Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-04-08
THE GHOST.
DY RocHEsrsn.

and desired lodgings for the night.
'Sorry, gonts," said tho landlord, in reply
to thsir intsIrogations, "but owing 70 the
great trial which il to come on tomorrow.
every bed is engaged, and have not spare
corner" .-. .-a ~ H sr
Trial 0: what - asked one Of them.
''Can it be possible that you've not heard
Of the murder Of Janette Rochelle BY young
Fallow, whose case Is to come up tomorrow
"No; we've just arrived in town and were
ignorant Of the fact. But cannot you give "
a sofa or lounge to sleep on in the par!or,
or any other convenient placsr'
" Impossible. gents; every inch d bar
gained for"
Well, then. direct Us to some private
house where We can stay for the night"
There isn't spare bed in tho village
except one, and I don't think you'd fancy
that much"
Anything is better than walking the
streets All night What's the objsction to the
one you name ?"
The house is haunted"
Bah r. sneered traveller number one. I'm
not afraid Of any Of your hobgoblins. Where
is the house p al
"Thc one directly opposite with the closed
shutters"
"well, give MS An nrmful Of wood, light,
some food and drink, and we'll risk the con-
sequences. '..t-
With many dubious shakes OF the head,
and srndry shrugs Of bis broad shoulders,
the landlord brought tho desired articles,
handed over a key, and wishing them pleas
ant time. remarked, in parting:
You will 6nd the house we'll furnished,
and the bed room directly over the parlor."
I'Good night" replied the travellers. and
ont they went, crossed the street, passed
through the crcaking gate, unlocked tbs front
s"" Here's a rum 60" said number one.
whose name was Walker; ,'wc start Of on !
trip OF pleasure, and get stuck into haunt
Cd house .hc'vtry ilrst night. But never
mind well mako ourselves as comfortable
as possible, and II his ghostshp pays us q
visit, let him look out for himself" - .,.., 3
SO they built a rcusi,g fire in the crate.
drew stand up before It, and while Walker
concoc,ed hot punch, his companion spread
on, the viands, and they set to, eating Us on
ly hungry men can. Then after slipping their
beverage and smoking their cherco,s, they
made a careful inspection OF tho whole house.
found il splendidly furnished Ms the lnrdlcld
had told them, but discovered nothing unu.
sr,al, or signs Of anything supernatural
Carefully closing all the doors after them,
they then retired to the bedroom, and they
were few moments after, neatly tucked in
bed, where Walker soon fell into sound
sleep, and his companion, DeMarr, was Just
following suit. when he imagined he heard
the door open. lie Immediately jumped up
and going TO it, found that il was indeed ajar.
After carefully searching tho hall, he closed
the door, and placing table against it, went
back TO bod.
Scarcely bad his head touched tho pillow,
when noiselessly the table slid away the door
few wide opon, and in staiked huge, white
figure, with the usual ghostly accompani.
ments, and OF course approached the bed
Being sensible young man, and naturally
endowed with strong nerves, he was in no
wise Disconnected. On the contrary, he con.
cuded it was a sell. and sitting up in bee,
quietly inquired Of the spectre what il
wanted.
Retreatng towards the door, II bcckcncd
him TO follow.
MIR cum rouse" said DsMarr; "you've
got to speak before you get mo out Of this
room. " hat do you wnntf"
''Fblow me-" said the vision. ..
-" Well" thought DeMarr, "it hasn't GOT
voice to Scare anybody; besides, I wonder
what II will amount TO, anyway. I'm not a
coward, so hore goes" and no slipped into
his pants and boots and followed, out into the
hall, down stairs; then down into the cellar,
stopping in the middle Of which the ghost
raised large stone. disclosing another pair
Of stairs, down which he pointed DsAarr 10
descend. '".' @'".9 4A' Fly
"No you ,lon't, old fellow !" lie srwscred.
"'Go down first yourself" W, as.t
"Down ~ said Mr.. Ghost, and down hs
went, the ghost after, and tho stone closing
tightly behind them. lie now found himself
in long narrow passnge, lii only by the sort
Of phusphorescent light emitting from the
figure which with long strides was leading
hm--whi!her? A strange suspicion sud.
denly crossed his mind that there might be
something in this midnight adventure after
ALL Suppose he was led into some snare
where he was wanted 20 commit horrid
decd How could lio escape2 lie looked
behind but il was all dark; there was no
backing out, and besides, il might turn out a
hoax; so on he pressed. After going, rs IL
seemed to him mile, the passage turned ab.
ruptly TO the right, they assembled a long
fight OF stone steps, and after abont half
an hours walking again descended By means
OF rope ladder. On, on went tfe ghost,
and after him ploddcd DcMnrr, now begin
ming to get tired and--it must be admitted
"A little shaky. However, he was bound to
see the thing out and SO struggled on, now
up stairs. now down, till II seemed ss though
they must have gone through tire whole vii
lage. At last they came to heavy iron door
which swung open at touch, and admitted
them to long, narrow room, hung with
heavy damask drnpery Mt the opposite end
from which they entered. Two smoky Tampa
depended from tho ceiling, throwing q gloo.
my light through the apartment, which was
entirely unfurnshed. AS DeMarr entered,
he cast a hasty glance around, and his eye
falling on the curtains. he was convinced that
be saw them move ns though some person
was concealed behind their folds. This i'm.
mediatoly aroused his former suspicious.
which wepc net sllayed by the fguro produ-
cling heavy, double. edged sword which 1t
placed in bis hand, and motoned for him to
thrust through the .drapery. s -.
The horrid truth nt once flashed through
his mind. tsc had been brought there TO
commit cold blooded murder {! To slsy some
innocent victim who had never wronged him
---one whom he had never seen! How could
he commit such horrible deedy Impossi.
BILE k
With resolu.e determination he flung the
weapon from him, and started for the door.
when the figure by his side quietly laid its
hand on his shoulder. II seemed as though
ten thousand electric shocks had passed ,.ro'
hissyatem from that slight touch, and he
screaned out in ngony ~ @
/ Once more it handed him tho sword and
pointed to the drapery. The cold sweat pour
ed OF Of him in a stream. and trembling in
every lint, poor DeMatr dropped on bis knees
and begged the demon 10 let him OF. But
prayer and suppcation were alike in vain |;
| il Was immovable; there was no getting our
Of the scrapc except by doing as it directed