The Night-Side of Nature; Or, Ghosts and Ghost-SeersCrowe, Catherine
Religion
The Night-Side of Nature; Or, Ghosts and Ghost-Seers
Crowe, Catherine
Ghosts; Parapsychology
“Fatigued with my day’s ride, I was soon in bed, and soon
asleep, but I do not think I could have slept long before I was
awakened by the violent barking of dogs. I found that the noise
had disturbed others as well as myself, for I heard Mr. B——,
who was lodged in the adjoining room, open his window and call
to them to be quiet. They were obedient to his voice, and as
soon as quietness ensued I dropped asleep again; but I was again
awakened by an extraordinary pressure upon my feet; _that I was
perfectly awake, I declare_; the light that stood in the
chimney-corner shone strongly across the foot of the bed, and I
saw the figure of a well-dressed man in the act of stooping, and
supporting himself in so doing by the bed-clothes. He had on a
blue coat, with bright gilt buttons, but I saw no head; the
curtains at the foot of the bed, which were partly looped back,
just hung so as to conceal that part of his person. At first I
thought it was my host, and as I had dropped my clothes, as is
my habit, on the floor at the foot of the bed, I supposed he was
come to look after them, which rather surprised me: but, just as
I had raised myself upright in bed, and was about to inquire
into the occasion of his visit, the figure passed on. I then
recollected that I had locked the door; and, becoming somewhat
puzzled, I jumped out of bed; but I could see nobody; and on
examining the room I found no means of ingress but the door
through which I had entered, and one other; both of which were
locked on the inside. Amazed and puzzled I got into bed again,
and sat some time ruminating on the extraordinary circumstance,
when it occurred to me that I had not looked under the bed; so I
got out again, fully expecting to find my visiter, whoever he
was, there; but I was disappointed. So, after looking at my
watch, and ascertaining that it was ten minutes past two, I
stepped into bed again, hoping now to get some rest. But, alas!
sleep was banished for that night; and after turning from side
to side, and making vain endeavors at forgetfulness, I gave up
the point, and lay till the clocks struck seven, perplexing my
brain with the question of who my midnight visiter could be, and
also how he had got in and how he had got out of my room. About
eight o’clock I met my host and his wife at the breakfast-table,
when, in answer to their hospitable inquiries of how I had
passed the night, I mentioned, first, that I had been awaked by
the barking of some dogs, and that I had heard Mr. B—— open
his window and call to them. He answered that two strange dogs
had got into the yard and had disturbed the others. I then
mentioned my midnight visiter, expecting that they would either
explain the circumstance, or else laugh at me and declare I must
have dreamed it. But, to my surprise, my story was listened to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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