Mower County transcript., 1890-07-23
INTERVIEWING A GHOST.
The Strange Case of Smith, the
Reporter.

"Five years ago was newspaper re-
porter, poor and temperate. wish to
impress the latter fact on the mind Of
the reader in tho beginning, otherwise
the following tale might lead to other
conclusions Now I have as much
money as need, can take drink when
desire to do so, and only write when
the spirit moves me to do so. - Es
lit all came about in a most singular
and unearthly manner, too. At that
time l was employed on an afternoon
daily, and one morning when showed
up at tho city editors desk for instruo-
tions, he sent all the other boys out
first then. turning to mo, knocked the
ashes from his cigar. and said:
"'Smith, how is your supply Of nerve
this morning?
If he had asked me whether or not
had made my last will and testament
l should not have been any more sur
prised; but ! managed to keep my face
from revealing the astonishment felt,
and answered.:
"'Well, the supply is equal to the de-
mand, so far as know
"'How would you like to tackle q
ghost tonight for an interview was
the next question asked, as he looked
from the corner Of his eye, presumably
to see how far would jump at the start
ling question.
II did Tot jump, but felt my flesh
crawl at the very thought Every re-
porter knows that when he refuses an
assignment his resignation Is the next
thing in order This flashed through
my mind, but although poverty had its
heavy cloven foot on my neck, and l
needed every dollar could make, still
at that particular moment did not
care so much for losing my position as
did for the thought that l might be
laughed at by tho braver Of the profess
sion, SO answered, as calmly as Icould:
That depends somewhat on what
sort of q ghost it is. hope would not
shrink from o ghostof q chance, or pos
sibly from q real, genuine graveyard
ghost; but no doubt, could tell more
about that after seeing one.'
We'll, Smith. Well give you a
chance ut the genuine article this time,
went on the editor. News is a little
fat just now. and we need something to
freshen up matters. There is haunted
house in the suburbs 1t has been va
cant for years because of the unsocia-
bility and exclusiveness of the present
occupant. l desire that you spend to-
night in that house. Give detailed
report of your visit, a minute picture Of
the surroundings, and try to get some
thing from his or her ghostship. if such
thing as ghost exists. You can go
out an hour or two before dark and get
your bearings
with that he turned to the work. be-
fore him, and for a moment stood as
one in a stupor. | thought it just as
probable that would turn tho river up
stream as that l would see or hear a
should stumble on one; but l left the
room with firm resolve to do as bid
den, let come what would.
ut may be imagined that I suffered
from fits and starts during the day.
Sometimes cold perspiration stood out
on my brow in great beads; then again
would be parched and feverish.
"AD hour before sundown stood be-
fore the house in which was to spend
the night had made up my mind to
write up the place while l waited for
his ghostship to appear, and l firmly
expected to wait all night and leave in
the morning without seeing or hearing
any thing out Of the ordinary. That
was in my callow days, so far as ghosts
are concerned.
''The premises looked as if they had
once been the comforta BILE home of some
well-to-do person but as stood there I
could p2t help observing that the
'g1a~1ng sooth of time had gotten in
its work. The front gate stood half
open in a disconsclate sort of way, and
in many places the once neat picket
fence in front of the house was down,
and blackened by alternate rain and
sunshine.
ut was in early fall, and the yard was
overgrown with rank weeds. The
building was outlined dark and desolate
against the paling eastern sky. The
window shutters hung listlessly from
their fastenings, and mournfully
creaked at the slightest breath of wind.
II made my way toward the front
door in about the same manner that a
culprit walks up to the altar of justice
with a good deal of hesitancy and
trepidation.
II placed my hand to the handle OF
the door and the bolt yielded with a
grating protest Agentle pressure, and
the creaking hinges sent a myriad OF
echoes bounding and rebounding
throughout every part of the house. l
looked into the hall and saw that every
thing there was dusty and time-worn.
The carpets and rugs, once the best the
market afforded, were old and faded.
II ventured in ard closed the door.
Strange to say, that every moment all
tear left me. This was another sur
prise. Iexpected that my knees would
smite together, and that would hardly
get out Of there alive. pinched my
arm to assure myself that had not sue
cumbed ard fallen to the floor, or that l
had not been asleep and dreamed it all
II involuntarily placed my hat on a
rickety old hat-rack in the hall, and
then explored the rooms On the ground
floor. All were furnished, but the cush-
ions had moldered from the chairs so