ed to solve the mystery. Entering an apartment
upstairs, he observed the furniture moving about the floor, although
no living being could be seen. Stones and bricks were thrown through
the window; a staff danced round the room; dishes were thrown at his
head. He examined every hole and corner, but could not discover any
person or thing by which the articles were made to move. Fearing the
presence of evil spirits, he hastened out, closing the door after him.
It was instantly opened, and chairs, stools, candlesticks, and dishes
were hurled after him. The worst had not come. While all the family
were standing in amazement, a small boiler with hot water moved from
one side of the grate to the other, the poker and tongs stood up and
exchanged places, the pots and pans clattered loudly, and a small
table was lifted into the air. A witch residing in the neighbourhood
being suspected of causing the mischief, a noted wizard undertook to
solve the mystery. He ordered the dancing staff to be burned. When it
was blazing up, a suspected witch entered in great agony. She asked
for a drink of water to quench her burning thirst. Those cognisant of
the facts concluded that the perpetrator of the mischief was
discovered. She was apprehended, tried, and acquitted for want of
sufficient evidence. As she left the court she was heard to mutter, "I
shall be revenged." She kept her word. The following night, the
annoyance, which had ceased during her incarceration, recommenced with
double fury. The inmates of the house, who had previously escaped
without bodily injury, were struck by invisible persons, who, as often
as they dealt their blows, shouted, "Take that;" while at the same
time the furniture was knocked against the walls and broken to pieces.
The inmates fled for their lives, and the house was shut up for many
years, none daring to occupy the haunted house.

A young man at sea was alarmed, one night, to see an apparition of his
mother standing before him. She delivered a message concerning family
business. So frightened was he that he could not reply or put any
questions to the spirit, although he earnestly desired to speak. After
delivering the message, the apparition slowly retired, went over the
ship's bulwarks, dropped gently into the sea, and floated away. The
last glimpse he had of the unearthly figure was on the crest of a wave
near the vessel's stern. On his return home he learned that his mother
had died at the time he had se