A Poem by Patrick Westfall – Sitting in my study, drawing upon a pipe of clay, Simply sitting, smoking softly I endure the remaining day. Harder still, fell the rain against the glassless pane. Louder still was heard the rapping, tapping of his cane. As I rose to bid him in I reeled at the sight, he was already there, beside my chair and he brought with him the night. "Sir," said he respectfully, "if I may speak free, a scotch and smoke in trade for tale this night I'd share with thee." His manner calm as he sat upon the moistened floor, and as he lit his pipe, I gazed out upon the moor. Not a word said he for at least an hour more, "Speak up my man, out with your tale, this I do implore!" But when he spoke aloud and ceased his muted way, his tale chilled both my bone and blood and stole my breath away. "Joseph Craig Dobler, employed me but a year, I took his life, and then his wife as my own to love so dear. But alas! She knows the truth at last, it is so she screams, Dobler's ghost has come to her, he speaks into her dreams. His spirit shall haunt and spook, wherever I may be, already twice this night, upon the moor was he. Such is how I came into your house so free, for when next he comes I'll surely die but with sin confessed to thee." The wind did gust and blow through the glassless pane, and it seemed we both could hear the rapping, tapping of a cane. The man stood up as if to leave but could not find the nerve, and as he looked into the night, I watched his body swerve. Then we both grew chill as the knob into my dwelling turned, "What demon from Hell, had arisen, its body blackened, burned?" But the knob it stopped and then was heard upon the door so plain, louder, louder came the rapping, tapping of his cane. “No more! No more!” he cried with palms upturned. I could not bear to see its face and body blackened, burned! The man turned in horror and fell out through the glassless pane, nevermore to suffer the terrible tapping of the cane. Oh how I loathe, even now, the sound of rain upon the plain, for now I always seem to hear the rapping, tapping of a cane!