Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1884-02-06
The Mystery Of the
Metropolitan.
TOliye Harper.

is situated at the corner Of Broadway and
Prince street, and was assigned to room
.242n This room fronted on Prince street
oud was about ten feet wide by fifteen
long with an alcove for the bed adjoining the
main hall while narrow hall led from the
| main 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 entering the room. A stationary wash
stand, with a movable gas burner above, was
| placed between the bureau and the door lead
| ING into the little hall. A rather faded Brus-
sells carpet covered the floor, and small oval
handicapped table stood in the centre OF
the room A couple of easy chairs and two
plain chairs also stood about. On the right
| hand side of the room was wardrobe near
the foot of the bed, just outside the alcove,
and between that and the fireplace was
I lounge. This completed the furnishing of the
room. {,
I had arrived from railroad journey and
was very tired, but in superb health.
never was one likely to indulge in visions;
and wish it distinctly understood that am
not Spiritualist, and do not believe in
spiritual manifestations in any way. re-
late what have to say just as it happened,
leaving the explanation to any one who can
explain it.
| arrived, as / say, and was given this
room had my dinner served in the room,
and sat there until nearly midnight writing
letters, and then calling the bell beg 'and
| L., tl,o r md
the outer hall door, and then the inner one,
and after looking at several photographs Of
friends, 1 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 slat-work over the head of the bed for
air. left the gas turned up slightly, and the
| little table by the side of the stationary wash
| stand, 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 a bad conscience or digestion, went to
| sleep almost as soon as l was comfortably
settled in bed and do not know how long
slept. Suddenly woke and sat bolt upright
| 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 my
bed. One was on the sofa and the other on
chair, and the little handicapped table was
between them, and on this table they were
playing euchre. heard no words, but knew
| it was euchre, because l understand that
game fairly well myself.
He who was sitting, or rather reclining, on
the sofa was delicate-looking man, like one
in Door health, and he was dressed IN light
suit of clothes He h ad thin reddish hair and
struggling bea I'd. His forehead was unusr-
ally broad and high, and the rest OF his face
was so thin that the pointed beard gave MIN
a peculiar look. His hands were long and
thin, and his left wrist was misshapen, as if
it had once been broken and badly set.
The other man was stout dark, with pierre
ing black eyes, and eyebrows which seemed
to stand out straight His hair was straight
| and thick and very black and shining. His
mustache was thick and dropping, At one
corner of the MOUTH can't remember which
was a little scar like letter V in shape,
and his face and chin had that peculiar blue
tinge that some dark men have when newly
shaved. He was handsome, withal. He was
dressed in dark clothing. They had played
out one hand and had played one trick on the
next, when noticed they seemed angry and
quarreling, though heard no sound, and in
an instant the dark man quickly drew knife
and stabbed the other in the left breast The
knife penetrated to the very hilt He shiv'
cred little, his eyes closed, and he was dead.
Then the other one rose and lifted up the
inert right arm and drew it forward, and
clasped the hand around the handle OF the
knife and pushed the table closer uabil it held
the elbow of the dead man in such a position
as would keep the arm frorr falling again.
<esaEne gathered up we cards, put them
into his pocket, took up his hat, and-in an IN.
slant thu whole scene had disappeared, and l
| fell back in the bed and knew no more until
morning.
I might give a long description of my ter
rors and work up thrilling tale, but as
am simply narrating facts I must say that
was not frightened. was more surprised
than anything else, and the whole took place
SO suddenly that had not time to get fright
ened until it was all over, and when awoke
in the morning it had almost passed from my
mind, as I thought it but dream. But when
rose and went into the room saw that the
table stood by the side of the lounge and al
my photographs and papers were on the
bureau. Still did not attach great impor-
lance to that, even, as had walked in my
sleep some when I was young. and in the
press of business the next day it went en-
tirely out of my mind.
That night I was reused in precisely the
same manner as before, and saw the same
thing precisely. In the morning the table
stood by the sofa again, and all the things
that had been on it were on the bureau. This
surprised me good deal, and must con-
fess to feeling little ''crawly" about it; still
much occupation during the day almost ef
faced the impression before night. The third
evening spent with some friends, and re
turned about II o'clock, and almost immedi
ately retired, to go through exactly the same
experience; and then in reality began tc
feel uncomfortable and not to care about go
ing to bed. determined to fix things sc
nobody could move that TABLE did not be
lieve in supernatural agency, and took q
rope that had been around my trunl
and tied that table fast to the leg OF the bu
reau and tied more knots than could have
united in half an hour, piled some things OF
the top and went to bed, leaving the gas fully
turned on. Iawoke next morning after hav
ing been the unwilling witness of it all again
and the rope lay on the floor and all the
things with it.
declared to myself that would not sleel
In that room another night, though did moi
think spirits had anything to do with it
| called chambermaid and asked her IL she
| could not sleep jim the room with me. Sh'
said that it was against the rules, but tina
she would speak to the housekeeper. 81
Katy did, and the housekeeper came down
had a conversation with her and asked hei
if any one had ever complained in any way o.
that room. She hesitated, and finally sale
that sick lady once had insisted on beins
changed to another room, but did not offel
any explanations. did not either, but de
cided not to give up without one more trial
4 and this night determined not to fall asleel
at ALL and SO Isat up reading, or rather try
ing to read, until nearly H. and then
did not quite feel as though Twanted to no
main in the same room, and desired as much
protection as the alcove room would give
though there were but curtains to separate
the rooms.
SO I sat up in bed there for about half an
hour. All in an instant the whole thing was
before me again, and I did feel somewhat
queer and chilly, but watched the progress
| Of the whole tragedy again, and, as decided