Year: 1860

|


stairs; he with much hope, and I TO say


the truth) with much fear. When we
came into the nursery, it was knocking in


the next room; when we went there, it


was knocking in the nursery. And there


it continued to knock, though we came in


particularly at the head of the bed (Which


was of woody in which Miss Hetty and


two of her younger sisters lay. Mr. Wes-


ley observing that they were much affected
though asleep, sweating, and trembling
exceedingly very angry, and, pulling


out pistol, was going to fire at the place
from whence it came. But l snatched


him by the arm, and said, 'Sir, you


are convinced this is something preternat-


ural. Ifso, you cannot hurt it; but you


give it power to hurt you.' He then


went close to the place, and said, sternly,


Thou deaf and dumb devil! why dost thou
fright these children, that cannot answer
for themselves? Come to me. in my study


that am mani Instantly, it knocked


his knock (the particular knock which he
always used at the gate) as if it would


shiver the board to pieces; and we heard


nothing more that night


"Til this time my father had never


heard the least disturbance in his study.


But the next evening, as he attempted to


go into his study, (of which none had the


key but himself wheE he opened the door
It was thrust back with such violence as
had like to have thrown him down How
ever, he thrust the door open, and went


in. Presently there was a knocking, first


on one side, then on the other, after a


time, in the next room, wherein my sister


Nancy was. He went in that room. and


the noise continuing, adjured it to speak,


but in vain. He then said, These spirits


love darkness, put out the candle; perhaps


it will speak, She did SO. and he repeat


ed his adjuration; but still there was only


knocking, and no articulate sound. Up.


on this he said, Nancy, two Christians


are on overmatch for the devil. Go all OF


you wn-stairs, it may be when l am


alone he will have courage to speak. p


When she was gone, a thought came in


his head. and he said, If thou art the


spirit of my son Samuel, I pray knock


three knocks, and no more Immediate.


ly all was silence, and there was no more


knocking at all that night. I asked my


sister Nancy (then fifteen years old,


whether she was not afraid when my faith.


er used that adjuration. She answered


she was sadly afraid it would speak wher


she pnt out the candle; but she was no


at all afraid in the daytime, when it walk


ed after her, only she thought when sh
was about her work he might have dou


it for her, and saved her the trouble
"By this time all my sisters were s.
) accustomed to these noises that they CAV
them little disturbance. A geuile tap


ping at their bed head usually began be
tween nine and ten, at night. They the
, commonly said TO each other, Jeffrey
coming; it is time to go to Sleep An
if they heard noise in the day, and sal
; to my youngest sister, .Hark, Kezzy, Jei
; fey is knocking above she would run u
stairs and pursue it from room to room
saying she desired no better diversion.
"a few nights after, my father an
mother had just gone to bed. and the car
die was not taken away, when they hear
three blows, AND second and q thir
three, as if it were with large oaken sta
j struck upon chest which stood by th
e bedside. My father Immediately aros
I put on his night gown, and, hearing gres
noises below, took the candle and wei
down; my mother walked by his side.
AS they went down the broad stair
9 1they heard as if a vessel full of silver wa
u poured upon my mothers breast and ra
< jingling down to her feet Quickly afte
there was sound as if large iron he
G was thrown among many bottles undt
! the stairs; but nothing was hurt Soc
e after, our large mastiff dog came, and ra
i to shelter himself between them. Viii
n the disturbances continued he nsed I
+ bark and leap, and snap on one side an
the other, and that frequently before ar
l. person in the room heard any noise at al
y But after two or three days be used [
e tremble, and creep away before the noi
,! began. And by this the family knew
q was at hand; nor did the observation ey
e fail.


'r "a little before my father aud moth
g came into the hall, it seemed as if a vel
q large coal was violently thrown upon II
=" floor and dashed all in pieces; but nothir


was seen. My father then cried out, 8
'e key, do you not hear? all the pewter
"a thrown about the Kitchen But wht
sr they looked, all the pewter stood in
e place. There then was loud knockir
d at the back door. My father opened
=. but saw nothing. 1t was then at tie 70
OF door. He opened that, but il was st
le lost labor. After opening FIRST the on
at then the other, several times, he turns
q and went up to bed. But the noises we
"a so violent over the house that he cou
: not sleep till four in the morning.


- "Seyeral gentlemen and clergymen nc
n earnestly advised my father to quit d
D. house. But he constantly answered, N
N let the devil flee from me; will nev
e. Aaa from the devil Rnt he wrote IN n