The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-07-21
waiting TO hear the stranoe no;sa.

waiting to hear the strange noise. II
did not occur very soon. and l thought
1t would not come at all. but just as
the clock below in the kitchen was
striking nine. it suddenly broke out.
It sounded quito near me. though
could not make out from what d.
rection of the room it came. and l had
an excellent opportunity to hear it
; 1t was low. moaning sound. mex
pressibly mournful to listen to. 1t
seemed to be woman who was in
deep grief. and she appeared to be
grieVing. and moaning about some
thing. 1 strained my eyes through
the darkness. with my weapon ready
to shoot at any object which present
ed itself, but as before l could see
nothing l felt with my hands care
fully along the walls of the room, but
no door or opening of any kind re-
warded my patient search. As before.
was completely puzzled by the queer
sounds. which had now ceased as abb
ruptly as they had begun. Before
could pursue my investigation further.
piercing screams from stairs
caused me to hurriedly run below,
where found that The humping noise
had commenced on tho cellar stairs.
Bump, bump, it went down to the foot
of the staircase. where, as before. il
finished with the sound Of a heavy
blow followed by smothered scream.
and it frightened the children so that
they screamed with terror. while my
wife was so worked up that she faint
ed dead away.
There was now no further use in
closing our eyes to the plain truth.
Hawthorne Farm was haunted. That
fact was plainly apparent What
caused the strange noises if not disem-
bodied spiritsP Next day / removed my
family to cottage some distance from
the haunted farmhouse which l hired
for their temporary reception. then
went back to Hawthorne Farm, deter.
mined to give the place a final exami-
nation before l left it forever. Isearch'
ed every room from the garnet to the
bottom thoroughly, but dayl ght re.
vealed no more to unravel the mystery
than lamplight. The farmhouse was
a two story building with two rooms
on each floor, including two garrets,
front and back. The garrets were
drearY places, with sloping ceilings,
partly lit by IL scuttle overhead. ex-
plored then thoroughly, but they con.
tanned nothing but dust and cobwebs.
l then examined the other rooms. es
pecialiy where the crying sounds oc'
Cured but no discovery rewarded my
quest spent half day exploring
the rooms but to no purpose. Nothing
could be found 10 throw anv light OF
the mystery. then descended TO the
cellar and examined it for several
hours. found nothing peculiar about
the cellar. 1t was like the cellar 10
most farmhouses. excelIently built.
The walls which composed the founda-
ton of the house were of strong ma.
sonry, closely cemented together so
that not even a mouse could squeeze
through. The floor was composed OF
stout plank ne. and two or three small
windows i'm the walls admitted mea-
gre light into the cellar through their
dusty and cobwebby panes. The tel
lar contained nothing but few old
boxes and earthenware jars. Think
ing that the explanation of the strange
affair could be found buried at the foot
of the cellar stairs. l had the ground
dug up to the depth of several feet,
but nothing was found.
was dumbfounded; 1t was the most
puzzllng affair l had ever encountered.
l kept the matter as quiet as poss BILE.
but it gradually leaked out, rs such
things will. and crowds OF curious peo-
pie came from the surrounding country
to gaze at the haunted farm and CLEAN
what information they could in regard
to it. questioned the reighbors
about the matter. but none of them
knew anything about the farm. as
they did not live very near it. All
could learn was that the last family
occupying it had moved away some
months. ago, since which time it had
remained vacant until had taken it.
Nobody could see why it should be-
come the scene of supernatural mani
festatons, as there was no record OF
any terrible occurrence happening
there. Nevertheless. Hawthorne Farm
was haunted If ever place was, and
had been shamefully swindled by a
rascally real estate agent. The latter
must have known the stigma on the
farm when he disposed of the farm to
me ut such a cheap figure. l tried to
hunt him up. but he had left for parts
unknown. The farm was now a VIII tie
elephant on my hands. for | could not
occupy it m, self, and l could not dis.
bose of it to anybodr, knowing the
strange mystery connected with it. But
while was debating what to do with
,he place, the matter Was settled for me
10 manner quite unexpected. A terri
Die thunder storm arose one night. and
bolt of lghtn ng, striking the
farmhouse, set it on fire. and it was
burned to the ground, outbuildings
and all. And thus was settled for.
ever. though not in the way it should
have been, the mystery of the haunted
farm. And do / blicve that Hawthorne
Farm was really haunted by disem-
bodied spirits? Most assured ly l do;
and furthermore. although | had been
o great skeptic on such matters prior
TO my experience at Hawthorne Farm.
ever since l have been firm believer
In the supernatural. and also in the
theory advanced by ShAkespear when
the great bard makes Hamlet say:
"There are more things In heaven and earth.
Horatio than ara uFeannt of in your mil os