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It is said a spirit-charmer, when on the premises a few days ago, had a very important part of his pants cut away, and the back part of one of his boots lopped off in a twinkling. For some time the shop was free from the intrusion of this troublesome visitor, but now no corner is free from some disaster. Only a few days ago, a churn filled with milk was, for safety, locked up in the shop, and the keys taken by one of the members of the family to her bedroom. In the morning, however, the churn was found standing bottom upwards, and the floor covered with its contents. About the same time, a quantity of new cloth was cut up, so as to completely destroy it. The cuts had the appearance of having been done by a keen, long-bladed knife, forming clean, wavy lines, passing through several folds at the same time. Scores of transactions of this kind might be enumerated, but the outline just given will afford some idea of the perplexing nature of the proceedings, and, so far, the perfect impossibility of elucidating them.

It is said a spirit-charmer, when on the premises a few days ago, had a very important part of his pants cut away, and the back part of one of his boots lopped off in a twinkling. For some time the shop was free from the intrusion of this troublesome visitor, but now no corner is free from some disaster. Only a few days ago, a churn filled with milk was, for safety, locked up in the shop, and the keys taken by one of the members of the family to her bedroom. In the morning, however, the churn was found standing bottom upwards, and the floor covered with its contents. About the same time, a quantity of new cloth was cut up, so as to completely destroy it. The cuts had the appearance of having been done by a keen, long-bladed knife, forming clean, wavy lines, passing through several folds at the same time. Scores of transactions of this kind might be enumerated, but the outline just given will afford some idea of the perplexing nature of the proceedings, and, so far, the perfect impossibility of elucidating them.

I need not say that these astonishing things are regarded with the utmost concern by the people of Cookstown, or that the universal feeling abroad is one of sincere sympathy with Mr. Allen and his family ; for, however one may be inclined to dispute the cause, the results are the same, and these undeniably point to an agency of some kind as malignant in design and execution as the parties concerned are powerless to understand or prevent its operations. One thing is certain. If these proceedings are being inflicted on a man who has the respect and esteem of all who know him, by human agency, it is a reproach on the town that the perpetrators have not been unmasked ; and if by supernatural means, who will undertake to explain it ? And now that the matter is fairly made public, it is possible some person may be able to advise us how to exorcise the Cookstown ghost, as we are heartily tired of its pranks, and would willingly make a present of it to Moneymore or any other neighboring town which feels inclined for the attentions of such a visitor.

I need not say that these astonishing things are regarded with the utmost concern by the people of Cookstown, or that the universal feeling abroad is one of sincere sympathy with Mr. Allen and his family; for, however one may be inclined to dispute the cause, the results are the same, and these undeniably point to an agency of some kind as malignant in design and execution as the parties concerned are powerless to understand or prevent its operations. One thing is certain. If these proceedings are being inflicted on a man who has the respect and esteem of all who know him, by human agency, it is a reproach on the town that the perpetrators have not been unmasked; and if by supernatural means, who will undertake to explain it? And now that the matter is fairly made public, it is possible some person may be able to advise us how to exorcise the Cookstown ghost, as we are heartily tired of its pranks, and would willingly make a present of it to Moneymore or any other neighboring town which feels inclined for the attentions of such a visitor.

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