his chest, as of a nightmare, and something extremely cold
would touch his face.

At this crisis, the terrified guest would usually utter a fearful
shriek, and often go into a swoon. The whole family would be roused from
their beds by the alarm; but on no occasion had any traces of the cause
of terror been found, though the house, on such occasions, had been
diligently and thoroughly searched. The annoying visit was described as
being by no means uniform. Sometimes it would not take place for a very
long time, so that they would begin to hope that there would be no more
of it; but it would, when least expected, occur again. Few people of
late years, however, had ventured to sleep in that room, and never since
the aforementioned clergyman was so terribly alarmed, about two years
ago, had it once been occupied.

"Then," said John Basford, "it is probable that the annoyance is done
with forever. If the troublesome visitant was still occasionally present
it would, no doubt, take care to manifest itself in some mode or place.
It was necessary to test the matter to see whether this particular room
was still subject to so strange a phenomenon."

This seemed to have an effect on the farmer and his wife. The old man
urged his suit all the more earnestly, and, after further show of
extreme reluctance on the part of his entertainers, finally prevailed.

The consent once being given, the farmer's wife retired to make the
necessary arrangements. Our friend heard sundry goings to and fro; but
at length it was announced to him that all was ready; the farmer and his
wife both repeating that they would be much better pleased if Mr.
Basford would be pleased to sleep in some other room. The old man,
however, remained firm to his purpose; he was shown to his chamber, and
the maid who led the way stood at some distance from the denoted door,
and pointing to it, bade him good night, and hurried away.

Mr. Basford found himself alone in the haunted room, he looked round and
discovered nothing that should make it differ from any other good and
comfortable chamber, or that should give to some invisible agent so
singular a propensity to disturb any innocent mortal that nocturnated in
it. Whether he felt any nervous terrors, we know not; but as he was come
to see all that would or could occur there, he kept himself most
vigilantly awake. He lay down in a very good feather bed, extinguished
his light, and waited in patience. Time and tide, as