The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-03-22


could remember, Instantly offered 10 let
him the mansion a, the rent of Ave
pounds year. The supervisor did not
want so large house; but as he wished
to send for his family. and had been obi
ged to put up with lodgings in trihing
alehouse, he thought il worth while 20
60 over the old pile, and ascertain wheth-
er a few rooms could not be fitted up
comfortably for his accommodation,
while in discharging his duty in there.
The lowness Of the rent, of course, ore.
rated as an additional inducement; and
having fixed on three or four rooms up
stairs, he struck the bargain, got in few
little things until his wife should ar
rive with all the domestic equipments Of
a family, and forthwith wrote off for her.
The frs, night Of his sojournmenl he
lighted large fire to dispel the dampness.
and having taken his cup Of grog, he
lay down an enjoyed an excellent nights
rest. On his rising in the morning, his
first visit was TO barbeI's shop in tie
town in order to &c, shaved, and there
several persons enquircd most earnest
Iy how lie had slept; and when lie de-
clared tina, he had never enjoyed better
nights res, in his life, every one seem.
ed amazed. The mystery WAS now dis
PEELED, and his eyes were opened by
being informed the Tee Gwynn. OF
White House. as the mansion was
called, had been haunted for fifty years
back. The supervisor laughed at this
notion, and avowcd his utter disbelief in
ghosts. Ii ever lie had experienced
little ticklislIhess in his nerves the pros
lessional shrewdness usually character.
islc of his calling, raised a surmse, that
this same lonely house might be SING
spot for working an Illicit still and, ac-
cordinglv, he determined not to he drv~
en- out of his new habi,alion until he as
certalned the fact. He spent the greater
part of the day in rummaging The vaults
and every hiding place but without, dis
covering any thing 10 confirm his suspi-
cIons. As night advanced he threw al,
extra log on the Ere, and having bnr-
roweJl n chair in the town, he sat himself
down before it, ate his bread and cheese.
and supped his cup amids! various rum
inatIons.-At one lime lie thought his
prospects rather dangerous in the event
of his suspicious being true, there was no
assistance at hand. lie might have his
throat cut from ear 10 ear, and his boz
dy thrown into a tub while his wife and
family would be none the wiser. Fears
of the living more than tie dead, fitted
in sudden flashes across his brain, and
at length he resolved, in ease he heard
any thing going on, to remain as quiet as
possible, and send all the information
to the heads Of his department. He
could see by his watch that ii was nearly
IL o'clock but Natures fond nurse had
lorsaken him, and he felt no inclination to
sleep.
''Twas ms the wa,chmcn say n cloudy night;
No moon, no star--the wind was low or loud
BY gusts; and while the sparkling hearth was
bright
With the pil'd wood, ho missd his family
crowd.
On sudden he heard footsteps on the
stair case, and he felt or though, he felt.
his hair liO his hat involunarily a, least
an inch of his forehead His hear, flut-
tered, the logs did no. seem to blaze so
bright; he listened anxiously. but he
heard nothing. After chiding his faprI
for frightening lin, he mustered p~dfsgo
enough to open the door wb'en he had
left in that state, and ih~n beioos him.
self to his couch, alrf paTaIylc poke at
the fire, Scar-e'llad the first doze relax
ed ms LIMBS when he was awakened by
strange Gathering on the staircase, as il
cen thousand imps were ascending TO
his room! In the panic Of the moment
he jumped up, and rushed 10 the the
landing place, where he distinctly heard
The said imps clOlter. down the broad
staircase again, making faint shrieking
cries, which died away with the sounds
of their Footsteps rs they seemed TO gain
The vaults beneath the house. 1t was
now manifest that there were other liy-
ing tenants in his tenement besides him.
self. and the remainder of tina, s!sepless
night was spent in gloomy corieclurcs.
With painful anxiety did lie watch tho
grey morning breaking in the east; and
when the day burst forth he commenced
a most scrulinizing search everywhere.
Nothing. however, was to be discovered
not even n footsep on the staircase; and
he could have sworn that he really did
hear his dis,urbcrs ascend towards the
room and then depart. On his visi,,o
the town tia, morning, the previous days
;n,n;,,co ,yora ,apooicI t,, L.. .,-.....