The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-01-26
HOW LAID A GHOST



ed upon him at the time appointed,
when he told me he had only been
in the house about 4 week, having
but recently purchased it from Its
former occupant. 4,
Nothing strange had been noticed
for the first night or two, but about
the third morning his wife was
aroused early from her sleep by a
noise as if some one was IN pain
Thinking it was, perhaps, one Of
the children III, he went to Their
room. but they were sound asleep !;
neither did it proceed from the ser
wants apartments. On returning,
hc found his wife greatly terrified
at the presence Of some one IN the
room.
She had not seen anything, but
had heard the rustling of a lady :
dress. After waiting for few mo-
ments in silence, he heard the same
noise. which sounded TO him as II a
female had passed from the dressing
room, through their own, and along
the corrider to the stairs. There was
nothing visible, but the sweeping OF
the dress and the pilable moaning
were distinctly audible.
In vain did he search the house,
for he could find no explanation OF
this mysterious phenomenon, until,
at last. very much against his viii,
he was compelled to acknowledge
that. If the house was not exactly
haunted. there was something he
could not make out.
This conviction had been strength
ened the next day 10y one OF the
servants calling his attention to a
large stain on one of the floors at
the top of the house, having the ap-
pearance Of blood, of which a great
quantity must have been spilled, as
it formed large patch near the cen
ire. and ran in several directions
toward the side Of the room.
Unlike most cases Of ghosts he
had heard OF, the noise continued IN
the DAYTIME as well as night and
so frightened where the domestics
at the disturbances that 1t was with
difficulty they could be induced to
remain in the place after he had
sent his wife and children away.
We went over to the house tOgeth-
er. and carefully inspected the vari-
Gus rooms-particularly the one IN
which the stain appeared and the bed
room where most Of the noises were
heard. After We had completed the
surveyhe asked me if / could offer an
opinion as to the cause of the an
noyance.
Not unless hear it" l answer
ed. Il have succeeded in putting q
stop TO such things in several cases
and, if YOU are willing, | will spend
night here, after which l may, per
haps, be in a position to say some
thing more about i"
IF YOU think you can in any way
give US peace and quiet" he said
''the house with all its contents Is a
your service. because If it shall get
abroad that it is haunted. its value
10 me will be nothing, for / canno
live here myself, and how could /
expect others ?"
do YOU know whether the forme
occupant was in any way disturb
ed ~
He saws not"
How long did he live here p
Some five or six years, ! be
lieve."
"Do you know whether there hav'
been any complaints from anyon,
before he came ?"
No"
Have you said anything TO hin
about the blood?"
Il asked him if he had seen il
but he knew nothing whatever about
it,
did YOU show it TO him ?"
NO he said he would call in
some time and have look at it"
Can you make arrangements for
me to be alone in the house to-mor,
row night?'
AT what time p
The whole night, from-let me
see | will be here about eight
o clock"
And do you mean to stay in tho
house all night by yourself ?"
YES, Why not? If there were
more than one, the ghost might be
afraid to show itself"
Il would rather it be YOU than me
then. But, if you wish it, youshall
have ii SO"
Accordingly, at the time appoint,
ed on the following evening, | found
Mr.. II. himself in the house. The
servants, after providing everything
for my comfort during my watch,
had taken their departure a short
time before.
"Have you heard anything furth-
CT since / was here ?"
Yes, several times during the
day but the noise is not nearly 50
loud as it was at first. / have been
wondering whether anyone can be
confined in that room secretly. |
have heard Of people having been
built in recesses alive, and the moan
ing seems to be ike some one grad
ually growing weaker, and that
would account for hearing the nois-
es in the day time as well as at
night
"We can soon ascertain whether
such a thing has been done" / re-
piled. 'by making a careful exami-
nation of the room, to see whether
there is space for the carrying out Of
such purpose.
We went up to the room, which
was situated at the front Of the
house. At one end of it was the
dressing-room, already mentioned,
at the other was a second bedroom,
and along the side of it ran the cor
ridor communicating with the other
apartments on the same floor, at the
end of which were the stairs leading
TO the upper story.
At a glance we could see that the
idea suggested was impracticable,
and il was abandoned without furth.
er search.
We visited all the rooms, in each
af which | left a small Iaun hmm