The broad ax., 1896-04-04

uduOu, says Ine
Detroit Free Press But what, then.
are ghosts? Are they not the same un-
real creations Of retrospective brainf
Who is the elusive being that opens
and shuts the doors at midnight. strikes
fantastic or sorrowful chords on the
piano, sets the dog barking and leaves
things in disturbed state generally?
And what is ghost? Has a ghost
parts? Can an unsubstantial phantom
that appears and disappears at will
make noise enough by contact with ma
terial things to waken a sleeping house
hold? Science, with cool, calculating
re- methods, has investigated the theory
Of ghosts and found-nothing.
A haunted house has been one of the
recent attractions of town in Michi-
gan. A family In that place, living in
their own house, were suddenly visit
ed by ghost. They did not see the
intruder, but they heard the clanking
Of chains in the dead hour Of night
until at last they were afraid to sleep
and the place acquired the unsavory
reputation Of being haunted. Then
one member Of the household, drawer
than the rest, determined to sit up and
track the ghost to its lair. He watched
for two nights and heard the chain
clanking at distance, but on each oc-
casion the ghost evaded pursuit and
remained invisible. On the third night
the clanking chain was again heard
and the watcher, acting on the princi-
pie that all things come to him who
waits. remained quiet at his post. Sure
enough, the ghost came timidly into
his presence and turned out to be no
ghost, but pet coon that had strayed
from its owner and hidden under the
woodshed floor. At night 1t entered
the house by an entrance left for the
family cat.
There is an empty house In the heart
OF che city of Detroit that was former
~ large boarding house. 1t was at
one time filled with a goodly COM
pany Of bright spirits, but the shadow
OF doom rested upon 1t. In less than
score Of years sixty persons, asso-
have died and all connected in its
management have died or been over
taken by misfortune. Now it is said
that lights are seen in its deserted
rooms, sobs and cries echo in the empty
halls and forms are observed fitting
up and down the decaying stairs. 1t
In not surprising to those who know
the tragic story of the house to learn
that it is e rendezvous for ghosts, for
q more Inflated mansion does not ex-
list But the writer Of this paper, who
had known of its joys and its vicissi-
tudes, went there in the shadow of late
evening, and, standing near the ruined
pile, which is hanked by lines Of mod
ern street cars, gazed curiously at the
uncurtained windows, taking at the
same time a peep backward into the
limbo Of the past.
Ghosts? There were regiments Of
Them! Where had once been light and
gayety and the music Of dancing feet,
there were now silence and death. But
It was easy to see shadowy revels and
at rest. There was the woman who
wore a rose In her hair and had al
Ways smile on her lips, and the stall
wart man on whose arm she leaned
there was dust on their eyes now, but
they, too, came to look on their latest
dwelling place. And the generous
one, who had kept them all as under
the shadow Of her wing, on whose
Placid brow the wreath of asphodel
WIS set, she walked In majestic silence
from empty room to room. And then
the lights In the neighbors' houses were
put out, and there we're no ghosts-the
shifting lights had taken on q ghostly
appearance, and one had seen the lit
tie child who died there and wore a
kingly crown Of flowers, and another
had seen the young girl who defied
death and danced a two-step about her
little room when she had but an hour
or two to live. And the ghosts will
assemble there until these are forgot
ten or the old house is pulled down to
make way for some commercial CEN
ter.
In the days of Salem witchcraft the
authorities hanged a man who denied
that such being as a ghost ever ex-
listed. Julius Caesar and Brutus were
quoted as classical instances Of the
truth. and Saul's experience with the
witch Of Endor and Jobs vision Of the
night as biblical Endorsement.
Hamlet's father Is perhaps the best
ah-around ghost of literature, as he
ead a mission and attended strictly to
Business.
The tenant Of haunted house heard
me soft footballs Of the ghost on the
wars at night and prepared q trap for
" In the shape OF threads stretched
across the stairs. In the morning the
threads had not been disturbed. al