Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-11-08
that, happen what might. he would not

uptt hp hhh " hiFt wv v" S~tfi.p
enough. but had sneaked back TO The
door, aud was scratching and whining 10
gst out, After patting him on the heah'
aud encouraging him gently, the deg
seemed 10 reconcile himself to the
situation, aud followed flaeido and
myself around, but kept closely a. my
heels. instead Of hunying inquisitiyely
IN advance. which was usually his hAbll
In all strange places, We hfsl yiHi iled
the subteranean apartment tho kitchen
and other offices. and especially tho
cellar, In which there were two or
three bottles Of wine still lett in q bin,
and covered with oobwebs. and eyl'
deatly, by their appearance, undislurb'
oil for many years, II was clear that
tho ghosts we're not vine blbbeIa, We
discovered nothing iuther OF interest
There was q gloomy little back yard,
with high walls, The stones OF this
yard were very damp and with Tie
damp and the dust upon the pavement,
our feet left q slight impression When
passed And now appeared tue hril
strange phenomenon l had Witnessed
| saw, lust before me, the pript OF q
foot suddenly form Itself, j stopped,
caught hold Of my servant, and pointed
to II. In advance OF that footprint sud
denly dropped another, We both saw
II, I advanced qaickly TO the place !
the footprint kept advancing before me
"A small footprint, tho foot OF 4 child f,
the impression waa too falnt to thor
oughly distinguish tho shape, but It
seemed 10 IA both that II was tho print
OF q naked foot This phenomenon
ceased when we arrived at tho opposite
wall, nor did II repeat itself on return
Ing. Wo returned our steps to the
rooms on tho ground floor, all OF them
as siill as death. Wo passed through
there to tho apartments ! was to occupy
for the night, l seated myaelf, and
Placido placed on the table tho candle
with which he had lighted u.s. i told
him to shut the door, Az he turned to
do 40 q chair opposite tome moved from
the wall quickly and noi0eles'ly, and
stopped itself about yard from my own
chair. Immediately fronting 1t.
"Why, this Ia better than tho turning
tables, said I, with q half laugh and US
laughed, my dog put back his head aud
howled.
"Plaoido, coming back, had not oh
served the movement Of the chair. Ho
employed himself In stilling tho dog. ]
continued 10 gaze on tho chair, and
fancicd l saw on II q pale, blue misty
outline Of O human figure, but an out
line 80 indistinct that could only dis
trust my own vision, The dog now was
quiet.
"'Put back that chair opposite to
me- I said TO Plaodo, put 1t back to
tho WALL
"Placido obeyed
"Was that youY lie asked, turning
abruptly.
"I---whaty
"Why,. something struck me. l felt
II sharply on the shoulder, just here.
"No,' said I, but We have jugglers
present, and though We may not dis
cover their tricks wo shall catch them
before they frighten u.s.
"Then wo carefully sounded the
walls, and found them solid. We went
out into the passage'way. Here there
was anoth r door, II was closed firmly,
"Why,' said my servant, in sur.
prise, r Unlocked this door with oil
the Others when I first came 1t cannot
have got locked on the inside, for 1t is
a.
Before he had finished his sentence,
the door, which neither OF US was then
touching, opened quietly Of itself. We
looked at each other single instant.
The same thought seized us both: some
human agency might be detected here.
rushed In, and my servant followed.
A small dreary room without furniture,
few empty boxes in q corner, small
window, the shutters closed, not even q
fireplace, no other door but that by
which we entered; the floor seemed
very old, uneven, worm eaten, mended
here and there, as was shown by the
winter patches on the wood; but no
living being, and no visible place in
which living being could be hidden.
As we stood gazing around, the door
by which we had entered closed as ST..
lently as it had opened; We were i'm.
prisoned.
"For the first time felt a feeling Of
undeinable horror. Not so my servant.
/" Why, do they think to trap us? I
could break that trumpery door with a
kick Of my foot
"Try first if 1t will open to your
hand said l, shaking off the vague ap,
prehension which had seized me, while
I open the shutters and see what is
without But I could not open them.
Meanwhile Placido was vainly attempt
ing to open the door. He now turned
to me, and asked my permission to use
force. I willingly gave it. But though
he was a remarkably strong man, his
force was as idle as his milder efforts !;
the door did not even tremhle at his
stoutest kick. Breathless and painting,
he desisted. ! then tried the door my
self, equally in vain. As I ceased from
the effort q feeling Of horror again came
over me, but this time it was moro cold
and stubborn. I felt as if some strange
and ghostly exhalation were rising up
from the chinks Of that rugged floor,
and filling the air with venomous in
auepce hostile to human life. The
door now very slowly and quietly OPEN
ed, as if of its own accord.
ave rushed into the passage-way.
We both saw large palo light, as large
Us the human figure, but shapeless and
unsubstantial, ascend tho stairs leading
to an upper chamber,
"I followed the light, and my servant
followed me. entered a small garret,
Of which the door stood opened. I
passed in the same instant. The light
then collapsed into small globule, ex-
coedingly brilliant and vivid; rested q
moment on bed in the corner, quiver-
ed and vanished. We approached the
bed and examined it, bot saw nothing
to excite curiosity. A bureau stood
near. opened the drawers. There
was nothing in them save two letters
tried together with faded yellow rib
bon. put them in my pocket. We
found nothing else in the room worth
noticing, nor did the light re-appear |;
but We distinctly heard, as we turned to
go, pattering footballs on the floor just
below us. Nothing could be seen, sim
ply the 70 tails heard. took tho let.
ters in my hand. Just as was de.
cending the stairs I distinctly felt my