The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-09-17
SELECT STORY.
MYSTERIES OF YUT HALL,
THE STRANGE EXPERIENCES OF HERBERT
WIsHER.

THE STRANGE EXPERIENCES OF HERBERT
wIsHER.
On craig overlooking the ocean
north of Marlborough Head, England,
are the ruins of Yut Hail, formerly
the family residence of the Wishers
(or Ushers), of Filey. In 1859 Her.
bert Wisher fell heir to the estate.
He was the youngest of five sons, was
a studious man of about 40, and, Oh
coming into the property, went to re
side at the Hall. The brother whom
he succeeded had been in the navy,
and was a rollicking, thriftless fellow.
When he died it took all the ready
cash he had to bury him. and the de-
nuded landscape showed how well he
had culled from the park the best
wood it contained, selling it to repen-
ish his exchequer. In his time seldom
a week passed without visit from
friends of like kidney, and money
had to be procured by some means to
meet the expenses incurred in their
reckless entertainment.
Herbert Wishers first duty was to
renovate part of the old dwelling and
put things into as good trim as posi-
bic. He discharged all the servants
except three who had been long in the
family, and he notified his tenants
that they must be punctual with the
rent, as he needed money. The rest
of the narrative will be given in his
own words, as published in his "Ac-
count of the Strange doings at Yut
Hall"
'Punctually at Christmas the
rents were paid, save in three or four
cases, the which l inquired into and
forgave the debtor. For, indeed, in
some cases the man had been sick and
died, or evil distempers had afflicted
the family. The thing
that most amazed me was the poor
way in which the farms were cultivat-
ed and the fondness of my tenants for
the sea, many of them owning boats
well fitted out and goodly to look at
withal. The sea said they yields as
we'll as the land and they often
brought me fish and cookies, which
were well favored and to be desired.
II had been used to sit up late with
my books, but becoming country
man, | thought it behooved me TO 60
to my bed early and rise betimes in the
morning. By and by, however, l
went back to my former habit and sat
in the library, which was in the right
wing nearest the ocean, sometimes I'M
I'll far in the morning. Joseph, the
old gardener, warned me of robbing
myself of rest, and at last entreated
me to retire TO bed before midnight.
For he said, so tell the truth, master,
this old place is haunted, and those
that stay up late may see sights and
hear sounds that will freeze a mans
blood
81 smiled at his fears, but, as it turn
ed out, without judgment. This was
on January lst, 1850, and instead of
taking Joseph's counsel and retiring
early, sat up late with my books. l
judge it must have been on the stroke
of ~ when / heard beneath me a
strange and ominous rumbling, follow
ing which there came a quivering of
the floor, then, instanter, a prolonged
groan, as though it were behind my
chair. | am no ard, and yet my
flesh did creep and my muscles did
seem to shiver. Then | heard no
more, but the next night there was the
same noise and shaking, followed by
many groans, and then a dreadful
shrek in the air close to tho window,
The shrek was uttered once and again,
and / went to the window, opened the
shutters, and looked out. The moon
was bright and the frosty air clear.
That | saw before something else at
tracted my attention, namely, a figure
clad in white, three yards from the
window, with CORY streaks across the
chest and down the left side As
gazed, rooted to the spot, an awful
outcry, as of agony, came from the
spectre. Then flash of light, and the
figure was gone. | closed the shutters
and retired to my bedroom, where |
mused for some time on the spectacle
| had beheld.
| was much in doubt as to ghostly
appearances, nevertheless, | bethought
me of discourse written by one Wes-
ley, clergyman Of our church, in
which he boldly expressed his belief
in the coming of spirits from the other
world. And so, musing, l came to the
conclusion that such things might be,
and that some just end C.hough TN
known to me) might be intended by
the vision had seen. For some nights
! retired to my room early. But on
the night of January Goth | sat up
reading treatise on the early church.
when midnight overlook me. | rose
and had reached the door, when heard
groan. Turning suddenly, saw q
figure clad in the garments worn by q
Captain in His Majesty's navy, stand
ing beyond the table l had Just quilted
After an instant | knew it must be my
brother, to whom | had succeeded il
the estate. He was changed from
what | remembered somewhat, bu
then six or seven years had passed
since | beheld him alive. The fq'-e
raised its left hand and pointed .oward
the door. Fully resolved p1' 10 let
fear overcome me, | sai1'
"Brother George = thou art ne, say
what it is troah',Sh thee, that so ! may
see it righ'-'' anu 'no" "ayeS' rest IN
peace
"a deep groan was the only answer,
land the finger, rising aud falling twice
or thrice, became steady and pointed
to the door.
"For the sake of my peace of mind,
brother George, as well as for thy own
quietude, speak, and let me know how
can aid thee
"Another groan followed, and the
finger was thrust forward, as with im-
patience, still directed toward the door
/ advanced step, when the left hand
came down with much violence on the
table, and there was flash of fire with
vapor. | kept my courage, though the
candlestick well nigh leaped from nv