The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-06-23


discussion of the theory of things accord
ing to Blavatskys teaching. Elementals,
1t appeared are certain beings lower in the
scale than the human race, but not belong.
ing to any genus or species known to natu.
raj history. Indeed it appears doubtful II
they have anything like a physical form,
They are spirits but not human spirits
Having little or no moral sense, but very
mischievous natures, they are fond Of play.
ing tricks, sometimes serious ones, when
they get the chance; but being, as a rule,
very feeble, and, moreover, being held in
subiection by higher powers, they seldom
get chances, which accounts for the com.
parative scarcity of good ghost stories, for
the elementals, it seems, almost always
pretend to be ghosts and their pranks are
often taken for spiritual manifestations" "
well, " said Quevedo impatiently, "why
isn't an elemental just as good shooting as
a ghost? I'd like to get a shot at either
one. Let's investigate"
Connolly objected. ~ haven't the faint.
est objection, he said, ito going anywhere
If there is any occasion for it, but have
no desire to intrude on the elementals un.
less business requires it," Julius was q
little doubtful, but I, filed with that fool
curiosity which has frequently got me
into trouble, acquiesced Immediately.
Here's the key" said r. f. you are
welcome to go and find out what you can.
AS for me- have had all the experience !
banker after"
r. F, is the only one in our circle who
has attained the dignity Of landed pro.
prictor, and it was of his pretty cottage in
the suburbs that we had been talking He
had been so enthused when he moved into
the house two or three years ago that we
were all surprised when he moved out.
He would not explain, however, and it was
only by accident that we learned month
ago that his house was "haunted."
He would not admit or deny. "I've heard
and seen curious things there" he said,
but what caused them don't know"
however, had looke}Se fS tf!S,Bo hoy house % with tIe
idea of renting it, and had discovered some.
thing uncanny. He wouldn't explain any
more fully than r. F., but said he was
conscious of some hostile influence the mo-
ment he entered the door, and had learned
afterward that the neighbors believed the
house to be haunted" He did not rent it.
So it fell out that Quevedo and went
ghost hunting. We took the professor
with us. He isn't one of our set but Que
vedo knows him pretty well. Quevedo
knows queer things. The professor runs
mostly to hair and two long finger nails,
one on each little finger He processes to
have communications from the other world.
Hence his title. Being in the business for
a living, he felt no tremor at the thought
of facing ghosts He took no weapon with
him but slate and pencil. Quevedo car
ried horse pistol and big stick with a
loaded head. The rest of the outfit con.
sisted Of a dark lantern and a substantial
cold supper for three.
A considerable part of what follows will
not be believed, but it is true.
We found the house to be a pleasant
looking cottage in one Of the upper wards
of the city (New York;, surrounded by
what had been pretty lawn and garden.
There were remains Of shrubbery that had
evidently once been highly ornamental,
and a little arbor or summer house was
badly broken
"Evidently," said Quevedo, "the grounds
have been haunted by tramps"
We went inside just before dark and
looked carefully around, The house was
almost empty, only few bulky pieces of
furniture having been left in it. Among
these was heavy mahogany desk of an
old fashioned pattern that looked as if r.
f. had picked it up in an auction room or
inherited it as an heirloom. 1t did not at.
tract our attention especially at first, but
afterward proved to be most interesting
piece of furniture.
We lighted our lantern before it grew
dark, filled and lighted our pipes and sat
in the gathering dusk telling one another
thrilling yarns of ghostly adventure and
creepy stories Of spiritual manifestations
in order to keep our courage up. Neither