The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-09
A Frightful Adventure.

While stopping at Atlanta, years ago, writes
The Gossip of the Philadelphia NeICS, / CON
cluded to take a cunning trip In the timber
about fifteen miles from a small town called
Jesup. | hired a colored man to accompany
me, and we took provisions enough with us TO
last three days We did not find very much
game, but enjoyed the trip immensely with
the exception of one incident. The first two
nights we were fortunate enough to get lodging
at farm houses, but as neither of us was
acquainted in that vicinity we got completely
lost the third day and it was quite dark when we
were fortunate, or rather in this case unfortun-
ate, enough to see large square house standing
a short distance ahead of u.s. There was no light
in the window, and il seemed to be untenanted
1t stood on desolate looking slope strewn with
powders and bare of vegetation. We ap-
preached it and began to reconnoiter. Its
empty" said my colored companion with
trembling voice, for, like most coored people.
he was very easily frightened | knocked on
the door vigorously. but there was no response
Finally we pushed open the door and walked
in. After striking a match, of which we had
taken the precaution to lay in a good supply
before we started we looked around and found
ourselves in spacious apartment. This and
two smaller rooms took up the whole of the
lower floor. All three we're furnished sparsely
but well
In the large room there was number of stiff
backed chairs, a couple Of beds, and plain
washstand On the table were a lamp, some
newspapers and magazines all dated several
months back, an inkstaud III which the fluid had
Caked from disuSe, and a pitcher with nothing
in it, All the windows were down and the air
was sitting. There was dust ON the table and
window sills, which seemed TO indicate that
they had not been busted for some time After
making thorough investigation down-sta
and concluding from the appearance of things
that there had been no recent occupancy of the
place, we went upstairs. Here were four bed
rooms all furnished, and the windows were
also all down on this floor. Everything was as
silent and lonesome as the grave: We opened
the windows and proceeded to make
home. COnRratuplQfpp
other during the meanwhile on
our good luck in having stumbled on such com
Portable quarters. Presently we crawled into
one of the beds. did not go TO sleep however
The more l thought about the matter the
stranger it seemed to me that this large fur
nished house should be standing there I'm.
tenanted. There must be some reason-some
history connected with II. felt creeping in
my veins, and then 1t flashed across my mind
that the door had not been locked. Could it be
possible that the house was haunted? / had
often laughed at such things, but the very idea
appalled, me now. Perhaps some horrible crime
had been committed therel Suddenly became
aware that the colored man was trembling VIC
lently what is the matter?' l asked the
sound Of my own voice making the cold chills
creep up my spinal column. Let's get up"
was all he said, and il was with con
siderable Of an effort that he articulated.
IAN right" said l, and we both hoped
out on the floor. In few moments we were
dressed. downstairs and outside. The moon
had risen and was flooding everything with a
white glare We both gave sigh of relief as
we turned round to survey the building from
the outside. There was an inscription over the
door, which, with the assistance of the rays of
the moon we could easily read, but which we
had, of course, not seen when we entered the
house We both noticed it at the same time,
and to be honest we both screamed at about
the same instant after we had done so. We
did not lose a second, but ran-ran with all the
clumsy heetness of abject fear, stumbling,
falling down. scrambling up again, always
faster, however until we must have gone at
least five miles and we sank down with sheer
exhaustion. What do you suppose we had
SEEM II was a simple legend: Smallpox
hospital" l escaped, but my colored com
panion took the disease two days afterward
and died In less THAI week.