Mossbank – Jan. 9, 1862.
A Ghost.
In the usually quiet neighbourhood of Mossbank there rarely occurs anything to disturb the ordinary current of events. But within the last ten days not a little excitement has been created by the visits of some supernatural agent. A house was reported to be haunted, and the place where the ghost chose to reveal itself was no other than the bed.
On the boards of that bed the ghost was accustomed to beat as if beating on a drum, and so violent were the blows that the whole bed shook, and the noise was heard at the distance of 300 yards. The disturbance seemed to annoy the family, and neighbours kindly sympathising with them, watched with them during the period of their visit. So great was the excitment that one gentleman, forgetting that ghosts are impervious to mortal bullets, actually fired three shots in the hope of scaring it away.
Much kindness was shown to the family, the members of which were no doubt greatly alarmed by the spiritual manifestations. Yet the visits of the ghost continued, and every morning, exactly at four o’clock, it commenced operations. Probably the festivities of old Christmas so elated it that it paid an earlier visit than usual, for at ten o’clock it began to reveal itself in a most extravagant manner.
This early visit brought some rather sceptical gentlemen to the house, and the doubts about revelations from the spirit-land were strengthened when informed that the ghostly raps were heard only when some of the inmates of the house were in bed and all the lights were extinguished. The deception at once flashed upon their minds. They ordered the occupant of the bed to come out, and charged the family with imposture.
The trick was detected, and, as a consequence, the ghost has lost its power to knock; the charm to amuse or delude has ceased to operate, and it is understood that no more spiritual manifestations have taken place. The motives for this pretty piece of deceit and imposture are not exactly known; but it is not wonderful that at this day a trick so silly in its character, as that of beating on the back of the bed by the occupant of it, should for many days have escaped detection and exposure!
Perhaps the secret lies in the kindness of the neighbours, all of whom were to the last unwilling to believe anything ill of the authors of the trick and imposture. – Shetland Advertiser.
Orkney Herald, and Weekly Advertiser and Gazette for the Orkney and Zetland Islands, 21st January 1862.