The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-01-05
Is il a GiiosI2

A gentleman well known in this city,
says the Cincinnati Enquirer, and who
for short will be called Brown. was al
most scared out of his senses night be.
fore last by what he regarded as spirit
rappings. He lives in the same house in
which he has resided for six years. He
has no family except his wife, Il hand
some lady of 50. He is on the road
travelling a great deal of the time. and
In his absence his wife and servant are
left alone. The wife has often told dur
ing the past three Years of unusual
noises heard around the house while he
was away, but he never gave the matter
any thought.
One night little over two years ago,
during the absence of Mr.. Brown, the
wife was awakened by the sound of
heavy footballs in the dining-room. i'm
mediately below. They were plain and
unmistakable, like the tread of man
walking up and down the room in great
excitement. Every step was heard dis
tinctly, and the mOnOt0nOus tramp,
tramp continued for fully ten minutes.
Mrs. Brown at first thought that her
husband had returned and was perpc-
trating a joke on her, but a tremendous
knock, as from a giants fist, on the
dining room door dissipated tho delu-
sion, and. frightened nearly out of her
senses, the poor woman covered her
head with the bed-clothes and waited in
fear and trembling for further develop
ments. Often after that many uncanny
noises were heard in different parts of
the house, but more generally in the
bedroom of Mrs. Brown.
Manifestations have been more fire.
quent the past two or three weeks, and,
as Mr.. Brown feelingly informed the re-
porter, the unknown has raised the
devil" On Wednesday night he had
considerable writing to do and sat down
to accomplish it. At half-past 8 o'clock
his wife said she was tired and would
60 to bed. and going into her bedroom
closed the door and proceeded to dis
robe. She had not been in the room ten
minutes when tho rapping commenced,
each time by three knocks-tirst at the
window, then on the mirror in the dress
ing-case, and then on the headboard of
the bed. They came in such quick sue
cession and with such frequency that
she went out into the hall where her
husband was ut work and told him what
she had heard. He Immediately arose
and led his wife back into the room,
put her TO bed and remained n little
time with her to quiet her fears. As
usual with his appearance the knocking
ceased. After sitting for some five
minutes he withdrew and partly closed
tho door, but stood there moment to
listen for repetition Of the noise. He
had his ear close up to the door, when
suddenly there came thud against it
that sounded as if produced by power
full blow from clenched fist. He re-
cOiled in establishment, and then recover
ing himself opened the door and looked
in to see the source, but found no one
there. Partly closing it again he step
ped out and tried it over. with the same
result. attended with slighter manifesto
tons at the headboard Of the bed, three
in rapid succession, repeated every
twenty or thirty seconds. After satisfy
ing himself that they were really rap
pings of some supernatural order he be-
came thoroughly alarmed and lay awake
almost the entire night. wondering
when he would be picked up and car
ried out by the unknown.
Mr.. Brown and wife are both unbe-
levers in spiritualism, and are lost in
wonderment that their peace and quiet
should be thus molested. lie intends
to change his residence at once and see
II he cannot get rid of the manifesto
tons.