Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-06-22

ter In the back. We had q bedroom 7
OF the parlOr temporarily, and it COM
municated with the kitchen by door
between the two apartments, which,
like those IN all farmhOuses, were
large and rOOmy. The kitchen was the
usual kind of kitchen seen in all farm.
houses, and there was O. 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 q large cell
lar underneath the house. There was
nothing peculiar or worthy OF especial
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, I was lust
dropping into a dose, when I heard a
noise which filled me with amaZement.
1t came from the stairs leading down
into the cellar, and as t listened in
mOmentary establishment, I heard
the sound plain. 1t was the most pc
Culiar sound 1 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, 1 got up and going out into the
,
IN sharp tones asked who was there.
No answer was returned to my Ques-
ton. even when 1 repeated it, nor
could L see anything IN the shape
Of man or animal. Yet the
strange noise kept on while I stood
there; bump, bump, bump, down the
stairs. just as If you dragged a heavy
object, such as sack Of potatoes
down the stairs When it had appar-
entity reached the foot of thestairs, the
noise eliminated in a sound like that
Of a heavy blow, followed by asmOth-
cred shrek, and all was still.
Going back to the bedroom I 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 q woman was
crying up in their rooms. and sure
enough we heard the sound of crying
overhead. Hastily lighting a lamp,
l went upstairs and searched about,
but though I hunted every
where I could not find 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. 1 thought it
was a cat, but it could not have been
caused by one, for not a trace OF one
could be seen, nor was there any way
in which a cat could gain access to the
rooms, the windows being tightly
locked and shattered. searched both
rooms thoroughly. but I was cOmpelI-
ed at length TO give up the search
baf1ed. Suddenly, as it had COM
menced, the strange noise ceased, and
after waiting tor a few moments for it
to begin again. I went down stairs,
utterly mystified. I 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 90 up stairs again. At
breakfast next morning my wife and I
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 earthly
/ agency. Still. we did not attach any
! Importance to the matter, as we were
] plain, practical Ople without par
/ ticle OF superstition I'D our natures. so
/ concluding that the strange. noises
( were mere temporary disturbances,
/ caused no doubt by rats or cats, and
/ that they would disappear finally we
! dismissed the subject from our minds,
and soon other matters engrOssed our
attention.
/ When bedtime came we retired as
usual, / having previously lock ed
/ every door and seen to every fasSen-
/ ing. had not the slightest thought
that the strange noises would disturb
us again, but I was disagreeably mis-.
taken. Scarcely had we laid down,
when, as before, the humping sound
commenced on the cellar stairs.
There it 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 stifed 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 l have mentioned as
standing in the entry leading down IN
to the cellar, few violently open al
thought, I could have sworn had
fastened it securely FIVE minutes be
fore. knew by the sound the dOOl
made that something had banged i
open, although could not see, and al
1 hurriedly sprang out Of bed, lit {
lamp and investigated, / found tina
my surmise was correct. There wa
the door, which I was almost certain
I had securely locked, wide open. Go
ing do @n-stairs, L explored the celia
, thoroughly, but could see or hea
I ! noEhina not even q nous