The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-06
CHE G'ttslliqsacer.
ons-l Nos, As and 81 Fourteenth Street,
THE HAUNTED HOUSE.

N@A NNAA ~ ~ 49, a " " OA@s
The oldtheatrs'gOCr hsdjust told a story
about a haunted house. The old come
dian had pulled his cigar and listened at
tenhvsly to the finish. He didn't smile
and look inCEedulous. His facs looked
very much like the face of thoughtful
monk, 1t was evident something was
working on his mind, Lighting a fresh
cigar and tipping back in his chair till
that pondrous stomach, which ever since
the days Of Edwin Forrest, sbrewd mana.
gers had considered worth $40 q week on
the stage, rose Ike an African ant hill
above the horizon OF the round table, be
began strokipg his long white hair and
smoking very hsId. Then he drew a long
bTeath-lougeT than most men could draw
70 save their necks, That breath was u
sure sign, He was going 10 speak.
~ slept In haunted house one night"
he began, Tor rather stayed in one, |
dldu'G sIesp much, kept my eyes open
and watched things while the haunting
was going on, ! found out all about II
was scared little ut frat; aiterwaEi |
was interested.
"lt was VIXEN was playing at the Arch
Street Theatre in Philadelphia, b1iore the
war, Then they had stock companies,
you know, We'll, some kind OF i show
that didn't want the theatre company en-,
gagged the theatre for q fortnight, and the
mansgeT, rather than have lis company
loatug around under psy, directed me to
take them GU small CiICult through
some OF the back towns In the State and
play Hamlet, The Willow Copse,' and q
few smaller pieces. The first town We
struck was Lancaster. | decided TO give
them Hamlet. When it was nearly time
for the performance 10 begin, We found
that the fellow who played double part
the grave digger aHd the gaost-hnd
been taken painfully III. lie was snbivct
to such attacks. lie had u fresh case oil
delirium tremens.
"rnefe was considerable lusking IN the
profession those days, but We didn't take
oil Hamlet Just for one case OF snakes
you know, We could have run in ghost
and q grave digger somehow, even II | had
not found another man, But | was in
luck, found an old actor In town who
was loahng that season because some
property had fallen TO him, and he wanted
a little time 10 go through it. lie was a
deyilish smart actor, too. l took fancy
TO him, and, alter the performance, in,
vited him out to take drink. He made
one Of the strangest replies ever knew
an actor Of those days 10 make. He &C,
tuslly told me that he drank very little,
and that little always at home. As a
sure indication, he said, that my kind.
ness was appreciated (he was as pompous
a talker as old Ned UonnOr) he wished
me tospsnd the night with him. never
miss an opportunity, and l accepted,
"He had comfortable quarters and, q
good wide bod. / take pretty wide one
myself, you know. Before turning in he
took down from little Old-iaahioned closet
in the wall a quart bottle Of whisky and
we each took drink. He invited me to
drink Just as much more as | wanted to
AS for himself, he never took but one
dink a day, aud that just before going to
bed.
II hadn't been asleep very long when /
was awakened. My friend was getting up.
The light from street lamp streamed In
at the window, and / began 10 survey him,
"What's the matter? SiOkP' / asked.
mo answer. Ipulled myself up in bed
rubbed my eyes, and looked at him still
harder. There was an expression on his
face as blank as the side Of a barn. The
elaboration with which he walked was
blood curdling. II he had played the
ghost half so well be would have Tighten
ed the audience out Of The theatef. He
was steering for the closet. The truth
tlawned on me. He was s0mnambulist
He was somnambuliziug. Was looking
at him. must have appeared like big
owl sitting up there In bed. Reaching the
closet, no took that bottleof whisky in one
hand, q glass In the other, turned out q
laundering big drink, downed 1t, and
stalked back 10 bed.
"rhat, thought, was the greatest speci-
men Of somnamhulislp | had everssen. Did
l lie down and 10 to sleep agaln2 Oh, no.
sat up and looked ct the duller. Ididn't
relish the idea, you know, Of trusting my
unconscious carcass 10 the whims Of an
inebriHted sompambulist whose business II
was when awake to do picturesque shoot.
ing and BtabblDg acls on the stage. For
about ten minutes he slutnbered as peace
fully as q child. Then he got up sgaln
and az deliberately as before took snpther
big drink. He went on lomnambuliylng
again and sgain, once In about ten min.
utes. didn't time him. | forgot II. /
| iust looked OF him. Each time he took a
bigger drink than before. His stride be-
Van 10 lose something Of lis statelinesS as
he cot on, but his actions were quite az
deliberate as eyer. Ats O'Clock the bottle
waS half empty. He had somnGmbuliysd
ak times. W. rather funny that didn't
think 10 pet rp and tak0 4 drink myself,
Int I Sas interested looking at him,
tiIvhen he a. hack into bsd after the sew
antb ro,,nd / saleulstedthat II he had beer
swate he wouid have ielt like painting the
town n lancaster a deem crimson. But
IN Slssn scanned 10 be- beeoninV soundel
AMI sonndsr, His BREATHING grew loudel
and lander, began 10 envy Elm. WEN
notS y
ION the eighth drink he wAyered A llEtlt
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