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The Brussels Post, 1924-10-22, Page 2HOWGHOST 11 A By It, , Lee One morning I i'eeelvei a message tram a friend ayk ng me to meet lUm th0 evening, his Willy having been recently disturbed by certain anye- ieriaue noises, rospoctiug which lie wished to ask my advice, I waited up.. on kiln at the time appointed, when be told- me he had only beeu in' -the hpuse about a weer, having but recently lure obesocl it from tie farmer occupant. • Netith;g strange lead been notjeed for the first night or two,. but.ebout the third morning hie wife wars aroused early from her eleep by a uofee as if some one was in pain. Thinking it was, prhaps, one of the children ill, he went to their room, but they were sound esleep; neither did it proceed from the servants' apart- ments, On returning he found his wife greatly terrified at the presence 'of some one in the room. Sbo had not seen anything, hut bad heard the rustlIug as of a lady's drees. After waiting for a few moments In silence, be board the came noise, which sounded to hie if a female had pm ref from the dressing -room, through their own, and along the cor- ridor to tiro stairs. There was nothing visible, but the sweeping of the dress and the pitiful moaning were distinct- ly audible. In vain did lie search the house, for he oould Lind no explanation of his mysterious phenomenon, until, at last, very much agaiust his will, he was compelled to acknowledge that, if the house was not exactly haunted, there was something he could not make out. This conviction had been strengthen- ed the next day by one of the servants calling his attention to a large stain on one of the floors at the top of the house, having the appearance of blood, of which a great quantity must have Neuf spilled, as It formed a large patch near the centre, and ran in several di- rections toward the side of the room. Unlike most cases of ghosts he had beard of, the noises continued in the. daytime as well as eight; and so frightened were the domestics at the disturbance that it was with difficulty they could be induced to remain In the place after be had sent his wife and chitdreu away, We went over the house together, and carefully inspected the various. rooms—particularly the one in which the stain appeared, and the bed -room where most of the noises were heard. After we had completed our survey he asked me if I could offer any opinion as to the cause of the annoyance. "Not unless I hear it," I answered. "I have in several cases succeeded in putting a stop to such things, and, if you are willing, I will spend a night here, after which I may, perhaps, be in a position to say something more about it" "If you think you can in any way give us peace and quiet," said be, "the house with all it eontalns is at your service, because if it should get abroad that it is 'haunted,' its value to me will be nil, for I cannot live here myself, and how could I expect others?" "Do you know if the termer occu- pier was in any way dleturbd?" "He says not." "How long did he live here?" "Some live or six years, I believe," "Do you know whether there have been any complaints from any one be- fore he came?" „No," "Have you said anything to him about the blood?' "I asked hint if he had seen it; but he knew nothing whatsoever about it." "Did you allow it to him?" "No; he said be would call in some time and have a look at it" "Can you make arrangements for me to be alone in the house to -morrow night?" At what time?" "The whole night, from --let me see! I will be here at about eight o'clock." "And do you mean to stay in the house all night by yourself?" "Yes! Why not? If there were more than one, the ghost might be afraid to show itself," "i would rather it be you than I, then, 13ut, if you wish it, you shall have it so." Accordingly, at the time appointed on the following evening, I found Mr. H. hims.eif in the house. The ser- vants, after providing everything for my comfort during my watch, had taken their departure a short time be- fore, "Have you heard anything further since I was larre?" "Yes, several times during the day; but the note° is not nearly so loud as 1t was at first. I have been wondering whether any one can be 1Oniined.in that room secretly. I have heard cf people having been built in recesses alive, and the moaning seems to be like one -gradually growing weaker, and that would account for us hearing the noises in the daytime as well as at night," "We may soon ascertain if such a thing lists been done," I replied, "by making a rareful examination of the room, to see whether there le neer,+ for the t-lu'rying out of such a our. Dose." We went` up to, the ,nein, which wrs situated at the front of the hour, ,fit one "i>ntl of it was 1ise1reS3i i,, r:.-mt, already tnentu.ned, at lire oilier v- eecon:i bed -room, anti along the aide er It rue the earrklsr communicating -with the other apartments on, the same floor, ttr,.A11T4 THE WORST IS YET TO COME et the end of which were the stairs leading to the upperietpry, At a glance we could, see that the idea suggested was icuPracticahin, and it wee, ulltundaned without further search. I We visited all the rooms, in each of 1 which 1 lett a email light burgles, suw that the windows were securely fes-. taped, and went beak to make an In- spection at the ground. floor. Ail being satisfactory, and Mr. IT, assured that I' was not needing any thing else, hehanded nos the 14aye, and,'stetiing me success 1n my under. taking, bade me "gaol -night," and: lett me alone to meet the ghost. I After hie departure, niy first bass. nese .was to make the policeman an duty in the neighborhood acqualuted with the oircuntstences of the case, and got hint to call in two or three tunes during the night, as it might be I should require -some aselstance, Having done this, and regaled my- self yself with the refreeltntents provided, II selected a volume from the bookcase and repaired to the haunted chamber. It was the first week in September, and the day, had been very warm, so I threw one of the windows open, drew an easy -chair to the table, both of which had been brought in for my con- venience, and commenced tate perusal of my book. I depended oa the lights for sufficient warmth in the cool hours of the morning, as the heat of a fire might induce me to sleep while f was waiting for the visitor. I had been reading about half an hour when my attention was attracted by a low, plaintiff moan, several times repeated. It sounded as if it proceed- ed from a wardrobe standing to a re- cess between the chimney and win- dow. I went very silently to the spot and placed my ear against the door, Yea! it certainly came fru there. I turned the key and opened it, but discovered nothing. I moved the wardrobe a little i forward at one end to see if there was anything at the back. No! Perhaps it came from the next room, so I made my way there, but with like result. In fact, I could not even hear the sound. (ZJ �-•i�i^•��111r�4ov� \lr I have not the least hesitation in say- ing that you would not have attached any importance to the stain on the floor in the upper room, which I find now is due to the upsetting of a bottle off'furniture polish, and not to any mur- der you had an idea had been cam rattled. This was the point upon which I was wanting Information and which I have satisfactorily proved. As to the cause of the noises, as the morn- ing was breaking, after one unsuc I came back, but in my absence; the easeful endeavor to discover it, I -open. moaning bad ceased; so, with nothing ed the door of the grate in your room, to guide me, I had to wait for its re., and while I was up stairs, the ghost currency before 1' could attempt any descended the chimney, where it had discoven•, been confined from the commencement I had determined to" pass the mid- of your alarm, and when T returned to night hour in the roam where the the room I found, not the shadowy blood had been found, and just before ghost of the healon farm; ss you had twelve laid my bock aside and repair- believed, but, in veritable flesh and. ed to that apartment, which was im- blood, I beheld—a pigeon! I gave it a mediately overhead. saucer of nater and s,me bread, which After waiting half an hour, I took was greedily devoured, and after a hart tine growing s a turn through the house and finally manifesting a desire to be free, I came back to my old quarters, having opened the window and it escaped." met with no success. They looked at me in astonisbment Another hour passed, and still ne re- as I finished my story. and could suit. I began to think the haunting scarcely believe that such a trifle had was over for the night, and my watch- caused them so much alarm. ing had ended in failure, but. just as , "And is that really -all?" asked Mrs. the morning was breaking, the same H. cry reached my ear, accompanied by al "All, madam." I replied. "I can as. sound which Aright fitly be describedsure you that ie how 1 laid the ghost." as the rustling of a dress. Still it proceeded from the same place, and again I examined the ward-' robe. Then L opened the door at the top of the grate communicating with the chimney, to see it anything was there. No, nothing was to be seen. Now it sounded as if In the room above, but a Journey there proved ask fruitless as before. When returning, However, the noise seemed nearer and louder than I had heard it, as though the ghost was in • the room I had recently left, and then, I remembered Mr. H. had told me it: :-,tock Easily Moved. was 1n the early morning his wife had i ist Bt -Ing-a lean—"So, we can't been first alarmed. 1hold a candle to the kind of goods you Very quietly I reached the foot of j sell? Must be easy to keep your stock the stairs and passed along to the door, moving then?" keeping on the opposite side of the 2nd Ditto—"Would be if you held a corridor, so as to shield myself as candle to in --we sell gasoline." much as possible by avoiding the glare, of the lights. Still there was nothings Below the Belt. visible. I entered the room, and could els-' She was newly engaged, and was tinctlyhear the moaning, but time gbost 1 confiding in Her dearest friend. "Do Aid not appear, I turned out the lights - You •know, dear," she said, "Tomo and and then in a few moments saw some -I I understand each other perfectly. He thing come from the bottom of the bed j tells me everything he knows, and I towards the door. Slowly It moved I tell him everything 1 know, too:' and made no noise but the low, pitiful, "Really" exclaimed the friend in wail, as though in gre^t trouble. j sarcastic tones. "And don't you some - 1 spoke, and immediately it steed I times find the silence rather oppres- still and looked round as though int- sive?" ploring my help, but spoke not. I ap- proached, but it stood its ground, and The total number of typhoid cases allowed me even to touch it. We ware during the Great War was less than neither of us afraid of the other. 1 the deaths from that disease during In less than half an hoer I had i the Boer War. learned as much as I could of its sad' story, having, in the meantime minis-' tered to its comfort as tar as I then could, after which it vanished from my' sight never more to haunt that house, Early la the morning Mr. I1. an-, nounced himself by a good pull at the+ bell, being ansioue to know the results of my labors. I told him 1 had peen the ghcsi, and, having learned Ito story, had succeed- ed in laying it; but i mild not give then a full axle:matt= inasmuch as there were s1011 one or Iwo paints up on which I nee•:e1 to be sati:lfied, I' sem-niece, l'x',-or. that In the course of a ween tkee leet all I knew. Before that rim eel cx,,tred, 111 II. and tho en teturael home, anti had ,,most n Ors-une`the alarm the ghost had reeved diene, but Seri.. R.still very !nil",t1ent for n1e to go. anti tell theta what l had di'eovere . At last tee tl.iy qtrivel. and: I met \kr end She 11. ,in! ,heir two e!dvi;t' }lildr3 u. e:l me. an their t:,at t,,y 113(1 11,3 ll +sell ran 1"! .'.4�. 11:1.0;a11: 4. ;'1, ' 1 1.:,t1 I,':l Gl, ;1;or b -.,. lu 1,:g11, I, "i t; i;i rig }n't !;t, �, Y' :. .. s, ... ,'!' tile ,Citt'lit, of the I-'i;l i:bn•1''al'ic Ma... ,,, .. 1, ,.... ., '11'e :,,.t pane, wh:rh is the oldest wart, unier'd. Had • i' 3 g it not been for the noises In your room, "Invest" in Recreation. Mrs. Nina Moore Jamieson, the well known writer, who was one of the speakers in the Women's Building at the Canadian National Exhibition, made a striking appealto parents to recognize the importance of right play in the lives of their children. "I wish you would all make time to provide recreation for your boys and girls," said the speaker. "In almost every farm house There is a room where. rho threabers ora given their dinner. Now any roam that is big enough to hold tables at which sixteen hungry men are fed, is large enougi' to be a social centre for the fmnlly, There are two kinds of entertainment, the kind yon buy for a dollar and the. kind you get for nothing, and the last is a long way the best. Clean out the dirty pond or stream and see that it gots no further pollution and have an old switnmin' hole. Several dirty ponds near us have been cleaned up, and now, when I miss the soap from the kitchen sink, and the towel from the rack, T' know that some boys are' having the time of their lives. Those Ponds will be rinks in the winter and then it will be 'Mother, can we have the house and scraper to clear off the snow?' and I'll say, as usual, 'Go and cask your Dad.' And the next thing II will hear will be, 'Dad, mother thinks I we can have the horse and scraper to Olean off the pond.' After a while I will miss their fattier and enquiring , will be told that he, too, has gone to ; the pond. At night the young people , of the neighborhood will gather, and someone will build a fire and roast sausages --or smoke them -it's all the , same to them --and I will take them down a kettle of cocoa, It will all be simple, but it will be a great pleasure. ` Then there is dancing—the room that does for the threshers will do for the dancers. It is time that the ordinary pleasures were not considered as be. ing outside the farm life. As to the radio—it will not only keep us from Isolation, it will give -us a vision of the world beyond aur own horizon." Mrs. Jamieson urged that both boys and girls be given an opportunity to earn their living on the home_ farm, "A thousand occupations are now open to girls," she said, "If a girl can live at home and at the seine time be inde- pendent, she has 'achieved the ideal form of living.. She will be better off and the home will he better off for having her there." On a Boston street car the front sign reads "Dorchester" and the side signs "Ashmont and Milton." "Does this car go to Dorchester?" "Yes, lady; get right oil" "Are you sure it does?" "Yes, lady; get right on.". "But it says 'Ashrnont and Milton' on the side." "We ain't going sideways lady; get right on." on the route, was given a funeral ccreninuy at Croydon recently, Children in the'barh, (Thraghou1 the Seiith Jot France an All .Soul's We every gruve ie ival'ked by a lighted lantern). The hillside graveyard all the night hocks with A lliekerlug ahem at light, Because the living people grace With candles every resting -place. ' I. wonder it the weary men Thatlle Were waken up again And gt'unvble, an their couches deep, Because the light disturbs their sloep, Thinking, for Just a moment, they Must work through yet another day. I wonder if the women there, With dust of Ulfes in their bale,.; Keep tight their lids against the gleam Leat it should drive away their dream. But I sun sure that there are those To whom the lasstern-candle glows With all the gladness of a rose; The little children that are dead, They feel they have been long abed; The dear, dear children greet each spark ' With smiles, 'ftfr children .dread the dark. —Reginald Wright Kauffman, Words That Make Us Wonder. Have you ever wondered how some of the queer words and expressions we use to -day first came into the lang- s. wage? The expression "mining eats and dogs" originated 10 the days when sea- men used to refer to waves, on the water before a storm as "cat's-paws,' whilst the dog has always been regard- ed in northern mythology as symbolic of wind. Consequently, when a heavy rainstorm was accompanied by high winds, sailors would say "it was com- ing down cats and dogs," We shall use the expression "big wig," although these articles are a fas- hion of the past. In other days, how- ever, a person's importance was Judged by the size of the wig he wore, and therefore the highest in the land were known to the leas fortunate as "big wigs." "Pin -money" is an expression that serves' to remind us of the days when pins were expensive, and husbands al- lowed their wives special sums 'Tor' their purchase. Later on the expres- sion was applied to a wife's pocket- utoney, - An word that has, an interest - lug origin is "hanicap." This is prob., ably derived from "hand in the cap," as in former times' it was the custom to draw lots from a hat or cap. Clarke. The Faof Wild Animals, Tho picturessing tilut' presents itself to meet minds at the idea of the death of 1 wild animals is one Of violence and 1 agoutzed pain, A.s a matter of feet, ' few ldatts. ,ora more art•otteaus, Moet wild anlntale Ile' quietly. Both animals anal birds dislike any- thlug unusual; they will not tolerate the deformed, maimed or crippled, so tluit ween an animal Mole Any unusual 1 asynrptOnmswayRose, lnstlits followsstt a,kesIiaim es hsteal lne' goas far as passible, and then tests 1n as reared a place as he can lied, A lethrfr- glc feeling .cotuea ager him, and bo closes Ilia eyes.; kn 'sleep, He has no fear of not awaking; any linage that might cross his elementary sense 01 memory w'oulct be of waking as he has always done hitherto, Birds in whole the tide, of lite is running low often fly out to sea, and close their eyes 1n ,lasting aim be- fore their tired bodies touch the water, Even captive bred canaries feel this primeval fnlpulsar.to fly away at the end; they wild flatter restlessly against the bars of their cage one day, and the next morning you will find them "asleep." Most birds of prey have their own hunting grounds and do not poach on their fellows' ground. An eagle had long been known round about a certain mountainside, One day he was seen to be sailing down- wards -on outstretched wings, but his headdrooped unusually, as if it were too heavy for a tired body, ' Lower and lower he sailed, dropping slowly at last into a quiet' wood. There he was found the next day by a boy who had watched him fall. A bird -lover once noticed a little songster siettieg _ silently on a frond of evergreen over a little stream. He was old, for his feathers were streaked with grey and he had wrinkled scales on his feet. He showed no fear of the man, who often visited the place; pre- sently he settled on his finger and closed his eyes. He tools a drop Of water 1Yom a linger as if glad of the friendly action, and then the man put him back on the evergreen. A day later the man saw Trim hang- ing from a spruce root, his feet holding on firmly, his beak touching the water, putte dead—asleep and at peace. There are, of course, tragedies in animal lives; the lien and the deer, the fox and the mouse, the hawk and the sparrow. But we are wrong in imagin- ing violent deaths of this type to be painful. The agony is mental, and oc- curs before the attack, when we suf- fer in anticipation, In other words, we suffer because of our brains. The majority of the animals„ how- ever, pass in natural sleop.--Ernest Here is said to be one of the oldest homes in Scarboro, Ontario, which has been standjng for over 100 years. For many years it was used as a school house for the children of pioneers: School Children and Their Health. Hurrah! School is In full swing again! And what of the health of the boys and :girls? "Keep a child robust and sound. In body until he is eightaon" say medical experts, "and the chances aro he will remain so throughout life." How Important then that its health should be maintained. A word to parents: Are your children free from frequent colds,. enlarged tonsils, aden- oids, decaying teeth? 'These are seri- ous hindranbes to their health, Are they free from eyestrain? Dothey hear well? Are they sound in body and limb? If not. then 1n school they lose a golden opportunity. "Canada a Land` of Opportunities!" we say, and yet in this land are we breeding a race that shows appalling signs of deterioration? Statistics show an average of one physical de -I feet for each school aliild in the United States, , Fully twenty-five per cent, of the nation's children are be low par. How le it with Canada? Ara your plied ren under -weight? Being underweight does not necossarity. mean being undernourished," Our voitools .sins at wholesome .citizenship,.1 and whether your boy -goes late profes- sional life or industrial life, sound health', is eesenttai to iris success. What then can we do to nuke our , bay and girls ht for the work of life? Medical examination in the soiree') is not a fad. It Is based our eroticall researchand confirmed by experience.1 When t e war broke out, over twenty- five per cent. of our boys were pin-si-! catty unfit, We meet not repeat that neglect to the rising generation. • Sys- tematic medical supervielon Must be. given to aur children during the years' they aro at school, Careful medical examination should be given every ery child entering the school,' And the mother should he pro>ont to hear what the doctor has to say, and its turfs lo ask questions for the bonetlt of the 1 child.. Especially so, in the case of non -Anglo-Saxon m(others.' Thus they will cone to understand that the school dootor is trying to help their child. And the mothers' intelligent co -opera - hen is needed to attain the best re- sults. During school age there are aden- oids and diseased tonsils to be watch- ed. There. are earaches and eye- atrains to be -relieved, and teeth to be treated. There ase skin and ;scalp dis- eases, spinal curve and weak feet, all of which can be helped and corrected if treated in time. A delicate child is no longer looked upon with pride, In so far as we are eager to be Ilealtl ashamed to he unhealthy, we are awake• to the ideal of our generation, What of the child's teeth? It teeth are last, food cannot be chewed, if they aro defective, disease germs 1 lodge in them, if teeth and gums are disSasod, poirwn invades. the system.I and undermines the health. The child 1 sarfers pain, and no'one can be at his best mentally' or physically while suf feting, - What of your child's sight and Hearing? Eye -strain or defective vision may cause irritability, ` Bead - tithes, nauhea, lose of appetite, not in- frequently blindness. And deafness, starting With adenoids, hardening wax era cold, may become irnpossible to remedy, unless laken.at the beginning, Is your child to be under a handicap? Eyeand ear, defects aro In a large measure responsible. for inattentive• nese, bad discipline and failure to be promoted. It a1; ,'Omes to this. We topsider our reputation lost if our young people rpm from car schools illiterate, Is cur reputation secure it they come Frau our schools with needless pltye!. r5l derocts and ltandlc'aps, Let even' buy and girl In Canada be given a '1 :.re tu be, phyi.°sally strung. The hath to Tama runs beer the hill of difficulty, Two Musical Anecdotal.. One dove net always have to gt htrt Adventurous naveie to get A 44ri11, 7';he stories of the lives 01 Maley of Pur great ntualclaue are full of interesting and thrilling Anecdotes- anr! Provide fust those touohes of bunlan interedt which the average person likes to read. Here are two such anecdotes; one deals with young Liawt'and Beo- thovett—flue other with Mozart, When Liszt was but twelve years of age (fn 1833) be was advertised to give :a concert; and upon the 'toilette - don of Schindler, Beethoven wont to hear and encourage this yoatlifui pro- digy, When the little Liszt came out on the platform, he saw Beethoven :alt ting in the front xow. Ieetead of be- ing uuner'ved by the great; manes pre- sence, it was an inspiration to hhn and he played with great fire and abandon. In the storm of applause whish follow- ed, the great master was seen to step up on the platform And kiss hhn on both cheeks, Liszt never' forgot this incident and used to repeat it with great pride, for he felt that the Mas- ter had tot the seal of greatness upon him in that kiss. Now for Mozart. Mozart once created quite a sensation in a theatre he was visiting. It was at Marseilles, Re had gone to the opera Ineogulto.to hear one of his own works performed, All went well till, In a certain passage, through some error of the copyist, the orchestra played "D" where Mozart had written "D sbarp.' This ebange of one note made a decided difference in the harmony, and turned the superi- or haematite effect intended into a very ordinary sounding affair. No sooner was this done than :Mo- zart sprang to his feet, crying out: "Play, D sharp will you; play D sharp, you wretches! It may be Imagined tlrat such actions .produced quite a sensation. The orchestra and singers stopped their performance and the audience began to hies hint down and cry, "Put him out!" and he was about to be summarily ejected from the theatre, when he announced wIio he was, When it was known that it was Mo- . zart, the tumult subsided, and cries of "Mozart! Mozart!" rang through the house. The very ones that were about to expel him now conducted him to the- orehestra, and he was compelled to di- rect the opera, which was taken up anew, This time the missing D sharp was played in its proper place and pro- duced the intended effect. At the close of the opera a perfect ovation was tendered the composer, and the people were not content until they had escorted him in triumph to his hotel. Where .Fish Are Used as Coin. "Fish" in Newfoundland means cod and nothing else.' Rod and fly work Is called 'trouting," Fish are used as coin on the west coast, one dried,cod being considered worth a cent or a half penny and a large lobster Ls. valued, at a penny. Communication In the Winter is so difficult that' in the Spring the missionary who 'visite the northwest coast ands wholesale chris- tening and marriages awaiting him. A hunter who has lost his bearings or finds himself In a fog has no difficulty in finding his way, as owing to the con- slant west winds the tons Of ail the trees point east. This fact renders a compass unnecessary. In the cue -lisle- ing season acres of gt'ounfl are covered with the drying fish -plaeed head to tail so that scarcely an ineb of ground remains uncovered. A:1 these fish must be stacked by nightfall In a heap much like small haystacks, Many queer snperstitkins exist with regard to -diseases and retnadiet:. Un. til recent years people avoided enter- ing a hospital as they wou:d the plague itself. Similarly they would only have recourse to' medical aid atter every other remedy had failed. Old women were in great demand to "charm" away the toothache. Por diphtheria a herring was often applied s.: the out- side utside of the throat„ a favorite remedy for the earache was to weal' the wool from a black lamb in the ears; dry mustard Ma flannel -bag was supposed to prevent chest trouble; and people have been known to swallow small leaden shot to overcome lung disor- ders, Another curious superstition was the fishermen's dread of banks, as a result of which 3% million dollars worth of gold brought into the Colony during the past thirty -years by Cana- dian banks doing business In New- foundland has disappeared, having been taken out by the lisherfoik and put into private hoards to be kept and used as occasion Arlen. Temple Bells. Just as it is in Europe r,0 also in Asia, anis particularly in ilurrnu, bell founding is an ancient and important craft, and the belle In the pagodas there are all sizes, and very pine and inns! cal in sound, They et'o presented to the pagodas by people who wish to "gain merit," and when a new largo one'is to bo presentol by it wealthy 'patron, the meting is made a great event The mould is placed In the open, whore the termites and crucibles are, and the women who wish to have a share in the merit, take off belt' golden ornaments an.l'thrcvr them into the boiling 'metal in the crucibles. Gold and ,silver ate very bad for sound, but the proportion is se small, evidently, as not seriously to d'fft,'t 11, Meanwhile, bands play music which they think will inspire the bell to niveeter and more acct1plable sounds, and the people dance round In wild gyrations. I Linnniva, the noted botanist, hi 1.74q referred to the 11•' as the oo»' Alan'( p bread.