Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1883-01-23
Tbs Mouse When None
When The house is alone by ii

are LETT alone IN u NJ midnight, sitting
up for the rest Of the family; at this
hour its true disposition will reveal
itself.
To catch it at It's best, pretend to
retire, put out the gas or the lamp,
and 20 up stairs. Afterwards, come
down softly, light no more than one
lamp. go into the empty parlor, and
seat yourself at a table, with some.
thing 20 read.
No sooner that you have done so
than you will hear a little chip, chip,
chip, along the top of the room-a
small sound, but persistent. h is CIV.
identity the wall paper coming os; and
you decide, after some tribulation,
that il il does come of, you cant
help Il, and go on with your book.
As you sIl with your book in your
hand, you begin to be quite sure that
some one is coming down stairs.
Squeak-squeAk squeak What fol-.
lyl There is nobody up there to
come down; but there-no, il is on
the kitchen stairs. Somebody is com.
ing up.
Squeak--snapl Well, if it is a
robber, you nigh. as well face him.
You get the poker, and stand with
your back against the wall. Nobody
comes up. Finally, you decide that
you are a goose, put the poker down,
get a magazine, and try to read.
There, that's the door. You heard
the lock turn' They are coming
home. You run to the door, unlock
and unbolt il. and peep out. Nobody
there
But AS you finger, the door lock
gives a click that makes you jump.
BY daylight neither lock nor stairs
make any OF these noises unless they
are touched or trodden on.
You go back to the parlor in a hur.
ny, with a feeling that the next thing
you know something may catch you
by the back hair; and You try TO re.
member where you left of.
Noss, il i the table that snaps and
cracks, as il all the spiritualistic
knocks were hidden in its mahogany.
You do not lean on il heavily, with
out this result; but it fidgets you, and
you take an easy chair and put the
book on your knee.
Your eyes wander up and down the
page, aud you grow dreamy; when,
apparently, the bookcase fires of a
pistol.
At least a loud fierce noise comes
from the heart Of that piece OF furni.
|, ture-so loud, so fierce, that you
jump to your feet, trembling.
You cannot stand the parlor any
more. You go up stairs.
No sooner do yon get there, than it
seems to you that somebody is walk
ing on the roof If the house is a de,
tached one, and the thing is impossi.
bic, that makes it all the more mystic
rious.
Nothing ever moanel in the Chin
neg before. but something means now.
There is ghos;ly step in the bath
room. You find out afterwards that
it is the tap dripping, but you do not
dare to look at that time.
Aud it is evident that there is
something up the chimney you
would not like to ask what.
IfyOu have gas, il hobs up aud
down in phantom dance. If you
have a lamp, it goes out in a blue ex-
plosion. If you have candle,
shroud plaiply enwraps the wick and
falls tosardsyou. N uEk
The blinds shake, as if a hand
clutched theu; and finally. a doleiul
cat begins to moan Ia the cellar You
do not keep cat, aud this finishes
you.
You pretend to read no longer; and
sitting with towel over your head
and face, and hearing something be.
low go "shew, shew, Shew,' like lit
tie saw, you believe ia the old ghost
stories.
Ten minutes afterwards the bell
rings; the belated one comes home;
the lights are ill.,; perhaps something
must he got out 10 eat. People talk
and tell where they have been, and
ask you if you are lonesome.
And not stair creaks. No step is
heard on the roof; no click at the front
door Neither bookcase nor table
cracks. The house has on its compa.
ny manners-Only You have found
ouf hoxy II kabaya. IL, Il l. aIo,,a