The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-12-26
GHOST STORY
BEGAN WITH THRILLS, BUT
ENDED VERY TAMELY.
AN the Material for Really Excellent
Experience With Spirits Seemed
to 30 There Until the Touch Of
Materlalism Developed.

Doctor Walsh, lecturer and nerve
specialist, tells the following story
In n Of his series of talks on ghostsi
dreams, premonitions. After this tale
It will be unnecessary to say that the
doctor has never seen a ghost himself
An old clergyman dwelling alone
with his ~housekeeper and her sisteH
In a rather lonely part Of a little. coun3
try town was awakened late n night
by a loud ring at his front doorbelll
In a moment the priest was out of bed
and preparing to 90 on what he ex,
pected was q sick call summons. ,
Again very shortly zane another
ring at the bell. Surprised that the
housekeeper, who slept on the ground
floor, had not answered the door ha
went out into the hall and down the
stairs. There standing at the OPEN
door was the housekeeper and her sis!
FER looking out into empty space. The
two astonished women turned to himI
There is no one there, father!!' {
they exclaimed.
when 1t rang first ! went to the
door and found no one," went on tho
elder, then when 1t rang again we
were both near the door and opened
1T Immediately and there was nothing
around" /
AS they were speaking the bell rang
again and the women in alarm chung
to each other. Boldly the priest
opened the door-still no n in sight:
It was a clear starlight night and
the house stood In an empty space.
Merry cautiously he explored every por,
tion of the grounds, piazza and house.
but not ever a footprint could he find.
lAs he was entering the door after his
search the bell rang again. and as he
twas In full view of the bell he was
forced to admit that no visible human
agency rang it. He had great diff.
hculty calming the frightened women
land returned to his room in a puzzled
frame Of mind. Just before getting
into bed he glanced at his watch and
saw that 1t was 2 o'clock.
The next day he learned with great
sorrow and also with some uneasiness
that the vicar of the n%eighboring town,
who was a lifelong friend Of his and
pf whose illness he had not heard, had
died at 2 o'clock the night before!
! After that no mysterious doorbell
Fingings were heard until the night Of
the day of the wears funeral. Wear
led out with grief and the funeral, the
old priest had retired early and was
Sleeping soundly when he was awak-
fned by knocks at his door and the
voice Of his frightened housekeeper.
Father! Father!" she was crying.
Didn't you hear the doorbell ring?
We've gone to the door and there's no
one there! The house must be
haunted. Tomorrow the first thing in
the morning we will leave"
Cutting still the woman's crying
came another ring at the bell. Quick.
~ the priest was up and down stairs,
looking at his watch on the way down,
Ut was 2 o'clock. AS he opened the
hoor clear and shrill the bell changed
out again.
$50 the bell rings itself, does it," he
unused after a good look around. "Well
then, the trouble must be in the bell
Late as it was he went to work Dry
ing the bell from the door and found
he ghost! A family of mice hai
built a snug little nest for themselves
there and their entrances and exits
had been the cause Of the BELLS ring
ING. Tho 1afo ho,,ro thew 1,o,t -,.
po doubt due to thei: natural timidity