New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-21
SpOOKS.

A tremendous ghost story comes from Hart1Ord'
There is haunted house there which is fairly
crowded with spooks. They pervade it from Auto
to basement and conduct themselves as IL they
owned the place. Ghosts are usually credited WIN
moving with light, noseess tread, but the Hart
ford variety do not do that They invariably tread
heavily. and il there is a loose board In the hoor
they make it squeak. This peculiarty seems 10 IN
dIcate that they originally came from Chicago' III
the endless series of gbes at the big feet OF Chcago
maidens have any foundation in fact Ihey hrse
appeared in the sitting-rOom. walking heaViiy
about while the lady of the house was alone IN tne
diningroom below. When she came up stairs ana
looked in the room the footsteps ceased; and no
body was visible. After repeating this performance
several times the spooks tried change, and began
to walk heavily about the hall and up and down
the stairs during the night. They enjoyed this ap-
parently, for they did it every night, naturally
causing considerable uneasiness among the other
and earthly occupants of the house. .
One night the man Of the house braced himself
ND for test When he heard the footsteps ascend
the stars and approach his door, he opened IL ana
stepped out into the hail. shutting and locking the
door behind him. Instantly the sound in the hall
ceased but began Immediately in the room he had
left He knew there could be no doubt about 1t,
for there was a loose board in the hoor and every
time the spook trod on that 10 gave familiar
squeak which it was accustomed to emit whenever
human being walked over it. This was very in
terestlng performance and the excitement 1t caused
aroused the spOoks to fresh exertion. They began
TO prance about the house with lights. Heavy foot
falls and gancing Lights appeared all over the
house nearly every night, and all through the day
the tramp tramp, tramp was kept up IN the sitting
room. 1t was becoming very lively house TO live
L., hat NJ inf
one.
But the spooks were not yet at the end Of their
resources One evening the lady of the house, who
was not feeling quite well owing to the supernat-
urally active condition of things around her, was
mixing quoting potion, when the spoon jumped
ont of the cup and fell upon the floor At the same
moment she heard a crash in nelghbOrlng cup
board, and looking in there, found tumbler with
hole pierced IN it ash pistol ball had been shot
at it. Both these manifestations" happened while
the LADY stood in n wel-lighted room. After this
disDlay of power the spooks became more quiet.
They had shown what they could do, and they
went back to their trampng leaving the spoons and
tumbIers in peace. spook who treads heavily
and carries q lantern is merely an unpleasant thing
10 have in the house. but when he takes to carrying
pistol he becomes dangerous, and we are not sur
prised 70 Learn that after her experience with the
spoon and the tunDler tine lauy Oh the hOuse oesah
10 inquire for " medium who might catch the
troublesome visitors. The medium" has not yet
appeared. but she or he is likely 10 shortly. when
the usual admission fee will doubtless be charged to
witness the capture Of the spCoks in nightly Sc
ances."
The daughter of the house shows signs Of turning
medium herself, for she has been able to see
visible forms" one Of which appeared TO be
man Of middle-age, with black hair and long
black beard" The Dimensions Of this spooks feet
are not givenebut they will probably be described
possibly photographed by the spirit process, in the
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