A Haunted House.
The Pittsburg Leader (United States) tells the following story of a haunted house: –
“Some few weeks since a popular undertaker, doing business on Smithfield Street, moved into a house on Clark Street. The former tenant having left it rather abruptly, and the landlord being desirous of letting it immediately, the terms were made very favourable to the new tenant. The house was all that could be desired, fitted up with the modern improvements, and comforable in every respect. The new tenants determined on making it their home for a considerable time.
“After giving the several rooms a thorough renovation, Mrs White, wife of the new leesee, prepared a repast for herself, her husband, and a female friend who had come to assist in placing the new domicile in order. Owing to the unusual bustle consequent on moving day, the meal was not ready until after nine o’clock, at which time the trio sat down to enjoy it. At this moment there was a rumbling sound heard upstairs, and a moment afterwards the tea kettle, which had occupied a place on the stove, was lifted by some unseen agent, and laid on the hearth. An instant after, the dining-room door was opened and closed with a bang that made all the windows in the old house rattle; and heavy footfalls immediately after were heard within a few feet of the supper table, though there was no object in sight.
“Mr White, candle in hand, followed by the ladies, proceeded to investigate the cause of the disturbance upstairs; but just as they reached the landing an unearthly cry rang in the ears, and the next instant a cold hand was laid on Mrs White’s bare arm. The lady fainted, and was carried back into the dining-room and restoratives applied.
“A quiet interval of two hours ensued; and the family was about retiring for the night, when the dishes, which had been left on the table unwashed, began to rattle against each other, and a clatter like unto that made by the clinking of glasses filled the apartment. This subsided in a few minutes, and the party, reinforced by the presence of a neighbour, again visited the upper chambers. At the head of the stairs, in a small room over the hall, the wail of an infant was heard; but the closest scrutiny into every corner failed to discover the presence of any living being. There was nothing further seen or heard during the remainder of the night; and at three o’clock the family retired, wearied with their night’s watching, and thoroughly disgusted with their house.
“The next evening, about the same hour as on the first, their grievances began anew, taking almost the same form as those already recorded, save that the chairs and tables moved here and there through the rooms of their own volition, and the gas and oil lamps were extinguished every few minutes. This continued, at intervals, until the fourth night, when the clamour throughout the different parts of the house became so great as to make a residence within those walls unbearable and totally out of the question.
“About half-past eleven o’clock the light went suddenly out, and the family, who were then collected in the front parlour, heard a rustling as of silk in the hall – then a whispered colloquy; and immediately after the form of a man, bareheaded and without a coat, passed into the parlour and stood in the middle of the floor but a few feet from where they were huddled together. The light from the street lamp streamed in at the half-open window full on the form of the apparition, and for a second or two Mr White scanned it closely. The figure was apparently that of a man of forty years or more, devoid of whiskers, and of small stature. He seemed to regard the group before him with a melancholy look, and disappeared as he came, without making any other noise than the rustling sound before described.
Shortly after his disappearance, and when the lamps had been re-lighted, Mrs White felt the same icy touch as on the first night, though on this occasion her husband held her in his arms and experienced nothing unnatural. Again the wail of an infant smote upon the death-like stillness; but this time it emanated from the cellar, and was succeeded by the shuffling of many feet in the chamber on the second floor. If we were to recount minutely all the supernatural sights and sounds that we are told were to be seen in the haunted house during the last three weeks, the columns of the Leader would not be able to contain half of them. On the fifth morning of their occupancy, the Whites moved away and left the weird and ghostly visitants to have unrestrained and unlimited sway. Three families have taken up their residence in this house since the removal of the Whites, and each reports itself to have been similarly afflicted and annoyed, and never remained over two or three days. At present the house is empty, given over to rust, mildew, and decay. Who will unravel this mystery, and rid us of this Pandoraic box of horrors?”
Yarmouth Independent, 1st February 1868.