A GHOST STORY.

Patea Mail, 2 October 1882, Page 3

A GHOST STORY.

The Lyttelton Times says;—“A mysterious circumstance occurred in an hotel in Christchurch recently, just about the time when it changed hands. The house was empty, a thorough clear-out having taken place. The landlord, on the first night of the occurrence, was the only person sleeping in the house, and he was disturbed about midnight by hearing a man’s heavy footfalls along the passage. They were slow and 'distinct, and the landlord thought at first that a policeman bad found a door open, and was going through the house to see that all was safe. He got up to see who it was, but though he followed the footsteps all over the house, along passages, up and down staircases, and at times appeared to almost come to them, nothing was seen. Mystified, he examined the doors and windows, but as they were all properly fastened, the mystery was only made deeper by the examination. The next night the same footfalls were heard, and the same unavailing chase after them all throngh the building took place. Thoroughly roused on the third day, the landlord had new locks put on all the doors, and new fastenings on all the windows, determined to keep out the intruder. By this time his wife, some women servants, and a * boots * were in the house. Surely, thought he, if it was fancy, I won’t hear the marching about to-night. But shortly after midnight his wife woke him, saying that a man was walking about the house, and, at the same time the ‘ boots ’ was roused by the frightened servants, for the house not having been yet re-furnished, or got into order, no lodgers had been taken in. This time there could be no mistake about it. Both ‘boots’ and landlord chased the steps, but though they dodged and ran, and, at times, seemed to be close to them, they saw nothing, nor has the mystery ever been solved.- The footsteps have not been heard sincethe house was refurnished, and business resumed.