Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-09-28
that produced such depressing ensc

upon my spirits?
The happiest moments OF life have
slight shadow to them, as though to
warn us that all joy is fieeting. Per-
haps it was only this shadow which
caused the undesirable feeling of in
security. But there was quality, also,
which breathed of events to come of
dire import. secmedlille the mariner
on dark sea, conscious of breakers
ahead, and knowing not which way to
steer. Even my dreams in the restless
slumber of the past night seemed pre-
n,onitions.
That vague forebodings should come
when my mind was filled with thoughts
of the beloved one who had given me
her heart. was most strange. l could
not shake off the depression. The dark
ness of the attic dcepened it.
was about to retrace my steps to
the stairway, when sounds reached my
ear which caused me to pause and listen
"a series of raps, alternating with n
rasping noise, but SO feeble and indis-
tinct that was unable to form an opin-
ion of the cause. All could determine
was that they seemed to come from
above.
A loose single or piece of timber,
rafting in the wind, would have made
dull, heavy sound, while the gentle
raps heard had a clear, mellow ring,
like that produced by the vibrations of
a tuning fork.
After lighting all the matches l had
with me and making IS thorough an
examination Of the roof as the brief
Pickering lights would allow, CROPPED
toward the stairs.
Probably half the distance to the
landing was passed when upon my ear
fell the voice, the unearthly voice, the
weird tones of which l had first heard
in my room downstairs.
It could not possibly be heard up in
the attic. when speaking in my cham
Der. So then it must have the faculty
of being able to change from one apart
ment to another Just as the whim seized
1t.
Like the voice which had sounded
downstairs, the tones were intermit-
tent; in the present instance they al
ternated with the rappings.
| After standing motionless, with hear
ing strained to the utmost, I noticed
that at no time did the voice and the
rappings sound together.
The few detached words / distin-
guished had no possible reference to
myself; nevertheless the voice seemed
to follow me. I was unwilling to at
tribute the sounds to supernatural
causes, for was not believer in the
supernatural. 1t might be that the par
ties who had walled up the cellar found
some of their plans, whatever they
may have been, upset by my advent,
and had taken this way to brighten me
and cause my departure.
| On second thought the idea did not
appear tenable. For if the purpose was
to brighten me, fiercer and more ter
rifying demonstration would be used.
Was there only one voice which in
some way sounded both in my room and
in the attic, or were there various voices
all over the place, each independent of
the other?
1 fastened downstairs, but when l
reached my room no sounds were heard
there.
While in my bedroom, I had no way
OF knowing If the voice in the attic was
still sounding.
The remainder of the evening spent
in rushing from my room to the attic
and back again, and quietly stealing
through the vacant rooms, in the hope
of laying hold of some explanation of
the strange voice. I did hear it again
in the attic, but there was no sound in
my room, though had Immediately
fastened there.
Finally I gave up the quest for the
time. and, thoroughly fatigued, I'M
dressed and went to bed.
My head had hardly touched the pill
low when the report of pistol reached
my ear. The sound was muff1ed, as
though coming from distant apart
ment. Indeed, it seemed to come from
underneath, as had the sound of the
slamming door; but yet not directly be-
meath; it would undoubtedly have
sounded much palmer had the shoot
ing taken place in the walied-up cellar
below my room.
There was no answering shot, and no
more unaccountable noises though /
hearkened intently.
!. All through the night I lay yainly
trying to find repose, but sleep would
not come. was resolved to leave nc
stone unturned to unravel these mys-
teries. For the events, trivial as they
seemed and as they probably would
prove when explained, were certainly
irritating, and threatened wholly to de
stroy the rest and peace had expected
to find in Jacksonville.
1t was exasperating that, besides be
Ing burdened with load of guilt which
rightfully belonged on other shoulders
/ should also be subjected to petty an
noyances which promised to make my
stay in Jacksonville anything but peace
full. True, 1 was my own master.
could leave the old house on the NOR
row. But to be utterly routed ant
driven from the field by few harmless
though inexplicable happenings wa.
contrary to my nature. Then, too
Florence; how could leave the place
now that had found my love abiding
here?
When the first rosy tints of dawr
showed in the east, slumber closed my
weary eyes,.
| As on the previous morning, Mrs
Snyder was compelled to arouse me fol
breakfast. On the present occasion she
announced rather testify that the morn