Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-02-18
HIS OWN GHOST
BY BARRY PAIN.

sin 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 click,
and heard heavy steps enter the room.
My hand was already on the switch,
and 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 it had done when 1 switched
off the light on getting into bed, with
this exception-the door was standing
wide open and the bolts which had
pushed to had been pushed back again.
Mind, when l fastened these bolts 1
had previously assured myself by a
careful examination from floor to cell
ing that there was no one in the room
but myself, and before that / had ex-
amined the walls of the room with the
aid of practical builder. l offer no
explanation. Nobody can. l simply
state facts"
''To the best of your knowledge and
belief" added the stolid man.
"Of course" said the curate. "Per-
haps so distinguished a man of science
can help us to a solution" There was
a shade of irony in his voice.
I'VE needn't use so big word as
science" said the doctor.
'"rhe spirit was on the outside, and
the bolts were on the inside. 1t could
not enter until the door was unbolted
and opened. Then how did it get
through to draw back the bolts?"
"Well, I've only to say that the spirit
could pass through the closed door,"
"In that case why did it draw back
the bolts and open the door?'
The curate paused moment.
IF it were not 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 will tell us exactly how the thing
happened You were not there, but
don't let that hinder you"
81 won't" said the doctor good tenn
peredly. "But let me first of all point
out that in sleep and in states APP
preaching sleep we lose all right con-
ception of time. A lazy man sets an
alarm at 6 o'clock, intending to be up
at that time. The alarm goes off and
more or less fully wakes him. He de-
cides that he will get up in a couple Of
minutes. He seems to himself to have
just begun to doZe off, and then, with
a sudden squirt of energy, he jumps out
Of bed. The sound of the alarm is still
fresh In his ears, but when he comes to
look at the clock he finds that it Is not
6 o'clock, but 8. In a state Of sleep he
has misjudged the two minutes and
finds that they have become two hours.
Something similar to that is not I'M
cGnhhffnnaaShl OK ppsesrfirence with most men.
Now, If l may say s0.>you are OF a
nervous temperament, and you had
taken this investigation very seriously
and earnestly. In a sOmnambuIfsIS
state you got out of bed, unfastened
the bolts and opened the door. You
| lucl ICIuIhCu " UCu. w hCh yOu a WOhS
suddenly, the sound of the creakine
bolts seemed so recent to you that yor
assigned that as the cause Of YOU
waking. Possibly an hour had elapsed
but In sleep one does not judge time
accurately. OF course you had and still
have no recollection of unfastening the
door. That is what one would expect
You switched on the light, and YOU
found things just as you had left them
the bolts drawn back and the dOoI
opened"
"But the heavy steps-how do 70,
explain themT
"You were barely awake. and you
mind was in state Of expectant at
tention. Many men find it difficult t
locate sounds and classify them accu
rately, even when they are wide
awake, and there is no precOnceivet
Idea to pervert their judgment. Yor
heard something probably-the creak
Ing of a wicker chair or the tapping
of the blind at an open window-ant
your mind converted it into the SOUND
Of footsteps"
"But don't walk in my Sleep"
"YOu sleep in room alone?
always"
"Then you are not in position t.
speak as to that. I'm sorry If it an
nOys you at all, but there can be nc
reasonable doubt that you were your
own ghost. But If you prefer to be
lieve that ghost walked straight
through solid door shut and drew
back the bolts in order that he might
return and walk through it opened
you can, you know. Sorry can't join
you"
The curate muttered that there were
many things which we could not ex.
pect to understand and left the room
| -Rlock and White