The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-09
GHOST OF THE TORTURED HOSIER.
A SPECTRE OF UNCONVENTIONAL TYPE.


berg. Among other things / noticed a
sketch OF a certain picturesque old house
which | had indeed seen, but the locality of
which / did not remember at the time.
mentioned this fact.
"Ach nein. l have not shown you him.
He ia in the Lederstrasse," he replied. "We
will see him together auf morgen."
On the morrow, accordingly, we walked
together to the Lederstrasse
Az we entered the dirty old street my
companion remarked: II have never been
in this street for twenty years or more, and
l never wished to enter it again"
MY curiosity was reused.
"WhyY" inquired.
II got SO great a fright here onoe, and l
was 80 much laughed att he answe ed.
"Why, what is there about this street to
frighten you? 1t is old enough, certainly.
and quaint enough, and smells rather
pah3' l exclaimed. as a full-fiavored Ger
man stencil saluted my n%ostrils; but moth
ing terrible. after ALL"
well, mein herr, it is not the street; it is
not the street; it il t at house, and-the
ghost in it," the Anglo-German replied.
with a sort of shuddsr, so to speak, in his
voice. .
ooh, oh! then you have not lived long
enough yet, and you are not quite a boy, to
got rid Of your snperstitions, sh? You are
still afraid of ghosts, are your"
II was afraid of what l saw" he replied,
with a certain amount of dignity, as. if
hurt by my light manner and my tones of
mockery.
My curiosity was of course reused. and 1
doubt not yours, reader, would have been
by this speech, and l WAS about to question
him further. when, pointing with his stick.
he said briefly:
THAT'S the house, then.''e
l looked, II recognized in the ancient
timbered ediice on the further side OF the
street the original of the chalk sketch in his
lodgings.
1t was a tumble-down pile, with over
hanging stories. and carved Charge board"
having, moreover, q curiously twisted CHM
ney of ancient, ruddy brickwork. and GER
tain obscure remains of armorial bearings
over the door. There was n date which,
however, L could only make out in its state
of dilapidation to be Is and something or
other.
The edifice seems to have been long de-
serted, and the grass was growing in tufts
among the stones at the front door, as if
tho passer-by had long been accustomed to
avoid a too near acquaintance with the old
tenement.
Indeed, something about the building
said, as plainly as a German version Of
Tom Hoods roem could have said:
The house il haunted"
Nay, the very street itself seemed to be
haunted. 1t was in a great part deserted.
The tumble-down buildings on either side of
WIG picturesque ACube SE9IleU TO Do QovO1Q
of occupants, and the few sordid and
wretched houses in the street which APP
peared to enjoy the presence of tenants,
had, to my imagination, and in the gather
ing dusk of evening, a scared. and terrified
aspect.
conductor. pointing to a large. battered
easement just above the door, and when
We go will tell you what | know about it.
That. will To-" he continued, taking hold of
my arm, you have seen it, and it is not
good to stay in the street; it chills the
blood, | imagine"
Indeed it do .s," I replied. and we moved
off, not. l fancy, without II thrill of pleasure
at leaving behind usthe ghostly Atmosphere
of the Lederstrasse. A few crows, fitting
inhabitants of the desolate street, were
wheeling about the roofs and chimneys of
the house rs We departed.
went with my acquaintance back to his
lodging, and there. over n plentiful supply
of lager-bier, and the smoke of two big
pipes, he told mo his experience of the
house and strest We had quilted.
Twenty years ago-I was rather younge,
then, l faEc3; | mean not in years merely,
but in life and hopes--I had recently come
to this town, and before l was long in it l
heard much talk about a queer ghost, quite
| milk any ghost | had heard or read of,
which was said to haunt the Lederstrasse
and which the people of this town so much
dreaded.
"Hans Hubbler, down the Ganzstrasse
had sen 1t when a boy, and old Frau
Hertzler had all but died from fright, when
she was l6 years old, i'll consequence of II
mere glimpse OF it. 1t was the celebrity OF
the little town, as we'll as the bette noir OF
the place.
matter in my cafe when the night grew late
and the bottle was low. Some of the fell.
lows there tried to chat me on the score OF
my nationality. Elm Enelander,' the,
said always asserts that he will brave any
~thing-dog, or fiend, or raulein-but lei
ways SO brave as a lion.' Then one of then
Said:
This Herr Englander, here, he hal
heard enough and is brave. but lot him fac,
n test we will give him if he be Il brave
Highlander, and we shall see.'
$50 one night in the restaurant Kloppart
in the milk markell remember we'll tina
night. Aoh, mein herr! is that door fast
So! remember that night. was free
with courage, and l said, when they spok,
of the ghost, that l would face it, DOM,
what might.
"a grin of in%credulity passed over tn,
countenances of my listeners, INK the,
silence. At last b%ig-boned krantz Hub
scher, the butcher, made me a bet that
would not sleep for one night in the ole
house in the Lederstrasse alone.
"Done!" l cried, and the money WA
staked; not much, a few silbergroschen
and l was pledged to an adventure.
ut struck me afterward that a grea,
number of the ghost stories l had myself
read turned upon some unused house O.
room and an undertaking to sleep there
but further than this, as you will see, my
case had little resemblance to any othel
spectral adventure. MOI did this render
nv case less real or terrifying.
"sWhat sort of n ghost is itT l asked
tell me just that 30 | may know what kline
OF an appearance | am about to face 'Act
neinr they said, 'mein herr must soc him
just as he is, and enjoy him Ms WE'LL
80 the night was fixed upon, and the key
of the ancient house procured. A mat.
tress and some candles. and also n pistol
at my request. were taken into the bigges'
way. A good bottle of Ieltinger and a sup
per for me were got ready, and a roarin,
fire of big logs was built in the afternoon IL
the fireplace there.
1.-The people living in the Lederstrass,
were much astonished and II good deal in
t~erested in the unwonted glare in the win
dows of the haunted house. and, when the,
were informed of the reason of the illumi
nation, expressed u good deal of pity for tn,
mad Englihhman whose craze had tomptoC
him to bravo the ghost Of the locality.
might oame-a dark night il was In
November, with windy gusts every now and
again sweeping down the street and among
| the crazy old chimneys. There was a pale
I gibbous moon that showed herself at inter.
walls from between the drifting clouds in 4