St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-12-07
The Mysterious Knocking.

The exercise of a little common
sense has materialized many ghosts.
A writer in Chambers's Journal tells
how he once solved case of "mys-
terious knocking" which promised to
| furnish material for a first-class ghost
story. He says:
One evening some weeks ago, | was
in my room preparing for bed, when
suddenly heard what sounded like foot
steps coming along the passage leading
TO my room then some one appeared
to be feeling in the dark for the handle
of the door, which was slightly shaken,
and low knock was heard.
OF course at once concluded that
some ole of the family was outside /;
and my door being locked, called out
to know who was there, but received
no answer.
Thinking this very odd, l went to
the door and opened it; but to my
amazement no one was outside, and
yet had heard no footsteps retreat
ing.
must explain that my room is at the
end of long passage, to which you
descend by five or six steps, my door
forming the end of the passage (my
room being at the end of one wing of
the house.)
Therefore on opening my door, i'm
mediately commanded the whole of
the corridor, and it seemed impossible
| for any one to have escaped in the
time and knew that the two rooms
| opening on the same passage were
locked up, so that no one could have
got out of sight in that way.
Very much puzzled, closed and
locked my door; and after brief in
terval the same thing was repeated.
Cautious footsteps were heard APP
preaching; then as if some one were
feeling for the handle of the door in
the dark, and shaking the door slightly
by so doing and then again low
knock.
A second time did | open my door,
but with the same result. No one was
there.
frankly confess that | now began
to feel somewhat uncomfortable, not
on account of ghosts, but visions of
thieves which tloated across my mind.
felt persuaded that some one must
be moving about the house and yet
knew that every one else had gone to
bed long ago.
own did not feel inclined to risk
an encounter with this mysterious
visitor while trying to arouse some one
else, my room being some way from the
rest of the family.
Determined, however, if possible to
! find out what it was, | crOuched down
with my ear to the door, listening for a
repetition of the noise, which was re-
peated a third time.
But now, owing to my closeness to
the door, discovered the disturber OF
my peace in mousse
1t appeared that this mouse, which
had very evidently lost its way, had
got down into the passage.
Finding retreat rather difficult low
ing, | suppose, to the steps, it was
rushing up and down the passage at
full speed, thereby producing the sound
of footsteps on the carpet.
On finding its egress barred by my
door, it tried to escape by running up
the door.
But the vanished paint affording no
foothold, the Impetus of its run only
sutficed to carry It up short way (thus
shaking the door and slightly moving
the handlet and it then fell down with
a flap, thus producing the knock.
| could not resist hearty laugh
when found out the real cause of the
disturbance. But yet it shows that
stories of strange nocturnal noises
should be received with great caution.
| should always have declared that
some one had been trying my door
that night, had | not found out the
real cause.