Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-03-21

tunity TO find out something about the
| voices" Sonntag said. with gesture to-
ward the window.
| "How do you mean 2" 1 asked.
There is thunderstorm coming up.
It will undoubtedly be preceded by a
wind" the old lawyer said.
Eyes. yesi How fortunate il is that
| you are herel" exclaimed, excitedly,
for i comprehended his meaning.
Now you remain here. and win go up
to the attic" 1 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 watch and approached
Sonntag. His hand went up 10 his vest
pocket and he 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 1 made rush
| for the door.
The lawyer detained me, and in great
| impatience l waited.
/ Tcbc paper and pencil with you," he
said. "Jot down the words and indicate
the raps in the exact order that they
come. 1 will do the same with the
words and pauses. Now CO."
1 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
had heard the voice, took my stand.
The raps from above were lo1der now,
and besides, in the dayt lost great
| deal of the uncanniuess 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.
Ny paper and pencil were ready, and
listened with strained attention to
| catch the words.
This is what my paper showed:
Never viii 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 Crsps)
hid where (raps) never find (raps) talk
| wisdom 1 shall (raps) night and take
| (raps) dollar will you ever"
! Right here the garnet was flooded by
binding glare, and Immediately fol
4 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, 1 feebly
l tottered toward the stairs and sank
| 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. was soon
| able to arouse myself from my dazed
condition, and, remembering the OBJ
ject of my errand, went back to the
spot where 1 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. 1
fastened downstairs to my room.
I noticed a strange odor as I went
through the doorway, and saw Sonntag
standing in the middle of the room in
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 gazed around at me with wide, star
ing eyes, then drew long breath.
| What was it that happened2" he
finally asked
"Oh, did you catch Il, too? Nothing
but little demonstration of electrical
force" I replied. at was quite close
to us. The house must have been struck
by the bolt; or perhaps the lightning
rod saved it,"
at was awful" the old fellow ex-
claimed. There was a stream of fire
reached half way across the room. It
came from the wall there, right near
the chimney. Well, it's over, and Meth
er Of us hurt" The old fellow shook
himself together. AFTER this, no more
experimenting In electricity for me, es-
pecially during a thunderstorm. TIL
stick TOTO the law" he said, with a
fash OF his bright eyes which told me
he had recovered from the effects of
the shock
Then you did not take any note of
the voice?" remarked.
"Yes, yes. Here it is; and you ?-ah,
that's good. Now let US compare"
The two slips of paper were laid on
the table. The first words taken note of
on my paper" Sonntag began, "are, you
have my-then pause, and yours are:
Never win. Ali" he exclaimed, I'm deep
satisfaction, "they seem to run along
well together. Now you begin and read,
and where the raps are indicated pause,
and will put in my words. Let's see If
we can get any sense out of it."
This is what we read:
"Never will" 'g
"you have my"
consent under existing"
circumstances you have broken
faith with me in every"
'way why was" ...4.
"the property removed" &N
"from the original" w.
"place to bring you"
ito time what did you do with 1t
safely"
hid where" -.
''you can"
"never find"