Sketcher.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 3, 15 April 1893, Page 11

Sketcher.

A: WEIRD EXPERIENCE

(Specially written for the Southern ' , Cross.)

“ 1 )id I ever see a ghost ?” said one of a fireside party in an up-country township the other night after a discussion ,on. Stead’s - volume, . “ Ghosts and Spectres.” “Welh I’ll tell you what happened to me in Southland Hot long since, and see what you think about it. After a long day’s riding, j reached the house of a friend with whom I had arranged to stay for a few days. T retired about eleven o’clock,, and soon . after all was quiet in and about the place. It wa s one of those dark, still nights, when the slightest sound is heard. Being* tired out; I soon fell asleep. I had probably slumbered several .. hours, 'when I awoke wi%-the •feehngdhakspnao one was entering the room,. " The intruder was apparently, pushing open the door, and doing so in a cautious and stealthy fashion. lam not superstitious, but, confess I did think for a moment of the possibility of a ghostly visitant. However, I turned on my elbow, and listened . intently. The mysterious sounds continued-, and gradually approached the bed from the door." The darkness was intense ; 1 could see nothing, but I could have sworn that someone, or something, was close at hand. I had shut the door, but kept it unlocked. At length, unable to bear the suspense any longer, I called out—“ Who’s there P” Ho” answer —“Darkness there and nothing more.” Well, that is hardly correct, for the strange, soft, stealthy, creeping sensation continued, every moment drawing nearer to the bed. At length when I thought the thing was within a few inches, I made a orab with my outstretched arms and caught—nothing. Presently the noise ceased, leaving me greatly puzzled and the least bit scared. Soon, however, it started again, this time in another part of the room. I could stand it no longer. Jumping out of bed, I rushed to the door, only to find that it had not been tampered with. I lighted a candle, but it revealed nothing out of the common —nothing to indicate the existence of anything uncanny. Blowing out the candle, I returned to bed, but for a long- time could not get to sleep. At longi.li I do/.ed off, only to be roused again by a repetition of the noise. What could it be ? The question was quickly answered. A dog began to bark furiously a little way from the house, and was followed by another, who appeared to be stationed almost under my feet. You can guess the rest. A dot* had worked his way under the D

floor from one end of the house, and the contact of his body against the fl oor had caused the mysterious soundswhich had given me so much uneasiness. That, my friends, is the nearest approach I have ever had to seeing a ghost. Next ?”