Since 1987 the portrait has been in the Northerner family. A week after the artwork was hung in the second-floor hallway of their Bricktown, New Jersey, farmhouse, Robert heard the sound of a solitary violin playing a haunting, melancholy melody shortly after midnight.

At first he thought it was his imagination. Then he guessed that it was the sound from a passing car, or perhaps one that might have been parked outside, near the house, with its radio playing.

But when the music continued, Robert rose from bed, searched the house and looked outside. There was no logical source. Following the sound, he entered the second-floor guest room. As soon as he opened the door, the sound stopped.

The Keeley portrait was hanging on the wall beside the guest room doorway.

Two nights later, both Robert and Carol heard the plaintive strains of the violin. As soon as they entered the guest room, the music stopped.

Within the week, the couple was awakened by the sound of a crying child. After searching the house, they entered the guest room and the cried stopped.

From that time on, no more violins serenaded the Northerners. Instead, the sound of crying children continued for several weeks.

When these sounds stopped, they were replaced by phantom footsteps that traveled the stairs during both the day and night.

"These events occurred over a six-month period," Robert said. "If you put me under sodium pentothal, I'd swear that someone I couldn't see went up the stairs."