, 1885-03-21
SPOOKS.
Spokane Falls Enjoys the Luxury Of a
Haunted House.


Haunted House.
Among the other many attractions
in and about Spokane Falls, there
has recently been added that Of a
haunted house, wherein the cheer
full disembOdied spirit holds high
carnival, and the spectral inhabitants
Of the silent and bewitchlng mid
night meet together to join in ghost
ly orgies, talk politics and frighten
the timid denizens OF this mundane
sphere out Of their seven senses.
Belated pedestrians, with a tenden-
cy to scare easily, shun the side OF
street upon which is located the
trysting place Of the jovial spOoks,
while the more courageous have
marched up to the premises, but, II
not really frightened, have had no
hesitancy in moving of at a speed
above that Of ordinary promenading
when having their ears saluted with
uncanny sounds. The building that
has been taken without the formali-
ty Of lease, by these airy nocturnal
registers, is the old Phoenix beer hall
that was the scene Of a sad chapter
in the city's history; that of the un-
provoked murder Of a young man
last summer, and which has been
unOccupied for several months. We
have heard vague rumors Of the
presence Of the ghost, but have, so
far, been unable to see anyone who
will admit of having seen anything
of a supernatural agency. Although
the belief is so strong that the unex-
plainable exists that 1t is not every
one you meet who will volunteer 10
take his blankets and camp in the
room over night 1t is said that on
a certain occasion, recently, man
passing had his attention attracted
by strange noise that seemed to
proceed from the room, and, going
carefully up the alley, he peered in
to a window. He didn't remain
rooted to the spot His legs refused
to allow his body to remain In the
neighborhoOd and he don't remem-
Der just how he soon did get to bed,
but it was only small fraction Of time
after taking one gaze, when he had
his head buried under the blankets.
He touches the subject tenderly and
has kept much more rational hours
ever since. What he saw could not
have grown out Of the character of
the fluid he had been drinking, as he
had religiously stuck close to water
that evening. To limited few, he
claims that when he reached the
window he saw the shadOwy outlines
Of man that shOne out with a phOs-
phOrous light. The shadOwy tenant
was walking with his back to the
window and was giving vent to a
noise sounding as though he was In
a good deal Of pain or was grOwllng
over the chilliness OF the night.
When the apparition turned about
and headed for the window one
glance was sufficient for the individ-
ua. Considering that the specter
would consider 1t an indelicate intru-
sion, the witness adjourned without
apology. He calculates that, with
ordinary luck, he will be able to out
live the sensation he experienced in
fifty or one hundred years. Making
all due allowance for vivid imagin-
alton and bristly fright, there Is
still left a margin for the belief that
the visitor from the other world Is
not II party that the average man
would choose for boon companion.
Since then, and perhaps before, (al-
though we have no data for going
behind the returns) attention has
been attracted to the spot by divers
unpleasant sounds, as II a whole col
ony Of the defunct were occasionally
congregated for jubilee. No thor
ough investigation has, 80 far, been
made. as the initiated have perhaps
felt a slight delicacy In forcing their
presence In company where they
were not invited. We suppose that
in time, when the thing becomes
shorn Of the glamour OF freshness,
some one will want to deprive the
public Of the benefit Of such an i'm
portant tributary to the popularity
of the Falls, and try to clear up the
mystery. We cannot say when the
boss spOok holds his receptions, but
II any one Is curious he can hang
around o. nights and find out for
himself. We are not paid for keep
ing a reporter on the spot.