Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-04-24
A Tale of Terror.

3' 'ne Srow lnil' Antwerp, som'
years ago, white spectre was seen bearin.
lamp in one hand, and bunch of KEY
IN the other;-the unpleasant visitor wa
seen by variety Of travellers, passing alop,
a corridor.
Nothing would satisfy the neighbors tha
an unfortunate traveller had not been, a
some period or other, dispatched in that ia
tai room by one of the previous landlord.
of The house. The hotel gradually obtained
I the name OF s.rhe Haunted lnn,p ans
ceased to be frequented by its old patrons.
The landlord finndg himself on the brink
OF ruin, determined to sleep in the haunted
room, with view of proving the ground
lessness OF the story. To make the matter
more sure, as he said, he caused the hostler
to bear him company, on pretense of re-
curing witness to the absurdiIy of the
report but in reality from cowardice. AT
dead of night however, just as the two men
were composing themselves to sleep in one
bed-leaving another which was in the
room unienanted-the door flew open and
in elided the white spectre
Without pausing TO ascertain what il
might attempt on approaching the bed to-
wards which it directed its course, the two
men rushed naked out Of the room; and
by the alarm they created confirmed more
fully .han ever the evil repute of the house
Unable longer 10 sustain the cost of so
unproductive an establishment, the poor
landlord offered for sale the house in which
he and his father were born and passed their
lives But bidders were as scarce as Gus.
toners; the Inn remained on sale for nearly |
a year, during which, from time TO time,
the spectre reappeared.
AT length an officer of the garrison, who
had formerly frequented the house, moved
20 compassion in favor of the poor host, un-
dertook to clear up the mystery by sleeping
in the aforesaid chamber nothing doubt
ing that the whole was the trick of some
envious neiGhoor, desirous OF deterioraung
the value of the freehold in order to be-
come purchaser.
His offer having been gratefully accept
ed the captain took up his quarters in the
fatal room, with bottle of wine and brace
of loaded pistols on the table before him,
determined 10 fire at whatever might enter
the room
AT the usual hour of midnight, accord
ingly, when the door flew open, and the
spectre, bearing lamp and a bunch of
keys, made its appearance, he seized both
his pistols, when, fortunately, as his finger
was on the point Of touching the trigger, he
that the apparition was no other
than the daughter of his host, young and
pretty girl, evidently walking in her sleep
Preserving the strictest silence, he watched $
ler sit down the light, place her keyes care 9
iully on the chimney piece and retire to |
he opposite bed, which, as it afterwards |
proved, she had often occupied dnring tie $
ifetime of her late mother, who had slept t
n the room.
No sooner had she thoroughly composed t
lerself, than the officer, after locking the :
loor of the room, went in search of her r
ather and several competent witnesses in
luding the water baiif of the district, who c
lad been one of the loudest in circulating :
he rumors concerning the Haunted Inn. b
The poor Gill was found quietly asleep in a
ed, and her terror on awakening in the $
rcadful chamber afforded sufficient evidence h
D all present of the state of somnambulism a
n which she had been entranee6.
From that period the spectre was seen t
% more; probably because the landlords b
aughter removed shortly afterwards to r
ONE Of her own; and he tales OF horror
0 frequently circulated TO the bewilder-
lent of the poor neighbors, ended in the
imple story of young girl walking in her h
eep. II
A TOUCHING CoNTRIBUTIoN.-Ina bale
{ promise Gus clothing recently received