Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-09
A HOTEL MYSTERY.
by Olive Harper.

In the latter part Of April, 1873, ]
went to the Metro politan Hotel in
New York, which Is situated at the
corner Of Broadway and Prince
streets. and was assigned &c room
"242" This room frOnted on Prince
street and was about 10 feet wide by
Is long. with an alcove for the bed
from the main hall, while a narrow
hall led from the Dain hall to the
room by the side Of the alcove. / am
thus particular in describing the
room, because it has direct bearing
upon the story shall relate.
The room has but one window and
beside that is the fireplace, and both
together take up the entire wall space.
An Old-fashioned bureau stood by
the window on the left hand on en-
tering the room. A stationary wash
stand, with movable gas burner
above, was placed between the bureau
and the door leading TO the little hall.
A rather faded Brussels carpet GOV.
cred the floor, and q small oval mar.
ble-tOpped table stood in the center
OF the room. A couple of easy chairs
and two plain ones also stood about
On the right hand side OF the room
was a wardrobe near the foot Of the
bed, Just outside the alcove, and be
tween that and the fireplace was q
lounge. This completed the furnish
ing of the room.
/ had arrived from q railroad Jour
ncy and was very tired, but 10 superb
health. | never was one likely ia
Indulge in visions, and wish it dis
tinctly understood that | am. not a
apiritualist and do not believe in spir.
itual manifestations in any way. !
relate what | have to say just as it
happened, leaving the explanation to
any one who can explain it.
arrived, as l say, and was given
This room. l had my dinner served
In the room, and sat there until nearly
midnight writing letters, and then
calling the bell boy and giving him
the letters. / closed and locked the
outer hall door, and then the inner
one, and after looking at several pho.
tographs of friends, left them and
my writing materials on the table
and went to bed, first assuring myself
that there was no possibility Of any
one entering the room by the window.
There were no transOms, only sort
Of window blind slatwork over the
head Of the bed for air. | left the
gas turned up slightly. and the little
table by the side of the stationary
washstand, where had drawn it for
the sake of light, there being no other
burner In the room.
Being very healthy, tired and not
troubled by bad conscience or di.
Restfon, went to sleep almost as soon
"a l was comfortably settled in bed,
and ! do not know how long slept
Suddenly l awokc and sat bolt up.
right In bed, and saw two men in the
room. The light was bright and they
were seated at the right hand side OF
The room at the foot of the bed. One
was sitting on the sofa and the other
on q chair, and the little marble.top
table was between them. and on this
table they were playing euchre.
heard no words, but knew that it W as
cuohre. because | understand that
game fairly well myself.
He who was sitting, or rather re.
dining. on the sofa was a delicate
looking man. like one in poor health,
and he was dressed in light suit of
clothes. He had thin reddish hair
and struggling beard. His forehead
was unusually broad and high and
The rest of his face was SO thin that
the pointed beard gave him peculiar
look. His hands were long and thin,
and his left wrist was misshapen, as
Eit had been broken and badly set.
The other man was stout, dark. with
piercing black eyes. and eyebrows
that seemed to stand out straight.
His hair was straight and thick and
very black and shining His nous
tache was thick and dropping. At
one corner Of the mouth can't re-
member which-was little scar like
Tho letter Y in shape, and his face
and chin had that peculiar blue tingc
that some dark men have when newly
ehaved. He was handsome, wi,hal
he was dressed in dark clothing
They played out one hand and hSd
played one trick on the next, when |
noticed they seemed angry and quar-
toling, though heard no sound, and
IN an instant the dark man drew a
knife and stabbed the other in the
teh breast. The knife penetrated 10
The very hilt. He shivered a little,
his eyes closed, and he was dead.
Then the other one rose and lifted
the inert right arm and drew il for.
ward. and clasped the hand around
Tho handle Of the knife and pushed
the table closer until it held the elbow
OF the dead man from falling again.
Then he gathered up the Cards. put
them in his pocket, and in an instant
the whole scene had disappeared, and
I tell back in bed and knew no more
until morning.
Knight give long description Of
my terrors and work up thrilling
tale, but as l am simply narrating
faots must say that was not fright.
ened. was more surprised than
anything else. and the whole took
place SO suddenly that | had not time
10 get frightened. until ii WAS all over,
and when l awoke in the morning |,
bad almost passed from my mind. as
y thought II was a dream. But when
l rose and went into the room saw
that the table stood by the side of the
lounge and all my photographs and
papers were on the bureau. Still
0td not attach great importance TO
that even, as had walked some in
my sleep when young. and In the
press of business next day 1t went en-.
&irely out of my mind.
That night was reused in precise
u 10 the same manner as before. and
saw the same thing precisely. In
inc morning the table stood by the