The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-26

light, but it isn't half so funny to partici-
pate in it at night and in the room which
is worse afflicted by the mysterious visitor
than any other room in the house. Each
| held the hand of his neighber, so that it
was impossible for any one person in the
! circle TO use either hand. The boys in the
rear room made so much noise that it be-
came necessary for each aud every one in
the circle to join in that good old song,
There is land that is fairer than day.
/ This was not to induce the spirits 10
| leave this beautiful land, but was
! done for the purpose OF more
| fully harmoniZng the thoughts Of those
| in the circle. The silence that followed
was absolutely terrifying and the hearts of
| half the participants could be heard throo-
| bing as distinctly rs the ticking or a
watch. IL WAS an awful moment of sus-
| pense. Somebody in the circle finally
! started and n trenor of hands went around
! the circle like current of electricity, and
| then the hearts began TO thump against
| the ribs louder and louder than before.
| his start Was caused by some body seeing,
or ut least imagining. Il dark shadow NOV
| ing in the center of the circle just then
two or three wanted to leave on the pre-
tense that perhaps the spirits would
appear more vlsibIy before smaller
circle. It is unnecessary 70 say that
they were scared. Judge Tucker headed
them off by saying that numbers made 10
difference and, of course they stayed, but
| II was noticed that their pulse beat little
faster. Another dead silence followed and
every eye was peering through the Egyp-
JiRn darkness. watching for the dark.
gauzy figure and still afraid of seeing it.
During this solemn moment triangular
piece Of light shone on the carpet, but van
ished again while those in the circle were
batting their eyes. immediately this
mysr erious piece OF light appeared in mid
air and moved horizontally sometimes and
then in a zig gag manner, appearing and
disappearing IN the most mysterious man
ner. The light was no larger
than the ace of hearts and its
brightness alternated like the light of
fire-bug or the sheen OF knife blade pass
ing through a ray from midsummer sun.
A gentle tap was heard on the footboard
of the bed and Immediately afterwards the
fingers Of very delicate hand brushed
back the hair of the EAGLE man over his
back the curls of favorite child. An
other tremor passed through the circle of
joined hands. but whence it emanated
must be left to the Imagination of the
reader. This was followed by a peculiar
sensation along the region of the spinal
column, as if a spirit was using the verte-
brae as Il step ladder and climbing the
rounds slowly with her ticklishly deli
cate tread. When the region OF the
shoulder blade was reached what seemed
to be an angel sat on his shoulder and be-
gan cOmbing his hair pompadour, or at
least against the grain, for it certainly
had a decidedly upward tendancy aud
felt light and very cool like it was under
going the process of a static bath. This
might have been Imagination, but it is
not the kind of Imagination one likes to
indulge in in dark room in a haunted
house. A second after this feeling escaped
Mr.. Purcell the next man had a delicate
hand pressed over his cheek, while Mr.
Kennedy jumped half way out of his
boots by hearing well defined rap on the
footboard of the bed behind him. This was
the signal that the ghost wanted to talk
and Judge Tucker questioned him. She
that she could not play on the fiddle that
was lying on the bed according to request.
She also said that she was not the spirit
that WAS unlocking the doors anu lifting
the bed quilts; but she assured the family
that the ghost who was doing it had no
bad intentions and did not desire to harm
them in any way. She was asked to as
sure the people of her presence by tap
ping the window and in less than second |
the window glass was tapped distinctly. |
She was then asked to open one of the |
doors and she tried it hard but could not |
succeed and so stated by the usual signal |
on the head board of the bed which stood |
fully five feet away from anybody in the |
circle
At this juncture the boys in tue kitchen
were growing impatient and made so
much moist that further converse with the |
visitor from the other world had to be |
suspended until some future night when |
she promised to bring the spirit who is !
haunting the house with her and have |
him or her. whatever it's sex may be, ex-
plain her or his own conduct in person.
The meeting could not have been more !
thrilling but it would have much more
had the boys not been present. /
OF course they had no effect on the spirit, |
but their noise attracted the attention OF |
those in the circle from the spirits and |
spirits. presumably, are like other people; |
they won't talk very freely unless they are
accorded attention.
Shakespeare evidently bad level head |
when he said There are more things in |
heaven and earth than are dreamC of in |
our philosophy"