The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-05-30

emnly affirm-and was wide awake anc in full possession of all my faculties-thai 1 distinctly heard the rustic of woman's dress trailing over the floor. The dog in his retreat reached the bed, sprang upon it, and with a cry of distress nestled down against my body. At the same moment the flame of the lamp was blown out as by human lips. With this the manifes. tations ceased, though others, not so marked, were afterward observed in the room which continued to occupy
 confess these things startled me somewhat (although as yet neither l, my wife, or my daughter, had personally been annoyed). and made some private inquiries in the neighborhood as to what others had seen. DuaniDg, who had been in charge under Van, told me the place had an evil reputation all through the mountains. Summer visitors often drove out from the village, he said to see the haunted house. His family were never molested on the first floor, but nothing could have induced them to pass the night above. Noises were heard there, footsteps, cries and groans, the crack of whip, and what was worse there was an inde6nable resence, whose existence one was conscious of though ii never assumed tangible shape. The mountaineers are naturally reticent, and they seemed to have superstitious fear of talking on the subject, especially the French Canadians, of whom there were many. Lou is the most intelligent, as he is easily chief of all. therefore went to him and said, Now, Lou, I've heard queer stories about this house. Have you2' He said 'Of course tried it there one night, ar d wouldn't sleep there again if you'd give me the whole prop erty.' What do you mean2' asked. q mean what say,' he replied ;'I wouldn't sleep in one of those chambers for the whole house. 'Now, Lou, you're a courageous man. Tell me why. What was it?' I ran out and stayed in the woods that night What did you hear ? If there a ben coach an four run. nin' over the floor, up garret, there couldn't have been more noise.' Did you see anything?' No; but i heard enough, and nothin' on e r,h would bring me to sleep above stairs again. This or something like it was told me by all, old or young, whom could induce to talk on the subject. As for the special crime that had entailed these ghostly visitations, could only get vague traditions of a peddler having been murdered there, while some said that in the early days of the mansion a woman had been whip- ped to death in its cham bers.
 From this time the manifestations became more obtrusive and annoying. A new experience befell my wife. She was coming into the upper hall one day just at dusk, when suddenly a whip was cracked violently over her head; a mo- ment later she heard it in the small room opposite, and threw the dcor quickly open-to find nothing within. My daugh- ter and l escaped the personal manifesto tions, but we heard the ghostly noises, footballs, whispers, and the like, which filled the atmosphere of the second floor At length one August night after we had all retired, pandemonium suddenly broke loose in the garret. At first we thought heavy farm wagon was being drawn across the floor, then a cannon-bal was dropped, and rolled in another direction. which was followed by crash and cat ter as of crockery falling. Of course, the men sprang from their beds and rushed to the garret. but we found nothing there except cob-webs, dust, a strangely mounted raw-hide whip on a beam, and the red surcoat of the knights with its silver cross before and behind which had evidently belonged to our predecessor, the baron. Next day we examined the garret thoroughly, tore up the floor, the ceiling. There was no mechanism by which such an uproar could have been produced.
 These occurrences were absolute facts, whether they can be explained by nat. sral laws or not. We did not believe in their supernatural origin, but they were SO tangible and annoying that we did not care to go back next season, and the house remained untenanted until several years after it mysteriously took fire one day and was consumed"
 On the conclusion of the judges narra- tive was invited into the parlor and presented to his wife, son, and daughter, all of whom vouched for the truth of the tale as it has been related to me.
 l heard strange tale at the club one night of this same Philip Rhynwoed-a tale hinted at, half-told, leaving much to be conjectured-to the effect that having become intensely jealous of his beautiful young wife, he built this house in the wilderness, furnished it like palace, and having lured her to it one summer held her there prisoner until she died of grief and despair.
 This is strange story for nineteenth century audience, but the strangest thing about it is that Saving nsmes) it is in all respects true one.-Msw Fork Eyes- ing Post.
 Life in the Paris Sewers,
 is possible, for short time to the robust, but the majority of refined persons would