Year: 1869

4 1 ~AAS eA-A~
worked out a ships course. But


/ soon gave this up; it was un


manly to be doing this in order tt
keep off fear; SO I shut my books
lit my pipe, and gave free run t.
my thoughts.


As was natural, they soon turned


to my poor fathers death, to my
mothers sorrow, and to other e


vents which happened about thai
time that tended to makel me
low spirited. I tried to avoid
such thoughts, but that was the
way to bring them to my mind
| l tried to recall some of the more
exciting scenes of my life. I en-.
deavored to carry back my thoughts
to the rowing, happy days of
childhood, and forward to the
promotions from the Admiralty,
among which my name might
figure; but it all came to this, that
l was endeavoring not to think
of my present position, and mis-
erably failing in the effort.


Looking at my watch, and find
ing it wanted but ten minutes to
twelve, I mixed myself another
glass of grog, and waited with anx-
iety the hour of midnight.


Sure enough then, within a
minute or two of that time, I
heard a rumbling noise, like the
approach of a carriage, that got
louder and louder, and which
seemed to proceed from down
stairs. I was making my way
there when l distinctly heard the
clanking of chain, but by the
time got into the kitchen the
sound appeared to be receding,
till at length it died away. A bell,
hung In the back kitchen, was
ringing gently, as if a woman's
hand held the bell-rope.


On coming out from the kitchen,
I was surprised to find that two
doors, one belonging to the pan.
try, and the other to a large closet,
were open, both of which / had
shut, after having examined the
insides, when I first came into
the house. I entered the pantry
and the closet, but without finding
any clue to the solution of the
mystery. On going back to the
parlor, | was still more surprised to.
find that the hearth-brush, that I
left standing by the side of the
fire place, was thrown down, and
that my pipe, which I had left.
upright on the mantlepiece against
the wall, was broken in two pie.
ces. There were no indications
of anything further having hap
pened in the room: my unfinished
grog remoined IN stdtss quo, as did
the few other things on the table.


I made up the fire, sat down
before it, and began to try to &C
count for these remarkable occur
rences. One hypothesis after an
other was proposed and then given
up, till at last, being fatigued, and
feeling that as midnight was now
over there would be no repetition
of the noises / got into bed and
soon fell asleep, and remained
quite undisturbed. In the morn
ing / hurried to inform the lady of
the nights adventure. Icould see
that she was secretly well pleased
that her experience had been mine
Also In broad daylight l felt as
sured that the cause of the noises
was to be sought IN the world of
matter. rather than of spirits, and
was to be found from without
rather than from within the house.


The situation of the house was
an all important consideration,
and suggested a line of inquiry
which terminated satisfactorily.


A railway went through the
town, and not far from the house
was the beginning of the tunnel.
Having fancied that this might
lead to the solution of the mystic
ry, / went to the station and
learned thatrecently o large guam
tity of earth had fallen away IN
the tunnel, at a spot close to the
house, the foundations of which
had thereby become exposed. 1
learned also, that at five minutes
to twelve at night, a heavy lug
gage train started for London,
which arrived opposite the house
in about five minutes; that the