Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-01-14

there are possibilities in electric force
which we have not yet discovered. You
say the sounds occurred only when
wind was blowing which caused the
wire to swing against the lightning
rod?''
! '"That was surmise, for have had no
opportunity to watch when the wind
blew. But it seemed the most natural
explanation of the rappings.''
And you had no way Of ascertaining
and in the attic were produced by the
same voice and ut the same time, or
whether there were two voices indie
pendent of each other?''
| "Why. you know it was impossible for
me to be III the attic and in my room
too" answered.
"Perhaps we may be given an oppor-
tunity to find out something about the
voices" Sonntag said, with Il gesture to-
ward the window.
| "How do you mean?" asked.
''Therc is Il thunderstorm coming up.
It will undoubtedly be preceded by a
wind" the old lawyer said.
eyes, yes! How fortunate it is that
YOU are herc!" exclaimed, excitcdly,
for 1 comprchended his meaning.
''Now you remain here, and will go up
to the attic" went on. each of us
must note the exact time the sound is
heard. We had better compare watches,
so that there shall be no difference in
each ones estimate of the time"
1pulled out my wa tch and approached
Sonntag. His hand went up to his vest
pocket and lie was about to follow my
example. when upon our hearing came
that small, soft, high-pitched voice.
| We stood gazing into each others
eyes for a moment, then made 4 rush
for the door.
| The lawyer detained me, and in great
impaticncc I waited.
'"Take paper and pencil with you" he
said. "Jot down the words and indicate
the raps in the exact order that they
come. I will do the same with the
words and pauscs. Now co.
| I went up the two stairways on the
jump. The wind was coming up strong,
and the heavy thunder rolled in the dis
lance. Near the small window, where
I had heard the voice, I took my stand.
]
and besides, in the daytime, lost a great
deal of the uncanniness which the
gloom and solitude of night had given
them.
The voice was sounding, though not
as distinctly as before, which was prob
ably on account of the loud moaning
and whistling of the high wind.
My paper and pencil were ready, and
| I listened with strained attention to
catch the words.
This is what my paper showed:
"Never will crap, rap, rap) consent
under existing Crap, rap-a grating
noise, probably caused by the wire be-
ing held against the lightning rod by
the force of the wind) the property re-
moved (raps) place to bring you (raps)
hid where (raps) never find (raps) talk
wisdom I shall (raps) night and take
| (raps) dollar will you ever"
Right here the garnet was flooded by
n binding glare, and Immediately fol-
lowed crash on crash close above me.
! Stunned by the noise and too dazed
| for the moment to realize that the
! threatening storm had burst, I feebly
|
down upon the top step.
| The rain was coming down in tor
| rents and the roar on the roof seemed
| but an echo of the thunder. I was soon
I able to arouse myself from my dazed
condition, and, remembering the OBJ
| iect of my GRAND. went back to the
spot where had stood to recover the
| paper and pencil. which had fallen
from my hands. There was no desire to
continue Investigations while the storm
lasted; so. picking up the paper, L
| fastened downstairs to my room.
I noticed strange odor as I went
through the doorway, and saw Sonntag
standing in the middle of the room in
a strange attitude. The pencil he had
used was still in his hand, but the paper
| had fluttered to the floor.
| The old lawyer not seeming to notice
my approach, tapped him on the arm.
| He gazcd around at me with wide, star
| ing eyes, then drew n long breath.
| 'What was it that happencd?' he
finally asked.
"Oh, did you catch it, too? Nothing
but a little demonstration of electrical
force" 1 replied. 1T was quite close
| to us. The house must have been struck
by the bolt; or perhaps the lightning
rod saved it,
| ''It was awful" the old fellow ex-
claimed. There was stream of fire
reached half way across the room. 1t
came from the wall there. right near
the chimney. Well, it's over. and Meth
err of us hurt" The old fellow shook
himself together. "After this, no more
| experimenting in electricity for me. es-
pecially during a thunderstorm. I'll
stick toto the law" he said, with Il
flash of his bright eyes which told me
he had recovered from the effects of
| the shock.
''Thcn you did not take any note of
| the vOice?" remarked.
/ so. nj,