Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-08-03
I, A HAUNTED HOUSE.
strange sights Beheld by Two Ven
tursome 1exans-A CHASTITY Voodoo
Sacrifice.

seat, is an OLD deserted house that bears
the reputation of being haunted. and in
consequence is avoided by the colored
people at night, and is only passed in
broad daylight when company is to be
had The house presents IL most DESC
late appearance with its shutterless
windows and ruined chimney. 1t is
notable fact that no green thing grows
within one hundred feet of this house.
All around is as bare rs ii fire had laid
waste, but outside tn barren circle
immense oaks and lofty elms stand
like giant sentinels draped in the gray
moss that adds, with its funeral hang.
ings, TO the ghostly aspect of the place.
Various eXtravagant stories are in
circulation regarding this haunted
house, but no one has possessed any
accurate knowledge of its history and
mystery. The oldest inhabitants in
tho county say that thirty years ago
the place looked very much the same
as it does now. Indeed, decayed and
ruined as il is it seems as if time has
no power to demolish it. That it has
been left as n monument of n frightful
crime was proved by the sights wit
messed W thin it few nights ago by
two woll-known farmers of this neigh
borhood. One of these gentlemen
was riding along the road which runs
about two hundred yards from this
house, when his horse suddenly SHE'D
and all but threw him. The animal
was his ordinary saddle horse. and had
never been known to do such n thing
before. so Mr.. n. concluded that some
small insect had bitten him, for the
moon, shining brightly, showed that
there was no one near, at least in the
road. The large trees and under
growth on both sides. however, pre-
vented him from seeing any great dis
tance TO the right or left. The horse
refused TO stir. and on beng struck
with the whip reared up and then be-
gan to whinnv. as if in fright Mr.. A.
now decided to allght, and was about
TO do so when something ran across
the road, emerging from the under.
brush on the left and darling in the
direction of the house. Ii was gone
in n second. but Mr.. 4. saw that il was
a human form, bent and twisted in a
most unnatural manner. and about the
SIZE of a twelve-year-old g ri.
Whether the gentleman would have
tarried to investigate the matter alone.
had not his horse decided in the mega
tive, will never b. known, for the sa-
gacious animal took to his heels and
never stopped until he sached home.
But Mr.. y persuaded his brother-in-
law. Mr.. A, TO spend the next II ght
with him in the haunted house, and,
equipped with double. barreled shot
guns, a revolver. and plenty of candles.
the two departed. On reaching the
house half a dozen Of the candles were
disposed about the smaller Of the two
rooms tue house contained, and the
weapons handy. The second and back
room was nearly twice as large. and in
the middle of it stood large kettle
somewhat like those used now for boil
ing syrup in sugar mills. though this
had been there long before there was
such q thing rs n sugar mill in the
country. This kettle was red w tn rust,
and entirely empty
The gentlemen, after brief inspec-
ton. returned to the front room. The
windows were guiltless of glass and the
shutters. as ! said before. were gone.
SO that the wind caused the candles to
glare iitfully An unnatural silence
reigned. which Mr.. A. found so oppres-
siye that he proposed game of cards
TO his companion. who consented.
They PLAYED about an hour. when a
II fling odor. like the fumes Of sulphur,
filled the room and hand. long. hairy,
and gnarlei. with cruel, hooked fin
gers. made clutch at the cards and
flung them TO the floor. The hand
alone was visible. All about and be-
vond the wrist was curling smoke The
men sprang TO their feet and Mr.. A.
made an attempt to seize the hand, but
il was gone and half howl, half laugh
ran through the room.
Mr. y. says be felt himself slapped
in the face and could not see who
dealt the blow Running TO the guns
thew found that the charges of both
had been drawn. and the revolver was
dripping wet. though all three weap-
ons had been in their sight all through
the game of cards. The interior of the
room was dimly but sufficiently lighted
by the candles TO show them every OBJ
ject in it, and the sulphurous smell was
uudCCOlu pduIcu w ANY sHlOhc. w ullc
they gazed uneasily at each other the
house was violently shaken aud cries
OF exultatiou, terror. and pain broke
out from every part of IL. making n
hOrrid medley. There was sound of
running, naked feet ia the back room.
and the two men made rush for it.
The crazy door between the two apart.
ments was slammed loudly a they
passed through. They found the room
illuminated with an unearthly. yellow
ish light. which. curiously enough. APP
peared to emauate from the old kettle.
which. upon being approached. was
found to be filled with n simmering.
Transparent: mass, evidently hot, al
though there was no fire beneath the
kettle, While they looked the sound
of the naked feet flying about the room
was still heard. and presently the gen
tleman perceived child of a delicate.
fair appearance running round and
round the kettle. pursued by the
strange object which had frightened
Mr.. Ms horse the night before. This
creature had almost lost all resem-
blance to human being but possessed
the features of woman. Long, light