The age-herald., 1900-04-01
Next day Elizabeth Wigglesworth
The Haunted House


 Away out in country place near a pleasant village one summer, a family went to be free from dusty, noisy. busting city life.
 The house was chosen for it's large airy rooms and particularly for the beautiful grove of gigantic, shady, oak trees, which surrounded it, no attention being paid to the several warnings from villagers and hotel acquaintancos of the rumor that it was haunted
 Such a wealth of natures choicest gifts had been lavshed upon this charming, se- questered, shady nook that for some days the fortunate nature lovers could do lit- sle more than revel in the beauties so en- chantingly spread around their new abode; but after a time passed they began to ob- Serve that few persons came near their pleasant home, and those always in the earlier morning hours, never in the even ing
 The first real inconvenience, however from what to them appeared but foolish notion, was that the one servant woman, who was to be maid of all work on the third morning, informed her Ia.stIass--.ttf51a,t t5a she Woulii9 9rTeiHIrn ttsG tstn the city In vain was she reminded that she was employed for the summer. that she should not break
 
 one to do the work. No arguments or per- suason were of any avail, and finally she left. Then it was that notwithstanding the delightful peaceful days, the evening be- gan to seem lonely, particularly when fath- was called to the city and mother, auntie and children were left in the great isolated house alone for several night
 The first of these passed with no impor- tant event transpiring. The occasional scamper of mice away off in the garret or the creaking of some board within; without an owls weird hoot, the signing of the wind among the branches produced a slight rust ling of the leaves of the trees, were the only sounds to be heard.
 The pages of the books they were read ing were being turned somewhat slowly and the stiffness became very noticeable to the alert listners; so that the sudden sound of a knock on the wall of the great hail in which they were seated was peculiarly startling.
 Hist! what Is that?' one exclaimed in carefully lowered voice.
 ''Some one is there" another replies and going quickly to the door inquiries bravely 'Who is there?"
 litter silence is the result
 The ques blon Is repeated with the same effect, and the duestioner tiptoes back 10 his chair near the others. Human compan- ship is very welcome now.
 Again the sound of knocking is heard and again. Then in another place, it seems, directly over head, the sound is repeated several times in succession, followed by a 'sh-h-shivlsh" as of something passing through the air.
 This peculiar noise was heard often ere any one dared offer sugges ton, but sat or stood gazing bl8nkly at one another listening for the repetition. which was sure to come. The boldest finally spoke.
 'Now what is it, I want to know"
 ''1t certainly sounds weird and ghostly," rxyo1 idea of~the place being haunted is ridicu- lous."
 "Yes. but I would like to know whence that unearthly noise came"
 "We must find out Perhaps some one is trying to frighten us."
 "No, every one of these simple village people is afraid to venture near this spot after dark and besides that noise was not of any person outside. It ds something in the house"
 At last, becoming emboldened at hearing theories from one another, they take the lamp and explore. Into every room they go. empty or occupied by the youthful slum- berers, but no sign of anything or any, body.
 Scarcely are they seated after the pro- longed but vain search, when the sh-swh- swish is again heard, and they fancy they feel the air in more rapid motion; one even declares she felt 1t fan her cheek
 Little sleep caSne to the nervous group that night, but no harm resulted, though the noise occurred several times at inter- vals through the dark hours
 After the third night of suspense and anxiety, the haunts were discovered, ana proved to be only number of flying squir- rels that had made use of the attic of tho long-deserted house. After finding the now corners disposed to be quiet and harmless the squirrels resumed their nocturnal sport and wandsrings. The peculiar sound whicl seemed really to he from the motion O something supernatural was merely tn, noise the squirrels made in flying and tht knock probably was caused by the strokt of their fails on the wall
 The ghosts did no harm, but were help full in protecting the family from any trouble that could come to them by those more afraid of ghosts than of evil deeds