1936-04-13 — Page 3

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1936.

HOUSE "POSSESSED" BY A MONGOOSE

Mystery Animal That Laughs And Talks TRADITION

STONES THROWN AT

FAMILY IN BED

HYMNS AND DEATH THREATS

By Richard Lewis

ON the night of September 10, 1931, Mr. James T. Irving went curly to bed in his lonely little farm- house on the hills near Glen Maye, Isle of Man. A strange laugh stirred him to wakefulness.

It was a queer, high-pitched laugh-like that of a demented old man.

A small stone cracked against his bedstead. Then a shower of stones... from somewhere near the roof. Another maniacal laugh.

Mr. Irving leapt out of bed. But his room was empty; the door shut fast.

Thus begins one of the most amazing "ghost stories I have ever heard.

I give it as I was told to me. It is the story 01 F mystery "animal" who says he is a mon- goose and answers to the name of "Gef":

|

"I boarded up the holes, but just as quickly, the wood was scratched We all heard it. and torn away.

"If I had been able to leave the house then we would have gone.

HIGH-PITCHED VOICE "Night after night Gef would Talks adult Paglish and Hin-keep us awake for hours by talking dustani;

from behind the panelling. Hla Sings and dances and loves to voice is high-pitched, much higher play with n' ball;

than anything possible to a human voice."

1

Claims to be 83 years old, "Seed" things that are happen- Ing ten miles away;

Repeats the conversation of people who think they are alone: Swears he has threatened a family of three with death Injury:

and

Throws things at them and Jokes with them in the slang of a small schoolboy;

Elles into a temper and vanishes when annoyed.

CANDLELIGHT

Vairrcy seemed to have some attraction for Gef. Mostly the voice came from somewhere over her head in her bedroom.

HONGKONG RADIO ANNOUNCER TALKS OVER B.B.C.

Among the new features heard in the

BB.C. "In Town To-night" series of broadcasts were Mr. It. M. Wood ford (left) and Mr. Ji P. Whitman, announcers at Kenya and Hongkong respectively, who gaye interesting comparison between broadensting s tatións und” those "ef This Colony and Kenya."

STRANGLES

FOR

corner of the kitchen-aud next morning food in missing.

His

actual

appearances are

RABBITS THEM

If Gef la Interrupted he breaks of his song for a minute or two. When he resumes he takes up at the exact spot at which he left off; even if. It is in the middle of a word.

Mr. Irving assured me that all three of them had touched ficf. He appears very rarely, and is nervous when visible. He has been seen in daylight, If he has had enough of talking Int apparently prefers the he suddenly anys "Vanish," and is night-time.

then silent. Sometimes his silences last several days. But if he wants usually made on the cross-piece to talk he insists on having his own bout Gft. Gin. from the floor in Way, and will go on until four Virrey's bedroom or on another o'clock in the morning. "One night, after things had been piece of wood which runs through bad," he told me, "I decided to have 4 Rap in the partition which separ- Volrrey's bed in my room for safely, ates Voirrey's bedroom from that We discussed it, and Gef's voice of her parents. came from behind the panelling, *I'll follow her wherever you move her.'

In those first six months things were thrown at Mr. Irving when he

was in bed.

"When WY went to bed

HIS DESCRIPTION

SINGS HYMNS

IS. HOLDING UP "BUSINESS" MONARCH

London, Apr. 4. England's new bachelor king, sitting at a cluttered desk in Buckingham Palace and 'scowi- ing behind heavy horn-rimmed glasses, is attempting to inject some "big business efficiency" into the few hundred thousand pounds celebration of his Corona- tion.

The Coronation of King Edward the Eighth, which will be held with all its ancient pomp although it no longer is legally necessary, doesn't come until July next lyear but the staging plana

are well under way,

now

The Royal Jewellers have been enlled in to measure. the sovereign's head size with a tnpo measure in order that Saint Ed ward's Crown, which can be seen any day for n sixpence nt the Tower of London, might be cut down to fit him.

It was discovered that consider nble remodelling of the gold and purple crown would be necessary. The new King not only has smaller head size, but his blond head is rounder than that of his father, King George the and he is narrower between temples.

But

Fifth,

the

Maxe Of Ritual

the "reblocking" of the ita Royal Crown of State with blaze of jewels surmounted by the "Star of Africa" diamond was only a minor matter in the maze of ancient ritual in which King Edward has found himself entangled.

When Mra. Irving is annoyed Gef sings hymns to placate her.

Mr. Irving says his wife is the Most annoying of all to a speed- only one of the three who can con-loving monarch like the new king, influence which drew Gef to them "et along with the job" a half trol Ger, although he believes the who ordered his secretaries to is in himself and his daughter.

A

Dating back almost to the time

This is the Irving's description ar Geff: Body about six inches: The story was told to me in a barricaded the four with dressing broad bushy tail about six inches Ger, in playful mood, calls Mrs. the Court of Claims.

hour after he became ruler, in Hitle kitchen of the farmhouse boxes, chairs, and a heavy weight light yellow fur, the hairs of which Irving "Phychic Margaret" or the 750ft. above sea-level.

on we saw the top of the door are about three inches long; pro-, Witch Woman." Ilis more ugunt of the Norman conquest, the court I had reached it after a har holding in as though some terrific portionately small head: our form of address is "Mam" or consists of a tribunal of Privy rowing four hours' climb from forre were thrusting against it.isted nose, the tip of which. "Maggie"".

however, is int and rounded, like "Gef has acquired a rubber hall over by the Lord Chancellor. Un- Councillors and judges.presided Glen Maye in the night dark-But the door held.

that of a pig: four legs, the front which they hear him bouncing on der proclamation of the king. ness, panting up EL narrow, rocky sheep track, ankle deep in

two of which end in three fingers the ceiling of Voirrey's bedroom. issued several weeks ago, they are and a thumb; they have not had He plays the game of bouncing and sitting in judgment of hereditary mud and losing my way in the hilløkte bogs.

an opportunity to examine the counting the bounces. Sometimes claims in connection with tho batk legs, as Ger insists on terp-he counts in twos-2, 4, 6, 8, étc. ing his face towards them.

state crowning.. When he drops the ball they hear it roll down behind the

Hereditary Rights hoarding. Then Gef's voice, Britain's oldest families of title annoyed: "Dash! I've dropped-and a few commoners-claim it!"

jspecial hereditary rights at the

"Then Gef's queer, high volee said, 'I'm coming in."

"A few seconds later a heavy pot of pintment kept in the room crashed against the bedstentl

At last, in the guttering light of

"How we kept sane in those cundle. I sat at the table with the

first six months I don't know.” three members of this strange

But soon, the Irvings say, they household-the farmer, Mr. James T. Irving, a silver-baired, keen-faced began to be less afraid of Gef and with that his antagonism began to

man

of about 60: his wife, Margaret, fall, dignified, wasting no werds; their 18-years-old daughter, Voirrey, dark, well-built, handsome, silent. centring an atmosphere of bene bleak, empty hills over which she has roamed alone since she was, a baby,

́PRISONERS' WORK

Mr. Irving is educated, travelled, well-read, knows something of Ger- man, French, and Hebrew, Before

the way he was in business in

fade.

He told them bis age--he says. he will be 83 on June 7 next, and always gives the same date and that he lind heen ht India: that he was a mixture of tree and marsh

mongouse:

up," and that is why he is so afraid of traps.

Mr. Irving showed me photo- graphs of an animal resting on #wooden gate, He said they were photographs of Gef taken by Voirrey.

Mrs. Irving has many times nsk-ceremony, Too often these claims The photographs were not good ed Gel to go away and leave them are conflicting ones and gracious tehnienily, but in some it was alone.... His answer is: "This little feuds are fought. possible to make out a head which is my home. I'll go when it suits. At the coronation of the present resembled that of a whipnet dot me.""

king's grandfather, Edward the broad at the top of the skull and The Irvings can seldom tell from Seventh, the Duke of Newcastle tapering to a long pointed nose. exactly where behind the panelling and the Earl of Shrewsbury each that once he had been shut Against-the-darkness-of-the-rate-Gel's voice is coming-Sometimes claimed the right to provide a silk the subject showed light-coloured. It is over their heads; sometimes at glove for the King's right hand.

their feet, "'SITTINGS"

It was the raging controversy of For some years now Gef has re- the day, with the Duke Anally win- The body appeared to be almost paid the Irving for the trouble hening out. curled up like that of a hedgehog causes then, by calching rabbits In one picture a bushy tail hong for them.

The 22-year-old Earl of Shrews- bury might revive the feud again down below the lop bar of the His excited voice will be now, but it's unlikely. For the gute. The Keneral Impression heard: "Got a rabbit!" He willCourt of Claims. in ruling against was thint of a very corpulent tell them where to find it-some-his grandfather, allowed him to times a long walk away. It is carry a white wind as a symbol of Before they moved into the said he did not like that name. Mr. Irving said that for years grey little two-storeyed house They suggested Jeff.

always there-nently strangled! his office of Lord High Steward of He agreed, he had been trying to induce Gef Get has explained that he kills Ireland. with its 2 ft. 6 in. thick walls The spelling G...E.... is his to "git" for a photograph. IIe them with his "hands." The rab panelled with match-bronding. phonetically, explained Mr. Irving, when he has agreed to a runther and Gef will not eat them him-tted include those for the office of

was own. He spells all simple words bad always refused until recently, bits never show any marks of teeth The work was done by German is spelling of "apple" is n-p-p-1; af sittings. prisoners of war.

Liverpool.

When they asked him how he could talk, he said: "I could under stand before. I tried to talk, but He and his wife came to this you taught me." isolated farmstead of Doolish Cashin in 1916.

every room in the House

Volrrey was born there, and for!

From behind the boarding in various -rooms came noises of growling and barking and spitting and the "blowing" made by

ai

V

PHONETIC SPELLING

At first they called him Jack.

He weasel.

reven) their source.

Gef will not explain his powers. To questions he replies tersely: "Hindu magic!" or "I cannot tell you how I know, but I know.". He has told the Irvings that his Mr. Irving put down traps and existence is physical and that he Mrs. Irving and telling her all poison.

must have food to live. He says he

weasel when it hypnotises its victims.

self.

Wine Taster

Other claims that must be set

of "bloko" it is b-l-o-k.

"Itoyal wine taster." It Was Mr. Irving told me of a number NO INVESTIGATORS Mr. Irving says he is convinced of instances revealing. strange

noble and courageous job in the Gef will have nothing to do with old days when 15 years the Irvings lived the now that Ger la mischievously per-powers possessed by

someone alwayg happy, hard-working life of small verse and often deliberately tries questions he has denied that they He calls them "spirituals" or "ghost the way.

Guf. To doubters or psychic. Investigators. was trying to put the king out of shen and poultry farmers, to confuse them; that he knows are the result of clairvoyance or hunters," and when they appear he

Then in the autumn of 1931 the much more and can do much more clairaudience but has refused to is usually silent until they have of Chief Larderer, Madder of the Other claims involve the posts mystery "animal" was first heard., than he admits.

коле.

He has expressed a fear of Silver Scullery or the picturesque SHEEP FOUND

“holy water."

title of King's Champion. William While Mr. Irving was out, clip- In the overal hours I spent in the Conqueror was the first to sing a sheep known as the "Wild the Irvingo' house I neither saw have a Champlon at his coronation Fellow in a field a quarter of anor heard any sign of Gef. I naka bold knight who rode fully mile away and out of sight of the ed if he could be induced to say or armed into Westminster Hall and house, Gef has been talking to do something to reveal his presence, challenged to mortal combat any Mr. Irving said he had not been gainsayer who might say that the about it, naming the sheep and heard for several days,

new king was not the rightful describing Mr. Irving's dimculty Mrs. Irving, howevor, said she monarch. Six months of horror follow.

with it. Mr. Irving had not ex-was convinced that Gef was listen-

No Bickering ed. There were terrific thump-

pressed his intention to clip this ing to all that was being said and Ings and bangings behind the

King Edward VIII bas wearily He is an exacting boarder, and particular sheep before he loft. might express viows when I had boarding. Pictures

indicated that bo's going to have Sheep have been lost, and gone. regularly the Irvings leave fond and swung

the crazily. Heavy chairs

na little bickering about after Mr. Irving and Volrrcy were water for him. thrown down. A pan of water The food is always wrapped In

hereditary clains as is possibla was whisked off the fire. paper and put on a plate on top of

and that ho may ask his Court of of the Then the "something" which the small beam which runs under the

Claims to abolish some Irvings felt was there began to talk boarded ceiling in Voirrey's bed-

rituals if the peorage takes it too simple phrases repeated after room. Water in put in a cup in the

seriously. them from behind the boarding. vamo place.

The food and water are left at

The result was the terrifyingeannot make himself invisible.

night when the stones were thrown,

...

FOUR-INCH SPACE

"In these first six months Gef was definitely antagonistic,"

EXACTING BOARDER-

have spent days in looking for I put soveral questions to Mr. them Gef has said where the Irving, which he answered willing sheep are. In SOMO cases ly. Here are the questions, with sheep have been found-on Gef's the substance of his answers. Instructions-among the flocks Have you, your wife, or your

The archaic claims of the King's daughter ever attended a spiri- tualist meeting or seance? Herb Stower and Master Falconer Never. We know nothing about stand small chance of continuing after 500 years. The Barons of the subject beyond what any other casual render would know, the Cinque Ports probably will Has Gor ever been heard when succeed in their claims, however, Mr. Irving says he laughs in all three of you have been in the to carry a canopy over the King

Sometimes same room together?-Frequently. as he enters Westminster Abbey.

The actual coronation probably

of other farmere miles away.. Gef appears to be a curious mix- night; next morning the cup Isture of age and youthfulness. empty and the wrapped food has Sometimes when he coughs It Is the vanished.

hacking, rasping cough of an old Irving said. "He told us later that the favourite food of mongooвCH.

Gef will not touch milk or eggs, man. it was because we had shown we He particularly likes raw bacon and several different ways, did not want him,

"There were holes in the wailsbeef, bananas, and biscuits.

Mr.

and ceiling joints through which

I thought ho might have got Into

the house and behind the board-

FADDY

it is the chuckling laugh of a hanny Has he been heard or has any will be broadcast next year for the eld; sometimes the controlled thing happened when Voirrey has

;

mirth of a serious adult; sometimes been away from the house 7-Yes, first Ume arild the splendour of the demented cackle of a lunatic. We have spoken to him when she Pears in their robes and curoneta But he is fuddy. If cheap or But in each case the pitch is higher, has been at school five miles away, and Royalty from all parts of the Ing

stale biscuits are left out for him than human. "Once behind the boards he they are untouclied and next morn

Have any of you any ventrilo-world. could get from room to room,ing he says "I'm not going to ent Vannin." the patriotle Manx song,

He aings often-songs like "Ellan quial powers ?---No.

But King Edward VIII will see Who or what do you think Geffar fower of these foreign including the bedrooms. The your stale mush!"

or "I Pansed By Your Window" is?-I just don't know. It has monarchs than did his father at boarding is like an inner shell The Irvings say that when they which Mr. Irving believes he picked been suggested that he is an earth-the coronation of 1911. · Revolu- to the house. There is a space have been. In bed they have heard up by listening to visitors to the bound evil spirit, but when I asked tion, war and dictatorships have of four to five inches between Gof open and shut the door of a Island. The song has never been him he donfed it point-blank. All thinged their ranks in the last 25 it and the walla.

Iarder cupboard which stands in a sung by any of the Irvings.

know is that he is here.

years.United Press,

The Damage Is Done!

But, it can quickly be pat right with SIE-KO. Cooling, soothing: tic rapidly healing, She-ko is the perfect remedy for the curative treatment of all skin' injurica and skin complaints,

For CUTS, BURNS, SCALDO, SCRATCHES, INSECT BITES and STINGS, ECZEMA, ITCH, RING WORM, COLD SORES, WET and DRY SORES, PIMPLES, ULCERS, CHAPPED LIPS and HANDS, and external PILES,

SHE-KO

FOR THE SKIM

is obtainable nt chemlats, or from the Dr. Williams Medicino Company, 451

Kiangae Road, Shanghal, 70, cents per package; pont free.

SNAPSHOTS at Night

HERE'S all you need

to take snapshots at night-a camera with £6.3 lens or faster, two Photolood bulbs, and Kodak Super Sensitive "Pan" Film. To get pictures with slower. Icos cameras, ask for folder where you sco the KODAK sign.

KODAK SUPER SENSITIVE FILM

•No Colour

Fading-

No Wear

and Tear.

No Offensive Odor.

Storage

arranged with

The Dairy Farm, Ice and Cold Storage Co., Ltd.

CARPETS

AND

RUGS

SAFELY EFFICIENTLY AND PROPERLY.

SHAMPOOED

Co

Steam Laundry

The

FEI HANG MOTOR CAR CO.

28. Des Voeux Road C. Tel. Nos,, 22188 & 26391. ATTRACTIVE MOTOR CARS

FOR HIRE.

PLYMOUTH 1936 MODEL SALOON CARS RATES FROM 50 CENTS BRANCH: 156 Hennessy Road, Wanchai.

THE

HONGKONG

PENINSULA HOTEL;

HONGKONG HOTEL; REPULSE BAY HOTEL: PEAK HOTEL

& SHANGHAI

ASTOR HOUSE; PALACE HOTEL;

HOTELS

LIMITED.

In association with the Grand Hotel des Wagons Lits, Poking.

RUNNYMEDE HOTEL, LTD., PENANG.

CRAG HOTEL, Penang Hills

(2,400 feet above scalevel).

Refreshment Rooms. (near summit, station), Hill Railway.

"THE IBLAND'S MOST EFFICIENT SERVICE."

Meals at

RUNNYMEDE HOTEL

On Sea Front.

Private Cars for Excursions Anywhore.

Caterers-etc. to Imperial -Airways,

luzebeam, toa, or fluore,

Interchangeable, no extra cost wherever you bora yose-fimkfast,

“Rooma of bath" hotels have private bathrooms, and modern panitation. (At-the Heungenade, auch room has its own public telej Jose,

The Runnymede Restaurant hää undeniably pride of 'place among hotals of the East with lis euisine, end isntly minima by its association to offer the traveller auch se la mot la be found elsewhere.

: