly aware Of two OF
three sharp taps on his forehead; and
raising the buWseye, he then discov.
cred thick bit of stick hanging