The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-10-16
The Rationale of Haunted Houses.

of repair. The woodwork shrinks,
the plaster crumbles away; and
through minute Sits and chasms in
wlndow-frames and door cases there
come weird and uncanny noises. The
wind sighs and whispers through un-
seen assures, suggesting to the super
stitious the wailings of disembodied
spirits. A whole household was
thrown into CONSERVATION, and had
its repose disturbed, one stormy win
ter, by series of lamentabie howls
and shrieks that rang through the
rooms. The sounds were narrowing
and as they rose fitfully and at inter
walls, breaking the silence of the mig hit
the stoutest nerves among the listen
ers were shaken. For long time
the visitation continued to harrass the
family. recurring by day as we'll as
night, and especially IN rough weather
| When there was storm, piercing
yells and shrieks would come, sudden
and startling, changing anon into
low melancholy walls. it was unac-
countable. At length the mystery
was solved Complaints had been
made Of draughts through the house,
and as a remedy, strips OF gutta-
percha had at some former time been
nailed along the window frames,
while its owners were at the seaside.
This, for some reason eXplalnable upon
acoustic principles, had caused the
disturbance. Even after the gutta-
percha had been torn away, sudden
blast of wind striking near some spot
to which fragment still adhered,
would bring a shrek or moan, to re-
mind the family of the annoyance
they had so long endured.
Meantime, the house got bad rep
utation, and servants We're shy of en-
gaging with its owners. A maid more
stron g minded than the others, and
who had hitherto laughed at their
fears. came fleeing to her mistress on
one occasion, saying she must leave
instantly. and that nothing would
induce her to pass another night un-
der the roof. There was long cor
ridor at the top of the house. end the
girls story was, that in passing along
it, she heard footsteps behind her.
Stopping and looking back, she saw
no one; but as soon is she went on,
the invisible pursuer did SO too. fol-
lowing close behind. Two or three
times she stood still suddenly, hoping
the footsteps would pass on and give
her the go-by; instead Of which, they
pulled up when she did. And when
at last, wild with terror, she took to
her heels and ran, they came clatter-
ing along after her at the end Of the
passage!
The mistress suspected that some
one was trying to frighten the girl,
and she urged her to come upstairs
and endeavor to find out the trick.
This the terrified damsel refused to
do, so the lady went off alone. On
reaching the corridor and proceeding
along it, she was startled to find that
as the maid had described, some one
seemed to be following her Tap
tap, clack, clack-as of one walking
slipshod with shoes down at heel
came the steps. keeping pace with hel
own; stopping when she stopped, and
moving on when she did. In vain
the lady peered around and beside
her; nothing was to be seen. 1t could
be no trick, for there was nobody in
that part Of the house to play prac-
teal joke.
Erelong the cause was discovered
in the shape of loose board III the
springing of the corridor. The plank
springing when pressed by the foot in
walking along, gave an echoing sound
that had precisely the effect of steI
following; and this. in the supposed
haunted house, was sufficient to raise
alarm.
1t happened to us once to be tenn
porary dweller in a mansion that had
a ghostly reputation. We were on
our way to Paris, travelling with an
invalid; and the latter becoming sud.
denly too i'll to proceed on the jour
ney, we were forced to stop in the
first town we came to. The hotel
being found too noisy, house in 6
quiet street was engaged by the week
It was grand old mansion, that had
once belonged to magnate of the
land; fallen now from its high estate,
and but indlfferently kept up. Wide
stone staircases with balusters of
carved oak led to rooms lofty and
spacious, whose walls and ceilings
were decorated with gilded enrich
ments and paintings in the style of
Louis XIV. At the side Of the house
was a covered-way leading to the
stables and offices. This was entered
through tall porte cochere; and at
either side of the great gates, fixed to
the iron ratings, were a couple of
those huge metal extinguishers-
still sometimes to be seen In quaint
old houses-used in former times to
put out the torches or links carried at
night by running footmen beside the
carriages of the great. The stables
and offices OF the place were now fall
ing into decay, and the porte cochere
generally stood open until nightfall,
when the gates were locked.
We had been in the house for some
little time before we heard the stories
Of supernatural sights and sounds
with it-of figures fitting
through halls and passages-the
ghosts Of former occupants; of
strange whisperings and uncanny
noises. There certainly were curious
sounds about the house. especially in
the upper part, where lumber-closets
were locked and sealed up, through
whose shrunken and >ill-ftting doors
the wind howled with unearthly walls. |
In the dining-hall was a row Of old |
family pictures. faded and grim; and |
The popular belief was that, at the
'witching hour" these worthless de-
'cendtd from their frames and held
nigh festival in the scene of former
No servant would go
1t night into the room alone or in
he dark.
We had with US young footman
;alled Carroll, the son of an Irish ten
MT. dauotod 70 b;c ,,,oeIor, ,n1o. |