Connecticut western news., 1916-07-20
THAT MYSTERIOUS LIGHT
Frightened Autosts UntI George Har-
 denbergh Solved the Mystery.

denbergh Solved the Mystery.
 The mysterious terror that had played havoc with the nerves of travellers along auto and bicycle navigators, has been explained and no longer terrifes those who know the answer.
 For some time a mysterious light had showed itself, from the board fence on the south side of the road, nearly opposite the Eddy farm house, just east of the c. N. E. crossing. The light, which appeared to come from a pocket search-lght, could be plainly ton, up to a certain point, and on near approach it was suddenly extinguished. This proceeding was observed re- peatedly by local chauffeurs, and on one occasion a party of young ladies, walking up the street on the opposite side were sure they discerned, in the darkness, behind bush near the fence at the spot where the mysterious light flashed out, the crouching figure of @ man, and some of them distinctly heard sound that went " sit, 'sst'-just like that-as if the man were trying to attract their attention.
 In some alarm they accosted George Hardenpergh, of the electric light office, who happened to come along just then, in his auto, and related their expert ence. George had noticed the strange light, himself, and had been mystified by it. then he recalled that somebody had voiced the theory that a state policeman had concealed himself be- hind the bush for the purpose of spot ting autoists and bicyclists who were violating the laws relating to speed, lights, riding OF sidewalks, etc., and that his mcdus operandi was to flash his light up and down the road to observe vehicles approaching, and to douse the glim as they passed his hid ing place.
 This state police theory seemed plausible enough, for the reason that locally the population are apparently not aware of the existence of any laws governing speed, auto, bicyle or wagon lights, or sidewalk cycling. The theory was evidently accepted as the correct one by Lester Adams, popular resident of the East Side. who rides bicycle, and who, on pedaling home after dark a few nights ago, saw the flash as he approached the suspected spot, and suddenly realizing that his lamp was not lighted, dismounted and passed through the danger zone on foot, Heading" his bicycle by the saddle strap.
 We'll, MT. Hardenbergh. on the eve- ming in question, resolved to get at the bottom of the mystery once for all. He passed the specified bush at low speed and peered intently at it, but in the darkness was unable to discern anything suspicious. Proceeding a few rods, toward the crossing, he looked around and behold, the light was flash. ing on bim. Quickly turning his ma. chine around, and finding that the light still flashed, he put oD high speed and ran toward it, when, presto! when he got within three rods of it, it was extinguished, only to appear again after he had passed few rods beyond. Again he turned, and again the light went out just before he reached the haunted spot He stopped his car, jumped out and ran to the fence at the place where he was sure the uncanny light had appeared and disappeared. Nobody therv-but a bright tin sign tackled on the fence, advertising some kind of soap, supplied the solution of the puzzle, and to the scientific mind of the electrician the mystery was cleared up as the rising sun clears up foggy dawn. The flash was caused by the reflection of light from an electric burner on pole situated few yards to the west, on the opposite side of the road, and this reflection could be seen only at certain angles of vision in either direction, but was not visible from a point squarely abreast of the sign.
 The solving of the mystery has brought sense of relief to number who had heard the state police theory and they are less punctilious about crawling past the haunted bush though the mystery of the '' 'sst, 'sst" is not wholly solved to the satisfaction of the girls who heard it.