The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-06-08

GDe TWO apartments, WulCU
like those in all farmhouses, were
large and roomy. The kitchen vas the
usual kind OF kitchen seer in all farm,
houses, and there was a door in it
leading out into an entry at the side
of the kitchen, at the end of which en-.
try was a door leading to a large Gel
lar underneath the house. There was
nothing peculiar or worthy ofespeCial
mention about the rooms, they being
the plain, old-tashioned apartments
to be met with in all country houses,
so they do not require any extended
description here. Well, | was Just
dropping into a dose, when l heard a
noise which filled me with amazement.
1t came from the stairs leading down
into the cellar, and as | listened in
momentary establishment, | heard
the sound plain. 1t was the most pc.
Culiar sound l had ever heard. 1t was
as if somebody were walking back
ward down the stairs dragging some.
thing after him which bumped at
every step. Thinking it was some
tramp who had gained access to the
cellar, l got up and going out into the
entry pulled the cellar door open. and
in sharp tones asked who was there.
No answer was returned to my Ques.
ton, even when | repeated it, nor
could / see anything in the shape
OF man or animal. Yet the
strange noise kept on while l stood
there; bump, bump, bump, down the
stairs, just as if you dragged q heavy
object, such Is a sack OF potatoes
down the stairs. When it had appar.
emily reached the foot ofthe stairs, the
noise eliminated in q sound like that
of a heavy blow, followed by asmoth-
cred shrek, and all was still.
Going back to the bedroom | found
my wife awake, she having been rous-
ed from sleep by the strange sound
as | was, and telling her OF the mys-
terious occurrences on the cellar
stairs, we talked it over for a while,
wondering what had caused it.
While we were conversing, my two
children, a boy and girl, aged respect
lively twelve and fifteen, who slept in
rooms overhead, came running down
stairs, saying that a woman was
crying up in their rooms. and sure
enough we heard the sound of crying
overhead. Hastily lighting a lamp,
/ went upstairs and searched about,
but though | hunted every
where l could not find a trace OF
anything, man or beast. All
the time, like the noise on the cellar
stairs, the crying noise continued. 1t
was a strange, sobbing sound, just
like a woman crying. l thought it
was a cat, but it could not have been
caused by one, for not a trace of n
could be seen, o was there any way
in which a cat could gain access to the
rooms, the windows beinS tightly
locked and shattered. | searched both
rooms thoroughly, but / was COMPEL
ed at length to give up the search
hafled. Suddenly, as it had COM
menced, the strange noise ceased, and
after waiting for a few moments for it
to begin again, l went down stairs,
utterly mystifed. l found all quiet
below, although my wife and the chill
dren were much frightened, and we
stayed awake an hour or two await.
ing further Developments. Nothing
occurred, however, and we went to
bed again, the children occupying tenn
porary beds in our room, as they
were afraid TO go up stairs again. At
breakfast next morning my vile and /
talked the subject OF the queer noises
over. Naturally we were greatly
puzzled by them, and did not know
what cause to ascribe them to, for we
never dreamed that the sounds were
caused by other than an asgthly
agency. Still, we did not atta5c1 any
Importance to the matter, as we were
plain, practical people without IL par.
tiele of superstition in our natures. so
concluding that the strange noises
were mere temporary disturbances,
caused nc doubt by rats or cats, and
that they would disappear finally we
dismissed the subject from our minds,
and soon other matters enRrossed our
attention.
When bedtime came we retired as
usual, / having previously locked
every door and seen to every fas.en-
ing. / had not the slightest thought
! that the strange noises would disturb
us again, but ! was d~isagreeably mis-.
taken. Scarcely had We laid down,
when, as before, the humping sound
commenced on the cellar stairs.
There il was, clearly defined. Bump,
bump, bump, down the stairs as be-
fore, winding up when the invisible
disturbers had arrived at the bottom,
! with the sound Of a dull, heavy blow
and then a stided scream.
Then happened what did not hap
pen on the first night. just as the
scream died away on the cellar stairs,
the doors, which / have mentioned as
standing In the entry leading down In.
to the cellar. flew violently open al.
thought, I could have sworn I had
fastened it securely FIVE minutes be-
fore, 1 knew by the sound the door
made that something had banged it
open. although ! could not see, and as
ri hurriediy sprang out OF bed, tic q
lamp and investigated. I found that
my surmise WAS correct. There was
the door, which / was almost certain
/ had securely locked. wide open. Co
ing do mn-stairs, Iexplored the cellar
thoroughly, but could see or hear
nothing, not even q mouse.
Going upstairs again ! fastened the
cellar door and went into the bed
room, where ! found the children, hav-
ing ran down a second time from their