Grasped By A Spirit Hand |
“I went to bed and was soon asleep when
some time afterward I was awakened by a slight push on the left shoulder. I
was at the time lying on my right side facing the door (which was on the right
side of my bed, and the fireplace on the left). I started up and said: ‘Edward,
is there anything wrong?’ I received no answer but immediately received
another push. I got annoyed and said, ‘Can you not speak, man, and tell me if anything
is wrong?’ Still, no answer; and I had a feeling that I was going to get another
push when I suddenly turned around and caught (what I then thought) a human
hand, warm, soft, and plump. I said: ‘Who are you?’ but I got no answer. I then
tried to pull the person towards me, to endeavor to find out who it was, but
although I am nearly thirteen stone, I could not move whoever it was but felt
that I myself was likely to be drawn from the bed. I then said, ‘I will know
who you are,’ and having the hand tight in my hand, with my left I felt the
wrist and arm—enclosed, as it seemed to me, in a tight sleeve of some winter
material with a linen cuff; but when I got to the elbow all trace of the arm
ceased! I was so astonished that I let the hand go, and just then the house
clock struck 2 a.m. I then thought no one could possibly get to the door
without my catching them; but lo! the door was fast shut as when I came to bed,
and another thought struck me—the fact that, when I pulled the hand, I heard no
one breathing, though I myself was ‘puffed’ from the strength I used!
“Including
the mistress of the house, there were in all five females, and I am assured
that the hand belonged to no one of them. When I related the adventure, the
servants exclaimed, ‘Oh, it must be the master’s old aunt Betty,’—an old lady
who had lived for many years in the upper part of the house, occupying two
rooms, and had died over fifty years ago, at a great age. I afterward learned
that the room in which I felt the hand had been considered ‘haunted,’ and many
curious noises and peculiar incidents had occurred there, such as the
bedclothes being torn off. One lady got a slap in the face from some invisible
hand, and, when she lit her candle, she saw something opaque fall, or jump
off the bed.
A general officer, a brother of the lady, slept there two nights, but preferred going to a hotel rather than remaining a third! He never would say what he heard or saw, but always asserted the room was ‘uncanny.’ I slept for months in that room afterward and was never in the least disturbed. I never knew what nervousness was in my life, and only regret that my astonishment caused me to let go the hand 36 before finding out the purpose of the visit. Whether it was meant for a warning or not, I may add that the old gentleman lived three years and six months afterward....”
Think your
friends would be interested? Share this story!
( Keywords )
Post a Comment