Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-08-13

tentous when expressed my deter
mination 10 take up my Ahode for the
night in the haunted room, though she
tried. Intellectually, to arouse her sleep
ing husband u guide me thither. Mine
host had been luNuriatiug too freely in
some old Monengahcla, brought by a re-
turn wagon hom Wheeling. 10 heed the
jogging of his spouse. and was oh
liged to act u my own gentleman
usher,
The night was dark and eu>ty, Is
with my >addle-bags in one hand and
stable lantern in the other, | sailed
from the door of the cabaret and >trug-
glcd up the broken hill in is rear to
gain my uninviting place Of rest \
rude porch, which seemed a have
heen long unconscious of i door, ad.
mitted me into the building, and, max
Inc my waywith some difficulty through
long corridor, of which the door APP
pearcc to have been ripped open here
and there III order e apply the boards
to some other purpose, came ia Il
steep and narrow staircase without
amy baluStradeS Cautiously ascending,
| found myself in large hall IN
which We're several rooms Ii appeared
to be lighted ~ i couple Of windows
only which We're partially glazed in
some places, and closed up IN others 10y
rough boards, nailed across in hcu OF
shutters. Ii had evidently, however
Judging from two or three ruinous
pieces Of furniture been inhabited, \
heavy door whose oakcn latch and
hinges, being incapable Of rust were
still in good repair admitted me into
an adjoining chamtc.. This had evil
IDENTITY been the dormitory ofthc cstab-
liShment, where tho guests, after the
gregarious and most liSagreeahc fash
ion of our country, were wont to he
huddlcd together in one large room.
The waning moon, whose bright
autumnal crescent was Just beginning to
cast above the hills, shonc through a
high window full into this apartment,
and Indicated / comfortable looking
trucklc bed at the further end. before
! the rays of my miserable lantern had
shot beyond the threshold
Upon approaching the pallet oh
served some indications Of that end OF
the apartment being still occasionally,
occupied. The heavy beams which
travcrscd the ceiling appeared to have
been recently whitewashcd There was
Il small piece OF carpet ON the floor be-
side the bed, and a decrcpit table and
an arm chair whose hurly body was
procariously supported on three legs,
were holding an innocent consultation
i'll the corner adjacent.
I've had roughcr roosting ace
than this thought |. as placed my
lantern upon the table and, depositine
my saddle-hags beneath il, began Il
prepare myself for rest
My light having burned low, was
compelled to expedite the operations
ofmdrcssing, which prevented me from
examining the rest Of the apartment
and indeed, although had, when first
welcoming with some pleasure the idea
of sleeping III haunted house, de-
termincd fully to explore ii for my own
satisfaction before rctircing for The night
yet fatigue or caprice made me readily
abandon the intention lust when my
means for carrying il into execution
We're being withdrawn; for the candle
expired while | was opening the door
of the lantern To throw It's light more
| fully on mass Of draperv, which
seemed 70 be suspended across the
further end or the chamber The com.
plete darkness that momcntarily en-
sued blinded me completely; but in the
course of few moments the shadows
| became more distinct, and gradually
| by the light of the moon, | was able tc
make ont that the object opposite tc
me WAS only i large old-fashioncd bed
stead, prodigally hung with tattercd
curtains. ! gave no further thought tC
the subject, bat, turning over, eompos-
ed myself to rest.
sleep. however, whom Shakespeare
alone has had the sense to pcrsonify ~
a woman, was coy in coming 10 my
couch The old mansion wheezcd and
groancd like mokcn-winded buffalo
hard pressed by the hunter, The wind
which had been high, became som
more boistcrous than ever and tic
clouds huddled 50 rapidly over tie face
of the moon that her beams were n
! bl0h'll IL Nllt iItNlN'fN VI TIT IHlllfN
building through which they fell. 4
sudden gust would every now and then
sweep through the long corridor below
and make the rickctv staircase crack
rs il it yielded 10 the feet Of Il portly
passcnger-again, the blast would die
away in a sullen moan, as if hafllcd on
some night GRAND, while anon ii would
swell in monotonous surges which
came booming upon the ear like tho
roar Of distant ocean.
am not easily discomposed. and
perhaps none of these uncouth sound.
would have given annoyance if 'hc
changing Of window shutter had not
been added to tho general chorus, and
ctlectually kept me from sleeping My
nerves were at last becoming scnsibly
affected bv its ceaselcss dim and wish.
ing to cut short the fit Of restlessncs,
which found stealing upon me, de-
termincd % rise and descend the stair,
Al the risk Of my neck, "a try and a.
cure the shutter 50 a. 10 put an end ID
the nuisance.
But now, | rose in my bed for thi,
purpose ! found myself subjected 70 4
new source Of annoyance Tho mock