The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-02-10
{ ESTABLISHED In
I MARCH, 1s45.

ool n OlAJ OplOhh cilOh OiiO
carpet, as if the bed had been moved
forward obliquely for few feet from
where it stood, and then been moved
back again. The joiner at once rose;
and taking hold of the bed, he found
that he could pull it forward easily
and without making the slightest noise,
till it was about foot from the wall
against which it stood. At this point,
we noticed that the bed seemed to dip
slightly to one side, as if something
were yielding to its weight; and at
the same moment we observed pam
elling silently or On in that part of the
wall which had formerly been hid be-
hind the hangings.
was in high state of excitement,
and with difficulty could suppress my
feelings, but stood silent as the two
men went round and looked into the
opening thus discovered. They asked
for a candle, which | presently brought
them; when we found that the recess
was small place. about five feet high
and two deep, and that it was formed
of solid mason-work on all sides but
the front. A box, large enough to
fill the whole space Of the bottom,
was attached to the wall by strong
iron staples, as if to prevent its re-
moval; but curiously enough, the box
itself was not locked, though supplied
with hasp and paddock. The lid was
at once lifted: when we saw stuffed
into it, as if hurriedly, mass Of white
garment, which we found to be an old
chasuble or surplice, that must have
formed at one time part of the cermo-'
nial robes Of a priest. We brought it
forth to the light, and examined it;
and there, in the skirt of the garment,
we found that piece had been torn
out, which was exactly fitted by the
bit of white embroidered cloth which
] had picked upin my bedroom on the
previous evening. This was evidence
indisputable that, whoever or whatev-
er my ghostly visitor was, here at
least was the garment that had been
worn on that occasion; the more so,
that attached to the upper part of the
garment was kind of hood which,
when drawn over the head and face,
would give in dim and uncertain
light the grim aspect that | had seen
on the previous evening. / felt with
in me burning Indignation that for
years the peace and happiness of sue
cessive families in the house should
have been destroyed by the wretched
trickery of this depraved old woman,
in. her malicious desire to injure the
young lady who owned the house, by
depriving her of the income that would
otherwise have been derived from it.
Nv first impulse was to leave things
as they were in the apartment till the
arrival of the old hag, and confront
her at once with the evidences we had
discovered of her malevolent practi-
ces; but on second examination of
the box, it was found that it contain
ed false bottom, easily removed, un-
der which were found pair of loaded
pistols. This struck us as being scarce
lv in keeping with the idea that Mrs
Weevil alone was cognizant of the
mischievous operations which has been
carried on here for so many years
These were rather the weapons of
person who was both able and willing
to use them should an emergency offer
And what was still more puzzling,
while we had thus far discovered the |
means by which the ghostly reputa-
ton Of the house had been maintain
ed, there was as yet no trace Of the
manner in which access was gained.
either to the bedroom which | occu-
pied, or to any other parts of the
house which had been so mysteriously
visited. In these circumstances, it
was agreed at once to replace every
thing as we had found them, except |
that the blacksmith took the precau-
ton of drawing the charge out of
both pistols, stufing the barrels after
wards to the required depth with pa
per, so that, on being probed, they
might still appear as if loaded. This
done, the bed was moved back to it's
place, when the panelling of itself
closed as before. We then left the
apartment, the door of which was, +
though not without some difficulty,
so fastened as not readily to excite the
woman's suspicion that it had been
tampered with.
It was now two hours after noon.
and Mrs. Weevil might return at any I
The two men therefore de-
parted, but first arranging with me
that they should return after dusk,
bringing the village constable along
with them, to await with me the
events Of the evening; as | felt GER
tain somehow that the ''ghost" would /
again appear. with the object of driy-
ing me from the house, as other ten
ants had been driven before.
Like his namesake in Rob Roy"
the good old gardener Andrew was not
a very good keeper of secrets; hence
it was proposed that the joiner and
should take him along
with them to the village. and keep him
under surveillance till the evening.
WAS glad when | saw them all out of
the place, without, so far as ! knew,
being seen by any one; and still more
glad when the ayah shortly after
wards returned with the children, as
could not help feeling timorous and
in the house by myself, con-
what we had discovered, and
especially what we had failed to dis
cover, namely, how the person playing
the ghost could obtain access to diff
ferent parts of the house so freely as
report represented, and as ! had my
self in one instance painfully expe-
rienced.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.
I