at his head, for I thought I saw
something human about him; and I told him that whether he was ghost or
spirit, goblin or robber, he had better stand steady, or I would blow
his brains out, if he had any. And to make sure that he should not
escape I got hold of his arm, and told him that if he was a ghost he
would have a tolerably hard time of it, and that if he was a humbug I
would let him off if he would tell me the whole story about the trick.

"He saw that he was caught, and he earnestly begged me not to fire that
American pistol at him. I did not; but I did not let go of him. I
brought him into the library, and with pistol in hand I put him through
a pretty close examination. He was clad in mailed armor, with
breastplate and helmet, and a great sword, in the style of the
Crusaders. He promised, on condition of saving his life, to give me an
honest account of the facts.

"In substance they were, that he, an old family-servant, and ultimately
a gardener in charge of the place, had been employed by an enemy of the
gentleman who owned the property, to render it so uncomfortable that the
estate should be sold for much less than its value; and that he had got
an ingenious machinist and chemist to assist him in arranging such
contrivances as would make the house so intolerable that they could not
live there. A galvanic battery with wires were provided, and every
device of chemistry and mechanism was resorted to in order to effect
this purpose.

"One by one, the family left; and they had remained away for nearly two
generations under the terror of such forms, and appearances, and sights
and sounds, as frightened them almost to death. And furthermore, the old
gardener added, that he expected his own grand-daughter would become the
lady of that house, when the property should have been neglected so
long and the place became so fearful that no one in the neighborhood
would undertake to purchase it, or to even pass one moment after dark in
exploring its horrible mysteries.

"He begged on his knees that I would spare him with his gray hairs,
since he had so short a time to live. He declared that he had been
actuated by no other motive than pride and ambition for his child.

"I told the poor old fellow that his secret should be safe with me, and
should not be made public so long as he lived. The old man grasped my
hand eagerly and expressed his gratitude in the strongest terms. Thus,
Mr. Barnum, I have given you the pure an