Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-08-30
A California Ghost Story.

was carpenter by trade. Having &C.
quired . email fortune by mining, and
being bachelor, he thought that by build
ing cottage he would soon find young
lady who would consen. to be his wife,
and share his home and fortune.
But, alas, like many human hopes, he
was doomed to disappointment. After
finlshing his building, and spending the
rest of his little fortune in furnishing the
apartments, he found himself without .
dollar. and he was compelled TO let his
abode to q rich Colonel, who, together
with his wife and daughter, was visiting
ut that tirne in the town Of c. for the
purpose of recruiting his health.
am obliged to give short description
Of the cottage, because it is necessary to
the sequel Of this story. On entering the
cottage the visitor is struck with the ex-
quisite taste with which the carpenter
had fitted up the interior. A passage ran
the entire length of the cottage, dividing
it into two compartments, the whole pas
sage paneled and painted in imitation of
oak and laurel. At the farthest end of
the passage was an oval window OF
stained glass, about five feet from the
floor. The cottage contained . parlor,
kitchen and dining room, besides two bed
rooms, pantry and wash-room. The
only entrance was through the front door
The Colonel, together with his family
and servant girl, were the only inhabit.
ants of the cottage, and nothing seemed
to mar the quietness of the family. Regu-
larry, night after night, they went to bed
about nine o'clock.
They had occupied the cottage about
four weeks, when, at about one o'clock at
night, the Colonel thought he heard low
creaking noise in the passage. Thinking
it might be robbers, the Colonel softly
opened the bedroom door. He was Q
fearless man, believing in neither ghosts
nor hObgOblins, and for other enemies he
had q revolver in his hand.
Peefing in the darkness of the passage,
he saw, BY the faint light through the
window, black shadow seemingly disap.
pear through the wall. The same creak-
ing was heard, then everything was
quiet.
The next morning the Colonel examined
every nook and corner Of the cottage, but
discovered no secret outlet. He looked
at and tried all the fastenings Of the doors
and windows, but all were as secure as
bolts and bars could make them.
The next night the inmates of the cot.
tage were awakened by the screams of the
servant girl.
On entering the passage the Colonel
found her lying upon the floor in convul.
sions. When becoming quiet the girl
stated that, as soon as she had put things
all right IN the kitchen, she had sat down
to read q newspaper. After reading q
while she felt very sleepy, 80 she lighted
q candle, extinguished the lamp, and
crossed the passage to her bedroom.
She put her hand on the doorhandle,
but the door was locked.
Not wishing to disturb the family, she
was about turning back to the kitchen,
when the light was blown out and the
candle dashed from her hand. With q
scream she fell to the floor and lost all
consciousness.
The Colonel found the key of her bed
room on the floor of the passage. Telling
the girl not to say anything TO her neigh
bors about the affair, at least not until the
mystery was cleared up, he sent his
daughter to sleep with the servant girl.
The rest Of that night passed without
any occurrence.
On the following morning the Colonel
went to the cabin Of the carpenter and
told him about the mysterious noise and
the fright of the servant girl. The car
penter said that he never slept in the cot
tage, and therefore he did not know any.
thing about it.
The Colonel returned home, and to
quiet the fears of the family, he told
them that he had found out the cause of
the noise-it was rats.
Several nights passed and nothing was
seen nor heard, but on the fifth night,
near twelve o'clock, the same creaking
noise was repeated.
The Colonel took his revolver in hand
and approached his bedroom door, against
which he put his ear. He distinctly heard
q low shutting sound, as If q person was
moving towards the door. He stepped
back few PAGES and leveled his revolver
at the door, ready to fire.
He heard q key turned in the lock, and
soon the door opened, and on the threshold
stood the figure of a man.
The Colonel took careful aim and fired.
With q groan the figure fell backward
ON the noOI Of the passage.
The screams Of his wife and girls were
fearful, but the Colonel with loud voice
stopped their outcry.
Procuring light the Colonel went out
into the passage, and, on removing
mask from the face of the PROSTATE man,
he recognized, to his astonishment, the
features Of the carpenter, William A.,
his landlord.
On examination it was found that vii.
liam was still alive. The bullet had pen.
etrated the arm, and, as was afterwards
ascertained, breaking only one of the
smaller bones
Az soon as William was abb to speak,
he onfessed to the Colonel how he had
entered the house. He said that the wash
stand in the kitchen hung on two con-
cealed hinges, and a. the back Of the
waahstand was part Of the actual 0utside
of the house, 1t took but q slight push
and II would move from its position, leav-
ing an aperture large enough for man
TO crawl.through into the kitchen.
He haf made the concealed door mere
~ for the purpose of trying il he could
construct secret means Of egress from
the house. Az he knew that the Colonel
had q large sum of money in his bed
room he had made up his mind to rob
him. Twice he had entered the house,
but each time he was scared away, first
by the Colonel whom he saw % he open.
ed the lad room door, and the second
time by the girl.
And now, after his third attempt he re.
.~:.>A :. S.,.x v,,,r oh m ant and ho ho0na6