The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-01-12

to me in as | aWoke hearo
q low moaning sound as OF some one in
deep distress, aud presently a whisper as
though the speaker We're close to my ear
"a whisper awful and distinct-and
these were the words that were spoken:
"a curse there is upon this house and
upon all who would follow in the foot
steps Of T 2lllh SeyG-u!'
The lar extinguished, and
while the r,esUins words We're being
whispered the apartment was pervaded
by ghostly light--a sulphurous, death
ly, 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.
It was surely nothing of human mold,
for it stood upon the air, and as | sat up
could see its feet treading empty space
on level with the bed frame! With
threatening wave Of the hand the fig
ure bowed its head, and melted away
into thin air-melted away with a 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 wifes grasp and
leaped out upon the floor, and very
quickly lighted the lamp The doors
We're fast--locked, as | had left them;
the windows had not been touched the
hangings We're all intact, and nowhere,
after the strictest search, could 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 Inc how had rested.
told him had been seriously disturbed
and gave him to understand that if the
spirits OF Ralph Severns departed vic
tins wished to inhabit the place | should
leave could see by the old mans face
as he turned away that he was well
satisfied.
When left to myself | 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 found a place opposite the
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 3 feet long by 3 feet high was
loose, and could detect slight abrasions
upon its surface, as though it had been
| slid behind the casing; but | could not
move it without breaking it, as it ap-
peared to be fastened upon the other
side. But that was a good beginning.
Upon going outside | 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
a space of at least three feet between the
two roolns-and this space was sealed up
and it was into this space that the slid
ing panel opened
Ny 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 un-
derlying 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 powerful argand lamp, with a
polished concave reflector, and also two
large mirrors set at a proper angle for
throwing a reflection upward; and di-
rectly Ill the line of this reflection was
the sliding panel in the wainscot of my
chamber.
also found here long white robe;
and it was no longer a mystery how the
ghostly spectacle had been produced.
The reflection Of the operator below had
been thrown up through the open panel
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 | found
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 for
frightening tenants away from Maple
wood, and he had hoped that for mere
nominal sum he might in time be able
to purchase the estate: but his hopes
were crushed when | appeared before
him with the proofs of his wickedness in
my possession.
To save himself from a public trial
and certain condemnation he finally con-
fessed to me all his iniquity. He showed
me how he had arranged wooden troughs
under the caves and deep down in the
cellar in which to roll cannon balls for
the production of thunder, and he show.
ed me other speaking tubes Leading from
a single point below to various points
above, by means of which he could
cause the same voice to sound in differ
ent parts of the mansion at the same
time. He confessed also that his wife
and his sons wife often appeared to fe.
male guests in ghostly guise, which ac-
counted for my wife's fright upon the
landing.
sent for Lille Atherton, and in the