Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-06-23

Now they knew thst all the doors IA
been securely fastened, and this demon
stratl0n was not az all reassuring q
the ak would.b. heroes. Soon a nols
was heani as of box being draggc
across the chamber fioor; then came th
note. of far-of music. soft aud sweet
There vas not member ~ the part
who did not literally shake Ia his shoe.
but they knew lt was to BE- either thel
Waterloo or their Appomattox. aud q
they sct their teeth and started out on
voyage ~ discovery. ~ they passe'
through the hall, under the door %
which the cellar stairs were situated, th'
light Of lantern revealed a string fast
cncd to Que Of the doors " passed acrosi
the top ~ the door. down the corner o
the hall aud through the noor. Tiii'
furnished clue. Entering the cellar
the end ~ the string was found, bat D.
yond this there was nothing In the ccllal
except few inoiisnslye old barrels,
They were about 10 return to the uppeI
regions when one ~ the number n0tlced
several stones which had evidently b~.n
dislOdgcl from the cellar wall, and sug
gr.ied that the gho.t might possibly
have sought safety under that part Of
the house where the cellar did not ex'
tend. Acting on thl. suggestion, thcy
went io the opening aud askrd the gho.t Ia
no very polite tone. Ia come out aud show
himself. aud even threatened Ia hrr 4
yulley from their rrVolycrs In hls di
rcC,lon N he dh not come cut AZ once,
4 rustic was heard Ia the darkness, and
then he came out. covered with dust and
cobweb., q pltiful looking ghost Indeed,
IIe was ufgcl Ia explain hlmself, and IN
the Vcrlacular of the plains this eN.
ghost admitted that h. was a nephew oi
the man Who had becu frightened away.
By using a proper amount ~ persuasion
and Intimidation, u wa. learned that he
had commenced his tricks Just for fun,
bat nndlng that hi. uncle and aunt were
unusually superstliious he hid dcclded
io keep II up until b. had paid oi scy-
erll old .corv. In the line ~ poor food,
hard work aud occasional whlpplng..
The result exceeded hls most sanguine
expectations. for hls uncle aud aunt were
frightened away aud b. went to live
with more human master, near
enough to his old place uf residence,
hoseycr, Tor him a. know whenever the
house was to be- occupied Tor night. The
facts Of the ease became generally known,
bat the man and hi wife had reviewed
such a fright that they never llyci In thc
house Afterwards. The youngsicr who
created this confusion I. nov a married
man with several children, and seems IA
De- In every way an exemplary farmer
aud citifen. Al which shows that
ghost. afr not all bad, and that s0me
may b. even Induced to forsake their
ghostly Nays II the proper Kind ~ treat
ment aud Influence D. brought Ca bear.
4 few year. ago there lived In q town
Ia lark county worthy, aged couple
who's. day. ~ active labor we're nearly
over. aud upon whom sccond-chlldhood
was settling like benollcilou. Their
only help about IA. house aud barn was
hoy about thirteen year. old, their
grand.nrpheW. All at once th" neigh
borh0od va. agog With IN. story that
hs witcl,c. vcre troubling the-e inof-
fcnslyc old people. Their particular
trouble was q peculiar one. No matter
where they were, they were In danger of
an Intermittent shower 10 water from
some invisible source. This moisture
seemed Ia come from no particular III
rrctlon. sometime. when sitting at table
they would b. suddenly .phnklcd by
water which seemed to come from the
ceiling. Again they would b. awakened
In the night Ia hnd their pillows drcnch-
81 by a my.tcriou. shower. ~ last u
came a. such a pass that these two poor
old people became completely miserable
for fear of thl. terrible something that
vas tOrmentlng them. They did moth
Ing but 40 befurr the flrc all day, moan
Ing AMI Wishing that death might come
to their relief The story quickly spread
beyond the neighburhoOd limits, aud "
became the fashion for pnfilc. Ia Vl'lt
thls couple Tor the purpOse ~ witnessing
the wonderful manifestations ~ what
could D. nothing le.. than supernatural
power. At tlmcs the spirits were shy In
the presence ~ strangers, but al other
times they did their best, and strong men
have turned pale and shaken their heads
a. they have seen a shower 81 spray fall,
from where they could not conjecture.
They were indeed time. that tried men /.
souls. Thlugs kept on, golng from bad
To worse. until Il SEEMED that the oil
people could .tani the strain no longer
when, lu.t In the nick ~ time, an I'M
portant discovery was made aud the evil
.nlrit was exercised. The eNonising
va. done With mkldling-slSed twig
from a beech tree. II was discovered
that the grtnd-nephew was the immedi-
ate cause of all the trouble. lie had IN
nj. possession hollow rubber ball With
a rubber tube attached; this ball was
fllled with water and placed In some con-
ycnlcnt pocket. and the tube brought
down through hl. coat sleeve. very
.lIght pressure on the ball would force a
fine stream ~ water through the tube,
aud practic. hah enabled him 90 bccomc
accurate In hl. aim. lie aid be had only
done II for fun, bat after he had be"n
exercised by q muscular man Tor about
three minute. hc concluded Ia send IN
al. resignation a. the fraternity of Witch
.. aud take hl. cari ~ withdrawal.
While Al work In Boston several year.
ago, got an Invitation from some news.
paper reporters to - Ia a spiritual
.cincc. they aid they we're going Ia
have some fun, aud 80 went along Ia
ace n. The seancc was to take place Ia
a small hall on fremont street. At an
early hour We repaired 90 the place, and
a. this was before the law was passed
forbliding these exhibitions a. money
making affairs, We paid our my cents
each and we're admitted. There va.
.carccly any light In the hall, bat We
were conducted 10 seats, and the per-
formancc began. The spirits sang, play.
ed on musical instruments, answered
questions, and dcported themselye. In
all points a. well-bchsyed spirits are sup
posed Ia do. Then came the crownlng
act Of the evening; The medium va. to
materialIfe a human hini from pail oi
clay. A bucket full IL common clay was
pas.e,l around for Inspection, and then
returned "a position IN front OF the
cabinet, or the curtained corner of the
room reserved exclusively for the spirit.
The lights were turned still lover, until
II was barely possible Ia distinguish
any object In the room. ~ the audlenccs
became quiet, a well-iehned and shipcly
hand was seen Ia rise from the pail and
disappear within the cabinet. Suppress
cd exclamailons Of awe, wonder aud salts
faction escaped from the lips Of the true
believers. one Of the reporters, who
had managed Ia get front seat by plead
Ing that lIe was under strong aud press.
ing conviction, asked 10 have the hand
appear once more. After somewhat pro
trscted whispered consultation among
the spirits behind the curtain. the hand
again arose, but just AZ II was disappear
Ing the reporter madea grab for Il, caught
n, aud held on. One Of hls companions
Vas provided with dark lantern, and IL
rays were now directed toward the field
Of action. Before making break fol
the door In the confusion that ensued
We had the satisfaction Of seeing that TN