The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
MYSTERY or 4 HArSTED HOUSE.
Playful skunk Wns Having n Game of
Bnll-Fond of Entering Houses.

u "
A Playful skunk Was Having n Game OF
Bnll-Fond OF Entering Houses.
SAN GABRIEL, Cal. July 23--"A mystery has
been solved I'm house not far from here" said
n resident OF ne'Ghboring little town. "a
mystery that convinced several very sensible
persons that ghosts do live and walk about o
nights. certain rancher wished to go to the
beach for the summer. 80 he rented his cottage
for six months to some Eastern people. and
there Is where the trouble began. The new
corners liked the place. but few days after
they had moved in one Of the members OF the
family went to the man who was working on
tho place and asked II there was anything
curious about the house. No.. tho man re-
LIED: why do you ask ? Well. said the new
ten,nt. we didn't sleep much last night. We
went to bed early. and not long after my boy
came and knocked at my door and said no
heard some ono trying to get in the house. l
crept out into the hall and then went all over
the house. but heard nothing. so went back
to bed. In few minutes my boy called to me
and said that he had heard the noise again.
BY this time the whole househo old was aroused.
l went into the boys ROOM but still heard
nothing; then put out the light and sat down
to listen. and it wasn't ten minutes before
heard the noise 1t sounded like a person crawl
ing along the floor OF the next room: then
something seemed to go bounding along like
ball. and we heard IT strike the wall. Some OF
the children who had followed Inc were on the
borders OF Mysteries by this time. l crept
out into the hall again. my, revolver In one
hand and some matches in the other and to-
ward tho door OF the next room. 1t was moop-
could see the room suffused with light, but
apparently there was no one In IL: yet there
have ever heard. had been told a story once nee
OF houre that was haunted by little boy and
a dog. an that at midnight on stormy nights
they playt d ball In certain room whore they
had both been killed by a stroke OF lightning
l could hear q ball bounding about plainly.
and confess it made the cold chIlls run down
my back but braced up. and. Selling the
doorkpob. gave it turn. and striking match.
For a second continued the raqcher. I
around the room there was no one there :
ball. a sort of chids. football. resting in the
middle of the floor. I was dumfounded; the
in which 10 hide, so finally, backed, out and
Went into my boy room p ana t4 d,d the family
s1 this the ba went
ing across the floor and the phantom dog. or
whatever it was, after it. Again went out,
tried to look In. wal ted some moments. but
nothing appeared. and that was the last we
THE following night the same thing oc-
Cured. so took the ball out and that ended
the noise again. but when / put the ball back
That beats me- said the astqnIshed work
years and never heard that it was haunted. 1
believe he added. that | can get away with
me 60 up andtry tonight III guarantee to find
out the trouble ,
rooIn VIII len the boy had occupied. and the bali
was replaced in the haunted room. At !
o'clock the man was heard to get up and the
crept to the door OF the next room very care
fully and at first made no attempt to open il ;
opened the door listened a moment and closed
it and went down the hall TO whore the tenant
va sa"n P@ ySn t ts the Etoi
lowed hin. and after waiting few moments
IN. strike, at the ball with it's fore paws send;
CIRCULATED the new tenant in a whisper. No.
a skunS. replied his man; po.ecat-that' 5
search a small hole was discovered through
which the animal had entered the room where
ihe an animal was i the Cailorni" skunk. a
beautiful creature. about as large IA q small
w Sisn R"Sf nshy Sh'TfSS !s 5ku"E
have fondness Tor entering houses and
ere P .y O. h tssn upE. srsss5
family being divided as to ghosts. and bur
y, ",
hold discovered what it was, and observed the
it'll" animals rolling over and over and play;
ing s h The writer serrs on %aSrs sap Io
ing: and sometimes at night these animals
on to the cloth ceiling and walk along Just over
head. the imprint Of their feet being distinctly
seen sometimes in the stables Of California.
skunks are encouraged and are not molested.
us they prey uron rats and mi%e and keep the
glands with which they protect thems selves
are removed they are harmless and attractive
pets. becoming very tame.
Tho skunk is a much maligned animal. 1t IL
In bad repute on account OF the possession of
overpowerina odor that will almost suffocate a
human being and dcmorali2e nearly all ami
mails: yet the fact remains that the skunk il
been demonstrated on several occasions. A
banquet was given in California some years
ago where one dish was served as wild turkey.
The meat was white and delicious. and those
who hal partakcn Of il wer much AstOnisho
to learn later from their host that it was the
much hespised skunk his object having been
upon i it, Dr. Merriam OF the AGRICULTURAL De-
comparing it TO turkey and it has many advo-
Gates among those who have had the temerity
TO try it, The same Is true OF snakes and cells
The meat Of certain arge snakes is said to lie
very good. white and firm. hut there is a rooted
prejudice against II everywhere except in
cells. yet they are among the most delicious OF
fishes. The old Romans did not allow this
prejudice to prevent their serving them In
stewS and considered hem great dainty,
animal The late John Bell. the friend OF
Audi bon. informed the writer that h. had
often kept them IA nets. His method was to
remove the glands Of the animal when young
when they could be handled with IMMUNITY.
one day the naturalist sat In his study with a
skunk in his lap. another at his feet, while a
third was climbing upon his shoulder when all
English naturalist was an nOunced
SHOW him in. said Bell and the man Of all
work turned TO the EnRlishman behind him
and said
MIR. Bell. air and his skunks"
The stranger did not enter. but looked over
the mans shoulder and greeted Bell at long
range. ana was only INDUCED 70 go into the
harmless.
MiK.Cp in Chicago PronmncIation.