The Vagaries of a Ghost.
Harry Smith and his wife have moved from the Foy homestead, in Church Street, Mount Holly, New Jersey. They say they were forced to move because a ghost objected to their presence in the house. They tell a weird story of their experience. Dish rattling was one of the accomplishments of the ghost, and, according to the Smiths, their crockery was kept on the jump night after night in the efforts of the ghost to furnish music for his amusement and terror of the family. Night after night, and occasionally while the sun was shining, the dishes would commence their rattling.
Apparently it was a muscular ghost, for in some cases dishes while piled in the closet would have chips broken out of them. The restless spirit, according to the Smiths, did not like pictures, and frequently they would be dislodged and come crashing down to the floor. Strong wire and cord added not to their security. The Smiths are confident that a six inch steel cable would not have held their pictures upon the walls of that house. Doors opened and shut without visible cause.
The ghost liked noise, for when he had the occasion to pass through the house he would bang the doors as hard as he could. And he passed at will through walls of brick and stone, plaster and laths. Anyone who would have the hardihood to tell Mrs Smith there is no such thing as a ghost would be politely told he did not know what he was talking about. Did she not wake up one night at an hour when ghosts are supposed to be abroad and see the ghost “”weeping good hard weeps” at the foot of her bed? Mr Smith is equally positive, although he never saw the apparition. He says he heard it, and that is enough for him. A child who saw the ghost in the cellar spoke to it. Instead of responding it went through the solid wall of the cellar.
The Smiths say the ghost has played more pranks in one night than they could tell of in a week by talking in relays. Their tale is not the first told of the ghost. He has been round the Foy homestead for a long time, if the stories of the neighbourhood are true. He is a bold fellow, too, for a year or so ago he got tired of the solitude of the then empty house, wandered into the yard to seek human companionship, and made himself visible to pedestrians passing along Church Street. Timid persons hurry past the house after nightfall.
Derby Mercury, 31st January 1900.