The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-02-08


greA 0ssseAsaa WeraN
Finding himself IL possession 81
= day, SAmson Brown, An arid man of BID
z ness-ecnforsabls, bnt NOS . CFGsus-bet,
As eimself by rail to : village not many nj
10 alstant ffon London. he inquired 1t
% cation whether there were fstarn-tick
10 that conmandsd period Of three OF "a
aays, but, reeeivlng an answer in the ne,
J, hive, no paid his second class fare down,
. tefse carriage, and signing 10 think b,
nae liabilieses would be renewed when
. holiday expired, he once more sought /
great metropolis. He submitted, however.
s rase. ana was seem absorbed in his favor
paper.
|. when, startled in the midst Of one Of /
4 most interesting articles in the Economi
i 4y harsh shout announcing the arrival
me tfsan st the desired station, Sans,
: nrown alighted from the carriage, his fir
] thought was to stroll about the village, al
J ascertain the nature of tho accommodate
} which it presented.
The object that first struck his eve a
: roamed through tho village, was a ne,
!. Wnitewashed cottage, Of the ornament.
species, with all the shutters closed.
frent Of the dOmicile Was neglected Qardel
Stroliing further on, Samson Brown OBJ
served that there was scarcely such thin
% an unoccupied messuage or tenement i
the place yet there were houses iniinitel
verse situated and worse located than thi
deserted dwelling Asa stimulous TO though
ne rubbed his chin, and its touch reminde,
MIN that he was yet unshayen. He ha,
therefore pretext for calling on the villag
barber, and, placing himself under the car
OF that distinguished artist, he put severa
questions relative to the mystery that NOV
occupied his mind
The barber stated oil he knew about th,
matter in confidential tone, that was highl,
nattering to Samson Brown. For 4 tan.
pens note he would not have said an much
to the best friend he had ever Known bu,
ne poured it all forth gratuitously into the
ear OF Samson Brown whom he had neye,
before seen in his life, and whose counte-
nance expressed nothing but unmitigatsd
astuteness
According to the information of the com
munlcatlve shaver, the cottage in question
was troubled. People had been invited to
i've there for nothing, and, even ON these
very reasonable terms had been unable to
remain, IL consequence Of the strange noises
that abounded in every room, more especial
" the hrst floor back Doors opened with
OUT visible cause, and shut with excessive
audibility. Crockery and glass had a strange
knack OF rafting and jingling on the tables,
and on the stairs might be heard the rust.
ling OF that peculiarly stiff silk, which is
never worn nowadays, but was much in
vogue among the wicked old ladies in the
last century.
: Armed with these formidable facts, Sam.
son Brown proceeded to the office of the vii
iage house-agent, which was situated in the
nigh street; and after the shortest possible
preface, asked what was the rent of the
avoided cottage. The sum required by the
agent was ridiculously small, when tested by
Inc appearance Of the domicile but it was
perfectly exhorbitant compared with the
.um proposed, in his turn, BY Samson
Brown.
The agent affected indignant surprise. but
was quailed in moment by the piercing
glance with which Samson Brown eyed him
when he said:
"Weli, small as my offer NAV be. it ia
better than nothing, and you know yerv we'll
nat, even at the rate of nothing per annum,
more than one person has refused to occupy
nose spacious premises. Don't smile; you
ire perfectly aware that the cottage has the |
reputation of being troubled-thats the az |
ression-troubled
Here the agent exclaimed with well affec-
ed warmth II should very much like to
'no~ who darss to propagate such mali.
'iOus rumor p
"As every one in the village has sufficient
courage for that explait-though not sufi-
lent to live in the house-your wish NAV
q easily grati6ed," replied Samson Brown
nth the most provoking GOODNESS
We'll, observed the agent, in o concilia-
Dry tone Of voice, 81 admit that there are
many foolish people hereabouts, and foolish
eople indulge in foolish superststions but
aen of sense, my dear sir-men of the
Vorld-hke you and me-"
stop q moment" said Samson Brown,
don't put me and you together. You and
see the matter from precisely opposite
oints OF view. You want to get as much as
GU can for the cottage, and therefore you
isbelieve the report that it is haunted; l
amt to give you as little as l can, there
IRE am firm believer in supernatural in
uence"
This logic was to much for the agent, and
! few moments, Samson Brown had
gned an agreement by virtue Of which, on
is own terms he had obtained possession of
'e cottage together with sundry shabby ar
cles of furniture, which probably left by
e last frightened tenant, still fingered in
e deserted rooms
At about quarter before midnight Samson
rown was sitting alone in the dreaded first J
'or back Of the cottage, RECALLING himself
lth glass OF tolerably strong brandy and
ater, and inhaling the fragrance of mild
gar. A small loaf and halfa Dutch cheese
BOD upon the rickety table against which t
sat; also pewter pint-pot carefully
versd with small plate. These articles t
d been brought in by Samson Brown a
tn his own hand W hen he took possession
: there was not cheesemonger' s assistant
pot-boy who would have approached the Q
or of the troubled house. His mind was
ce more absorbed in the Economist, which
read through the fumes that gracefully II
rled about his well-defned nose. p
AS the hour Of midnight approached, the
lte began to clatter terribly on the top of a
. pewter pot Samson Brown, reused 0
I'M his studies quietly removed the noisy "
'nsil, placed it on soft piece Of baize,
lich rendered abortiye every attempt to o
tier and was once more deep in the Rev =,
ne Returns. Presently the door Of the ::
I'm opened with crack, and closed with Ii
ng samson Brown rose from his seat, P
ned the key, and resumed his reflections ;
the proceeds Of customs and excise 81
e clock of the village church struck twelve N
III dreary solemnity that would have g
ed every other occupant Of that dismal, y
room; but Samson Brown
8 pondering over the probability of an q.
rease OF the income tax. n
However at the final stroke of twelve, v
ind in the room like the rustling of stuff tl
caused Samson Brown to suspect that d
was not alone. Raising his eyes from
fascinating paper, he perceived short Ii
aale figure, in an old-fashioned dress, fe
sting about the room, and apparently l.
of his presence, until, suddenly
ming round, it fixed npon him two CLASSY &c
3. Then, darling forward, it planted
, pointed elbows on the table, and rested til
IN two skinny hands ono Of the most evil b.
es that was ever beheld Never were "
thly wickedness and spectral repulsive-
rs more APPLY combined CO
Nevertheless with this hideous counte- ~