Vexatious Spirits.
About three miles northwest of town, there is a farm, known as the Zahller place, one of the oldest in the State, and owned by the heirs, one of whom occupies it. On last Friday afternoon the folks went blackberrying and two of the children went to a picnic near by. About five o’clock the children returned, and they say as they came into the yard a man of small stature, bow-legged, and very ragged, came out of the kitchen, walked past them, opened the garden gate and went in. He then jumped over the picket fence into the barnyard and disappeared […] frightened at his strange actions went to a neighbour’s house, about half a mile distant, and returned home in the evening. When their parents returned they related their story. Mr Zahller tracked the man through the garden and barn-yard by noticing three large-headed nails in the impression of his boot-heel. At the barn all traces were lost.
Now comes the mystery: Mrs Zahller went to the barn-yard to milk; corn-cobs commenced falling near her like some one was throwing at her. Mr Zahller was standing near by but didn’t notice them. She asked him if he saw that. He answered no. Just then a large one near hit him, but he could not see where it came from. During Saturday, the children were hit with corn-cobs, pieces of bark, and small stones, every time they attempted to go into the barnyard. Two of the famimly – one a boy of seven, and the other a young lady of eighteen – seemed to attract the most. When they came near, the missiles were sure to fly. The boy, especially, was hurt about the face with small stones.
One of the neighbours, coming to witness the shower, was hit in the back by a wooden pin, that had been used to fasten a large gate. A trace-chain that had been ploughed up was hung on a corner of the corn-crib, near the barn, also went sailing in the air in search of something to light on. hundreds of people have been to see this sight, since Saturday, and all came away satisfied that they saw chips, small stones, corn-cobs, etc., falling near them, but unable to explain where they came from. One man says he saw corn-cobs start from the ground and soar over his head and light on the ground without the least noise. Another one says he was standing near a chicken-house, the door of which was open, when some half-dozen cobs came flying out. The house was searched, but nothing found.
Some say the flying pieces are not noticed until they either strike them or fall on the ground near by. The strangest thing is that they light as easy as a feather, no matter how large the article is. One man brought home a piece of an old walnut rail about a foot long and two by four inches thick; that, he says, he tried to aggravate the Spirits, and said in a loud voice: “Don’t throw any more corn-cobs; throw a club this time.” Just then this piece lit on his shoulder as easy as a feather and rolled to the ground. The whole neighbourhood is excited, and watch the barn from morning until night, trying not to believe it, but at the same time convinced that they saw something, they know not what. – Cincinnati Enquirer.
In ‘Voice of Angels,” December 15th 1880.