Gardnerville record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1898-1902, 1902-01-17
HIS OWN GHOST
Bt BARRY PAIN.

We'll" he said. continuing his story
of his experience IN the haunted room,
''in the middle of the night | woke sud
denly. The bolts which had fastened
were creaking back again. Then the
catch OF the door went with a click.
and | heard heavy steps enter the room.
My hand was already on the switch,
aud in an instant had the whole room
flooded with the electric light. There
was no one To be seen. The room look
ed just as II had done when ! switched
off the light ON getting into bed. with
this exception-tle door was standing
wide open and the bolts which | had
pushed TO had been pushed back again.
Mind, when | fastened these bolts
had previously assured myself by o
careful examination from floor to cell
ing that there was no one In the room
but myself, and before that | had ex
amlned the walls of the room with the
aid OF practical builder. | offer ne
explanation. Nobody can. | simply
state facts.
TO the best Of your knowledge and
belief" added the stold man.
"Of COURSE" snld the curate Per
haps so distinguished a man Of science
can help us TO solution" There was
a shade of irony In his voice
We needn't use so big word "a
science said the doctor.
'.rhe spirit was on The outside. aud
the bolts ware on the inside II could
not enter until the door was unbolted
and opened. Then how did 1t get
through to draw back tile bolts
We'll. I've only to say thai le spirit
could pass through the closed door
In that ease why did 1t draw ba K
the bolts and open the door,"
The curaie paused Il moment
IF it were not a supernatural power
that drew back the bolts. who was it,
ut was you Yourself"
What" the curate exclaimed. Re
ally this Is too preposterous Perhaps
you viii tell us exactly how the thing
happened. You We're not there, but
don't let that hinder you"
II won't" said the doctor good tenn
peredly. But let me first OF all point
out that In sleep and In states ap-
preaching sleep we lose all right con
ceptlon of time. A lazy man sets IN
alarm nj Il o'clock. intending 10 be mp
at that time. The alarm goes off and
more or less fully wakes him. lie tie
cides that he will get up In a couple of
minutes. lie seems to himself 10 have
Just begun 10 do2e Off. and then. with
a sudden spurt Of energy. he jumps out
of bed. fhc sound of the alarm IL still
fresh IN his ears, but when he comes 10
look at the clock he finds that IL is not
q o'clock. but : In state OF sleep he
finds that they have become two hours
Something similar TO that Is not un-
common experience with most men.
Now. II | may say 50, you are of a
nervous temperament. aud yon had
taken this investigation very seriously
and earnestly In somnambulistic
state you got out of bed. unfastened
the bolts and opened the door. You
then returned to bed. When you awoke
suddenly. the sound of the creaking
bolts seemed so recent 10 you that you
assigned that as the cause of your
waking. Possibly an hour had elapsed.
but IN sleep one does not judge time
accurately or course you had and still
have no recollection OF unfastening the
door. That Is what one would expect.
Yon switched on the light and you
found things Just as you had left them,
the bolts drawn back and the door
opened.
But the heavy steps-how do You
explain themF
You were barely awake, and your
mind was IN a state of eSpectant at
tention. Many men find IT difficult TO
locate sounds and classify them accu-
rately. even when they are wide
awake. and there Is no preconceived
idea to peryert their judgment You
heard something probably-the creak-
ing of wicker chair or the tapping
of the blind at an open window-and
your mind converted ii into the sound
of footsteps"
But don't walk In my sleep"
You sleep in a room aloneT
always"
"Then you are not in position TO
speak as 10 that. I'm sorry II II an
noys you at all. but there can be no
reasonable doubt that you We're your
own ghost. But If you prefer to be-
leye that ghost walked straight
through solid door shut and drew
back the bolts In order that he might
return and walk through Ii opened
YOU can, you know. Sorry | can't join
YOU
The curate mutterea that there were
many things which we could not ex-
pect to understand and left the room.
Black and White.
An Eloquent Advocate.