The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-01-26
HEARD a PHANTOM.
A Coach That Regularly Drives Up ia
the Door of an Irish Mansion and Yet
There's No Coach There.

Some wears AGO | received and ac-
cepted an invitation to spend 4 few
weeks with some friends al their resi-
dcnce. Mount CoOte, County Limerick,
Ireland.
arrived one evening just as that
function known rs afternoon tea" was
taking place. and was in the full en-
iovmrnt of 4 cup Of the beverage and
an accompaniment Of hot cakes when
| heard a carriage approaching the
house at rapid rate, and finally drew
up at the front door.
Thinking that | was in no condition
to meet strangers. for my hostess had
insisted on my sitting down to tea in
my travelling suit, which was rough
tweed. ! said:
Mrs. Rogers, if you will permit me
to escape before your visitors come in
l would like to 90 and change"
Pray. don't disturb yourself" che
answered, that is only the phantom
coach"
The phantom COACH" | repeated,
thinking either that | had not heard
Alright or that she was joking.
Yes, the phantom coach | as
sure YOU that there is nothing there"
But" | stammered. Il can hear tbs
! horses paving the ground and champ
| inc their bits" and, moreover, the
door bell had scarcely ceased to ring.
We'll" she said If you won't be-
| lieve me. 90 and look for Yourself"
| and, taking advantage Of her permits
sion, for | was thoroughly mystilied
and equally incredulous, | went and
| opened the front door.
Sure enough. as Mrs. Rogers had
told me. there was nothing to be seen,
and all the while the sounds of jingling
| harness were distinctly heard.
| closed the door and returned to
the par,Ior. Ny hostess, no doubt
| amused at my startled expression,
| asked me if | was satisfied. | admit
ted that in sense | was; that is, as
| far as the correctness of her assertion
was concerned. but said:
surely YOU don't believe in a phan-
tom coach driving up to your door?"
believe ii? Oh course DO. Why,
every one in the ncighborhood knows
all about it, and you see that the serv-
ants are so accustomed TO the circum-
stances that they never even trouble
to answer the door"
Shortly afterward her husband came
in, and. on being told Of it. laughed
heartily at my discontinue, adding:
ooh. don't let that worry you. You
will soon get accustomed to it."
| soon did get accustomed to it, but
nevertheless the matter worried me
very considerably.
| puzzled over it again and again,
and thought that had solved the mat
! ter by the theory Of an echo, but in
vestigatiOn proved that no one for
miles around was possessed Of any
| thing more pvetentious than one
horse trap. for, large as some Of the
/ estates were. none OF their owners
could afford to keep anything better.
Moreover. the fact Of the door bell
! being rung remained.
/ The same thing occurred at irrcgu-
/ lar intervals. but always at the same
time-between and & p. m.-and 50
! rea! and unmista kabic were the sounds
/ that in spite of previou, dcm0nstra-
! tions TO the contrary. ! could not per-
! suade 'lyscif that carriage was not
| actUaLl At the doCT.aud would repeat
! edlv open ii to assure myself Of the
fact. my eyes being always rewarded
with the same empty space and my
/ ears greeted with sounds which appar-
emily proceeded from nothing at all.
In this story | have quoted the act
/ ual name of the house and locality
/ and, improbable rs it may appear,
/ have exaggerated no sInL,e fact. but
stated the ease exactly as il ho doubt
/ occurs 10 this days. LyA.; Globe
/ DCHIgcrGt.