AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1590, 23 January 1884, Page 2

AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.

In the neighborhood of Weni, a town on tho Shrewsbuay and North-Westorn railway, some unaccountable 'proceedings are reported. At Wood's farm, four miles from Wem, occupied by Mr Hampson, his wife, two childron, and two female servants, recently, while the family were just sitting downtp tea, at four p.m., when it was still daylight a saucepan suddenly jumped off tho fire, and this was followed by tho tea things being : swept off tho tablo ami smashed. Several pieces of burning coal were then hurled off the fire, and set the clothing of an infant 4 montba old in flames, and before the clothes could be removed the child was sevoroly burnt on tho hand and arm, and iti hair was singed off its head. A small American'olook on tht mantelpiece was next dashed violently to the floor, and several other articles were also throwndown and broken. Something was thrown against the faee of a large faced clock, and shivered tho glass and face, and a lamp globo and chimney were smashed. The mat of the lainn took fire from a piece of burning coal falling on it, and a basket on the parlor table was also dißoovered in flames. Tho neighbors were fetched in, amongst them Mr Lea, a neighboring farmor, police constable Bowen, and others, and although tho smashing of crockery and hurling of articles from one side of the room to the other continued, they could not discover the cause. Mr Lea and police constable Bowen were both struck by things thrown by an unseen agency. It was feared that the building would be set on firo by the burning coal, and consequently the firo was removed from the grate and the furniture from the house.. All went outside, but several things were filing from tho inside through the windows. In the kitchen six panes of glass were broken and several in the parlor.'' Strict inquiries have been made % the police and others, but there appears to he no elucidation, Mr Hampson' says ho cannot account for it unless it is something in tho coal, but the coal could. not throw articles, about the room, The affair has caused considerable talk in the neighborhood, and a great deal of incredulity is expressed,! The paper from which the above is taken says, "Our correspondent, who personally visited the honse, adds that the account of the occurence was received from several eyo witnesses."