The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1897-11-27
tempias,ng the lights OF Inc siorley res-

urtsk DTcczc WIS Piping uUWn LIE
valley. Through cracks and creydces
II crept into the old attic With soft vail
ing and moaning. There WINS homesick-
ness in The mournful tones. and y sad
ness. % though the spirits Of the de-
parted were signing for return TO old
familiar scenes.
What was there about my old place
that produced such depressing effect
upon my spiritsf
The happicst moments of life have
slight shadow to them. as though to
warn us that all Joy is fleeting. Per-
haps It was only this shadow which
caused the undefinable feeling Of In
security But there was quality. also,
which breathed of events to come OF
dire import. seemed like the mariner
on n 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-
uontions.
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 deepened it,
was about TO retrucc my steps to
the stairway. when sounds reached my
ear which caused me to pause and listen
"a series of raps, alternating with a
In nd ipIi
tinct that was unable to form an opin7
Ion of the cause. All could determine
was. that they seemed to come from
dbove.
>, A loose single or piece of timber.
rafting in the wind. would have made
dull, heavy sound. while the gentle
raps heard had Il clear. mellow ring,
/. like that produced by the vibrations of
tuning fork.
:, After lighting all the matches I had
with me and making as thorough an
examination of the roof as the brief
Pickering lights would allow, CROPPED
toward the stairs. f.E
Probably half the distance to the
fell the voice. the unearthly voice, the
weird tones of which 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
4 ment to another Just as the within seized
\ it.
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. 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. was unwilling to at
tribute the sounds to supernatural
causes, for was not a believer In the
supernatural It 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 u the purpose was
TO brighten me, a 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?
reached my room no sounds were heard
there.
While in my bedroom. had no way
Of knowing II the voice in the attic was
| still sounding. II
! 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. did hear 1t again
In the attic. but there was no sound in
my room. though had Immediately
hastened there.
i Finally ! gave up the quest for the
time. and, thoroughly fatigued. un-
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. II.
though coming, from a distant apart
ment.. Indeed. it seemed to come from
underneath. as had the sound Of tn.
slamming door; but vet not directly be
meath; II would undoubtedly have
sounded much palmer had the shoot
ing taken place in the walled-up cellar
below my room.
There was no answering shot. and nc
J. more unaccouutable noises. though
hearkened intently.
All through the night I lay vainly
trying TO find repose. but sleep would
not come. I was resolved to leave NJ
: 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-
ting burdened with load Of guilt which
-ightfully belonged on other shoulders,