The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-14

Iy, waving glare; and presently a female
| figure appeared at the foot of the bed
the same which my wife had seen upon
the landing. 1t was robed in white, the
face pale and ghostly, and dark spots
were upon the brow and upon the robes.
1t was surely nothing of human mold,
for it stood upon the air, and as l sat up
could see its feet treading empty space
on a level with the bed frame. With a
threatening wave of the hand the fig
ure bowed its head, and melted away
into thin air-melted away with sor.
rowing sigh-and the ghostly glare faded
out, leaving only the pale glimmer of
the starbeams to break the midnight
gloom.
AS soon as could collect my scattered
senses broke from my wife's grasp and
leaped out upon the floor, and very
quickly lighted the lamp. The doors
were fast-locked, as l had left them;
the windows had not been touched; the
hangings were all intact, and nowhere,
after the strictest search, could l find
the slightest trace of any method of in
gress or egress to material body.
In the morning, Seth Dabney made it
his business to ask me how l had rested.
told him had been seriously disturbed;
and l gave him to understand that if the
spirits of Ralph Severn's departed vic
Tins wished to inhabit the place should
leave. / could see by the old mans face
as he turned away that he was we'll
satisfied.
When left to myself I went up into
our chamber, taking with me hammer
and chisel Around the chamber was
high oaken wainscot, and this pro-
ceeded to sound with my hammer; and
very soon l found place opposite tbs
foot Of the bed which gave back a hol-
low sound. A critical examination re-
vealed to me the fact that at this point
panel feet long by 2 feet high was
loose. and could detect slight abrasions
upon its surface, as though it had been
slid behind the casing; but l could not
move it without breaking it, as it APP
peared to be fastened upon the other
side. But that was a good beginning
Upon going outside l found that the
wall in which was the loose panel was
toward chamber which we had as yet
appropriated to no particular use, as its
single small window left it far from
pleasant. From this chamber, next to
the outer wall of the building and tow
ard my own chamber, opened a closet,
occupying not more than four feet of the
division partition, so that from this
closet to the opposite wall there was left
space Of at least three feet between the
two rooms-and this space was sealed up
and it was into this space that the slid
ing panel opened.
My next field Of examination was be-
low, and was not long in discovering
that the space directly beneath the NOV
able panel, and occupying half the IN
DERIVING area Of the dark chamber, was
also sealed up, but so adroitly cut into
by closets and cupboards that only
well directed examination could have re-
vealed the fact. Never mind the details
of my persistent search. 1t occupied
time; but / succeeded in the end.
found an entrance into this last named
sealed up space from the cellar, and
there found what had anticipated. |
found a powerful argand lamp, with
polished concave reflector, and also two
large mirrors set at proper angle for
throwing reflection upward; and d.
rectly in the line of this reflection was
the sliding panel in the wainscot Of my
chamber.
/ also found here a long white robe;
and it was no longer mystery how the
ghostly spectacle had been produced
The reflection of the operator below had
been thrown up through the open panel
upon the white curtains at the foot Of
the bed, and those curtains had been
carefully arranged TO perform their part
in the optical illusion. And one other |
thing found in this secret place; found |
speaking tubes leading upward. and |
upon returning TO my chamber l found |
a point at the head OF the bed |
where the wall paper was perforated, |
and upon putting my finger through
found the end of the tube And thus
the dreadful whispers were accounted |
for.
Seth Dabney had spent both time and |
money IN perfecting his arrangement fox
frightening tenants away from Maple |
wood, and he had hoped that fox mere
nominal SUN he might in time be able
70 purchase the estate; but as hops
were crushed when / appeared before
him with the proofs OF his wtckecness in
my possession
To sSvs himself t-eu public trial |