The sun., 1898-09-25
FOUR YEARS WITH SP0OKS.
QUEER THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO
NEWARK FAMILY.
A Strange Presence in Their House-Por-
ceived by Them and Others-Unexplained

ceived by Thorn and Others-Unexplaine
NoiAes-some Physical Manifestations
Also - Attempts to Catch the spook.
Robert Dickson. his wife, his mother-in-
law. Mrs Stafford. and his niece. Miss Rapp,
who lived in Court street. Newark 1.-THE real
names and street number are withheld by
The SuNl. are prepared TO testify that there
are such things as ghosts, and also that
ghosts do all the unaccountable things that
have been as,ribed to them. All their doubts
on the subject have been removed during an
active experience Of four years.
The Dicksons took fancy to the house be-
cause OF its appearance, it's fourteen spacious
rooms and Its location near the centre OF tho
city. The owner had much to say In praise OF
Il. but prudently withheld some very impor-
tant information. which would certainly have
saved the new tenants much anxiety and con-
siderable loss OF sleep. For instance. he
never said a word about the peculiar double
fasteners on the windows. nor did he tell why
chain bolts had been nut upon the inner side
Of every bedroom door. After the Dlcksons
had been in possession OF the house couple
OF nights some members Of the household
complained OF some rattling windows and OF
the opening and closing OF doors on the third
floor very late at night. when they we're GER
tain that every one was In bed. The wind, OF
course. was blamed for disturbing them. but
an entirely different explanation had to be
found for happening few nights later.
when a certain door on the second floor was
repeatedly slammed shut. and each time
opened again. though every one In the house
knew that no one was In the room or even on
that floor at the time.
Soon afterward Miss Rapp, who occupied
the largest bedroom on the third story. was
awakened one night by the sound OF some one
walking about her room. She sat up in bed
and listened attentively. Plainly she could
hear on the carpet footsteps. now advancing.
now receding. Stare as she might, she could
see nothing. Soon the footballs ceased. and
Miss Rapp. having called out and received no
reply sank back on her pillow and tried to COM
pose herself to sleep. She knew she had
locked the door and fastened the window Sc
curely. No one could possibly enter In the
morning she found everything intact.
Many visitors at the house remarked after
entering the parlor that they were sure some
one else had come in from the street after
them, for they heard the front door open and
the steps Of some one In the hail. Members Of
the family invariably found that no one could
possibly have followed the visitors into the
house. as after the admission OF a visitor the
door was Immediately closed and fastened
One evening Mr. and Mrs Dickson returned
home early after visit to neiGhbor and.
after securing the front door. went upstairs.
They had hardly reached the top Of the stair
case when they were startled by the sound Of
the door swinging on it's hinges. but without
the familiar click of the lock. and some one
seemed to be walking rapidly through the
hall. Nothing, they aver. could be moro dis
tinct than those sounds. Immediately they
both went to the first floor. searched that
thoroughly, and then went through every
nook and corner Of the basement. Not only
could they find no intruder but every door
and window was fastened tightly.
Miss Rapp was next disturbed by some more
strange walking at night in her bedroom. and.
thinking that she was the victim of practical
Joke. she determined to ascertain Just how
much sensibility. her nightly visitor possessed.
Accordingly she bought several boxes Of car
pet tacks. and without letting any one know
Of her intention strewed them carefully over
the carpet In her room. That night she took
every precaution against intrusion. No one
could possibly get into the bedroom except by
violence. She went to bed. kept herself
awake. and awaited Developments. About l
o'clock the mysterious walking began. The
steps were those Of n woman, short and rather
quick, and the footballs indicated that the
walker was either barefooted or wore stock
lngs. The moonlight. which came through
the unobstructed window. fell on the carpet.
and there was enough light about to render
all large objects plainly visible. Backward
and forward the visitor walked. the carpet
could be heard yielding as to the pressure OF
feet. but the walker was still invisible to NOR
tai eyes. The tacks we're there. but their
sharp points punctured no feet and caused no
pain.
Miss Rapp marvelled at the incident. It
was useless to call any one. No one was play
Ing trick on her. She waited until the foot
steps died away. Then she stepped in her
turbed and the window fasteners in place.
She probed with broom under the bed and in
alone and that no human being had entered
her She hnd ha sesd Sere in bed when
n woman's voice. strong and distinct. but
wholly unfamiliar called out .'Mollie." which
as %s1 Of some &C one in Distress This, Miss Rapp;
eommunicate coHTiit with dtsembodied Spirit she
made haste to answer. in the hope OF starting
'Moilie." repeated the strange voice. and
then 1t was silent, The effort to make the
spirit tell its troubles in the hope Of arranging
Dickson Invariably liz the gas in one room,
she was asked to explain her action;
Every time said she. Il enter that room
feel more more comfortable when the gas is it, It
matters not how | try to steal into the room.
how little space | leave myself between the
door and the Jamb in entering. something or
some one-it seems TO be n woman. for can
feel the rustic Of skirts close to me-always
never troubled"
The Younger members OF the family often
their studies an Invisible something would
hutter about the room, dart in and out Of
doors, steal about on tiptoe. and even bend
over them at times In n most uncomfortable
manner They were brave children and had
been taught to have no fear Of supernatural
canny things always made them III at ease.
and lopE-continued study was s,, impossible.
find the cause OF the unpleasant disturb
ances. but while the effects could be felt, the
cause remained n mystery.
One OF the oldest experiences which the
Dicksons had In the haunted mousse happened
on a Sunday afternoon In the early summer
house with abundant light and the condi-
tions were exceptionally favorable for tho de-