The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-03-09
ALL ALONE.
How the House Behaves When 1t Il Left by
ITSELF

When the house 10 alone by itself mex
perienced persons may believe that It be-
haves exactly as it does when there are
people in it; but this Is delusion, as you
will discover II you are ever left alsne In 1t
At midnight sitting up for the rest of the
family; at this hour Its true disposition will
reveal itself.
To catch it at its best, pretend TO retire,
put out the gas or lamp and 60 up stairs.
Afterward come down softly; light no more
than one lamp; 60 into the empty parlor and
seat yourself at the table with something to
read.
No sooner that you have done 50 than you
will hear little chip, chip, chip, chip along
the top of the room-a small sound, but per.
sistent. 1t is evidently the wall paper Is
coming of, and you decide, after sore trbu.
lstion, that If it does come of you can't help
1t, and 20 on with your book.
As you sit with your book In your hand
you begin to be quite sure that some one ID
coming down stairs. Squeak, squeak, squeak
What folly! There is nobody up there to
come down; but there-no, It is on the
kitchen stairs. Somebody is coming up.
Squeak, snap! Well, if It is a robber you
might as we'll face him. You can get the
poker and stand with your back against the
wall. Nobody comes up. Finally you decide
that you are q goose, put the poker down
get magazine and try to read.
There, that's the door. You heard the locl
turn. They are coming home. You ran tt
the back door, unlock and unbolt it, snt
peep out. Nobody is there; but as yor
linger the door gives click and makes yor
jump.
BY daylight neither lock nor stairs max.
any of these noises unless they are touched
or trodden on.
You 60 back to the parlor In hurry, will
tie feeling that the next thing you know
somebody may catch you by the the bacl
hair, and try to remember where you left of
Now it is the table that snaps and crack.
As If the spiritualist knocks where hidden in
Its mahogany. You do not lean on 1t heavily
without this result, but it fidgets you, ant
you take an easy chair and put the book on
your knee. Your eyes wander up and dowr
the page, and you grow dreamy, when, ap
parently, the bookcase fires off pistol.
At least a loud, fierce crack comes from
the heart of that piece of furniture. so loud
50 fierce, that you jump to your feet trem
bling.
You cannot stand the parlor any more
You 60 up stairs.
No sooner do you get there than it seem.
to you that somebody is walking on the roof
If the house is = detached one, and thu
thing is impossible, that makes it all th'
more mysterious.
Nothing ever moaned in the chimney be
fore, but something means now. There is I
ghostly step in the bathroom. You fine
out afterward that it is the tap dripping, bu
you do not dare to look at the time.
| And 1t Is evident that there is something
up the chimney-you would not like to asl
what.
If you have gas it bobs up and down in
phantom dance. If you have lamp it goe
out in a blue explosion. If you have |
candle a shroud plainly enwraps the wicl
and falls toward you.
The blinds shake as If hand clutche,
them, and finally doleful cat begins u
moan In the cellar. You do not keep cat
and this finishes you.
You pretend to read no longer, aAd sitting
with . towel over your head and face, ant
hearing something below 60 "Shew, shew
shew," like . little saw, you believe in the
old ghost stories.
Ten minutes aftsrward the bells ring; tn
belated one comes home; the lights are lit
perhaps something must be got TO eat
People talk and tell where they have been
and ask If you are lonesome.
And not stair creaks. No step is hear
on the roof; no click in the front door
Neither bookcase nor table cracks. TIL
house has On Its company manners-onl
you have found out how it behaves when
Is alone.