Daily Republican., 1881-05-06
A Night In q Hau nted House.

Opposite the residence of my friends
the Gibsons, stood a small frame dwell
ing, which was the terror of Beanvillt
for it was said to be haunted.
A murder had been committed te
years before, and since then the poores
laborer in the country would not tax
the place for a present.
Beggars had tried to live there an
failed to secure sufficient rest to liv
upon.
Tramps had been known to climb i
at the windows, but they climbed on
again before daylight. Not dog woul
stay there. 1t was a genuine haunte
house. And so, being down at m
friends for a visit, resolved to investi
gate the matter and declared that
would sleep there, at least one night
more, # necessary.
"Well, Frank, you'll be sorry if yol
do, assure you, ," said Mr.. Gibson.
"The house is haunted" said Mrs
Gibson.
eyes, sir haunted" said the frien,
of the family, who was smoking his ci
gar ON the porch.
"Sure, and saw the ghost myself
sir" said little blddy, nursing the baby
Oh the lower step.
"Then am going to sleep there to-
night" l declared. 81 have always
wanted to see ghost"
stuck to my determination, | went
to the little, empty house that night
and carried thither mattress, blan
ket or so and a revolver.
1t was "A warm night in summer, and
the little place was dry enough. | re
fused all company.
''GhostS never appear to large par
ties. " | said. of need help | vii
fire my revolver out of the window
You'll hear that" And 50, half scold
ing, half laughing, they let me have my
way.
At eleven o'clock | retired to my
couch with u book and Il kerosene lamp
and by midnight | had read myself t,
sleep.
What awakened me do not know
but suddenly set sup in bed with d
sense of great discomfort upon me. The
lamp WAS burning, my book lay where
! had dropped it, but ! had feeling
"a trick is about to be played on me,
thought, and started to my feet
OF course hal not undresSrd, and
holding my revolver in my hand, look,
ing about me. saw nothing, but
heard queer sound. II was rs though
people were Swapping their fingers all
about me. could associate the sound
with nothing else. 1t was not II crack.
ling or ticking, it was positive snap
ping sound. Yet some insect might
have made it. That should not discoml-
pose me.
At last the sound ceased suddenly as
it begun and another took its place-a
pattering aS Of bare feet walking about.
They went in and out of the door, up
stairs and down. ! could have sworn
that such feet werepattering I'LL about
me had | been blind; but the moon
Shonc brightly, and | went from room
to room with my lamp and saw
nothing.
Returning to my room | lay down
again, and low beating began. 1t was
as though stick had been struck upon
the floor at intervals of two minutes
And suddenly Il curious thing happen
ed. All the bcdclOth"s We're thrown
entirely of of lnc and thrown into the
corner Of the room.
Now for the first time | began to feel
nervous. | sprang to my feet, and
rushed into the entry, thinking that
some one must be concealed without
the door, with some ContrivanCe for
twitching away the blankets; but the
house was empty.
went down stairs. pecped into
closets. explored the cellar, and re-
turned to my room. That was no
longer empty,
He was Il rough Hooking fellow, disSi-
patrd in appearance, and dressed in
ragged clothes BY his side lay u stick.
His eyes were open, and turned full
upon me.
| looked at him moment, and then
burst into laugh.
$50 you're the ghost" said. "Comc
you shall have the bed for the rest of
the night and breakfast in the morn
ing ityou will tell me how you pulled
those blankets of. y
For all answer he still stared ut me.
| drew nearer. His eyes were CLASSY,
his features stiff his limbs rigid; and
horror Of horrors, his head was covered
with blood from great gaping wound
in the skull.
"Great heavens who has done this!"
cried, and bent over him and put my
hand upon his heart to see if it still
beat.
Horrors of horrors. | touched nothing
but the bed itself. There was no one
there.
Five minutes from that time | was at
the door of my friends house.
explained to him that had dream
and thought best to giveu up my invstiga-
ton; but in the mCrning asked two
questions:
"What was the murder committed in
that house,"
'The House was empty" said my
friend, "and its owner gave two tralnpS
permission to sleep there. One killed
the other in the night. The ghost is al
ways a barefooted man in ragged clothes,
and the ghoSt-seers always see the stick
he was killed with"
| have n reputation for good common
sense to keep up, so | kept my own con-
sel.-N. Y. Ledger.