I went out immediately, but could see nobody.  Shortly after that my wife, who is very brave, heard a knock at the hall door in the dusk.  Naturally thinking it was some friend, she opened the door, and there saw standing outside the self-same man.  He simply looked at her, and walked through the wall into the house.  She got such a shock that she could not speak for several hours, and was ill for some days.  That is eighteen months ago, and he has not been seen since, and it is six months since we heard any noises.”  Our correspondent’s letter was written on 25th November 1913.  “An old man nearly ninety died last year.  He lived all his life within four hundred yards of this house, and used to tell me that seventy years ago the parsons came with bell, book, and candle to drive the ghosts out of the house.”  Evidently they were unsuccessful.  In English ghost-stories it is the parson who performs the exorcism successfully, while in Ireland such work is generally performed by the priest.  Indeed a tale was sent to us in which a ghost quite ignored the parson’s efforts, but succumbed to the priest.

CHAPTER III

HAUNTED HOUSES IN MOGH’S HALF

The northern half of Ireland has not proved as prolific in stories of haunted houses as the southern portion:  the possible explanation of this is, not that the men of the north are less prone to hold, or talk about, such beliefs, but that, as regards the south half, we have had the good fortune to happen upon some diligent collectors of these and kindred tales, whose eagerness in collecting is only equalled by their kindness in imparting information to the compilers of this book.

On a large farm near Portarlington there once lived a Mrs. ——­, a strong-minded, capable woman, who managed all her affairs for herself, giving her orders, and taking none from anybody.  In due time she died, and the property passed to the next-of-kin.  As soon, however, as the funeral was over, the house was nightly disturbed by strange noises:  people downstairs would hear rushings about in the upper rooms, banging of doors, and the sound of heavy footsteps.  The cups and saucers used to fall off the dresser, and all the pots and pans would rattle.

This went on for some time, till the people could stand it no longer, so they left the house and put in a herd and his family.  The latter was driven away after he had been in the house a few weeks.  This happened to several people, until at length a man named Mr. B——­ took the house.  The noises went on as before until some one suggested getting the priest in.  Accordingly the priest came, and held a service in the late Mrs. ——­’s bedroom.  When this was over, the door of the room was locked.  After that the noises were not heard till one evening Mr. B——­ came home from a fair, fortified, no doubt, with a little “Dutch courage,” and declared that even if the devil were in it he would go into the locked room.  In spite of all his family could say or do, he burst open the door, and entered the room, but apparently saw nothing.  That night pandemonium reigned in the house, the chairs were hurled about, the china was broken, and the most weird and uncanny sounds were heard.  Next day the priest was sent for, the room again shut up, and nothing has happened from that day to this.