New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-02

and the grass was growing in TUFTS among h e,g
stones at the front door, as II the passer-Dy nau
long been accustomed 10 avoid n 700 near "oqu"in'
ance with the old tenement ,,,. ;d nc
Indeed. something about the building sald, as
MAINLY as a German version Of Tom Hoods poem
~Thc house is haunted
Nav the very street itself seemed TO be haun
ted. 1t was in great part deserted: Inc
tumble-down buildings on either sac OF tne pr
turesoue house seemed TO be devoid Of occupants,
and the few sordd and wretched houses III the
street which appeared TO enjoy the presence ol
tenants had, 10 my Imagination, ana III el 1
Gathering dusk Of evening, scared and terrileu
aspect. I,dor, - soid INV conduc.
tor. pointing to a large battered easement lusc
above the door, and when we go VIII tell you
what | know about it, That Will do, he con-
tinued. taking hold of my arm, you have seen
il. and il is not good to stay in the street. IL
Indeed it does. / replied, and we moved of,
not. fancy, without thrill of pleasure at leaN-
ing behind us the ghostly atmosphere OF tne
LederstrasSe. 4 few crows fitting inhabitants VI
the desoate street, were wheeling about the TOOLS
and chimneyS of the house rs we departed J.
| went with my acquaintance back to his loug-
ing, and there, over plentlinl SUPPLY 81 toid me
his experience of the house ana streeC we ii'''
quilted ,... allow
Twenty years ago-I was rather younger, then en-,
| fancy mean not in years merely, Dut III my
and hOpcs-I had recently come to this town, anu
before / was long in it heard much talk about
queer ghost quite unlike any ghost hau h ndor
or read Of which said to haunt the LeucI-
strasse, and which the people oil thls to"n 81
Hans Hubbler. down the Ganzstrasse. had seen
il when n bow and old Frau Hertzler had all Dut
died from fright when she was sixteen years
old in consequence of mere glimpse OF II. IL
was the celebrity of the little town. as well as 'c
We'll. mein Herr, 1 laughed at all Of the
Stories and grew very courageous over tne ma "a
ter in my cafe when the night grew late ana il1
bottle was low. Some of the fellows there tr Ti
10 chaff me on the score of my natlOnahly; him
Englander they said, always asserts that ne VIII
brave anythng-dog, or tend or 1r9uiei dI,,os
let him he put to the test, and he Is not 9i"aSe
SO brave as a lion Then one of them salu
This Herr Englander, here, he has hearo
enough and is brave but let him race TEST We
will give him if he be brave Englander' ana we
shall sec ,,,., -
So one night in the restaurant Kloppart III IN
the milk market-l remember well tnat Wsme
member that night. | was fired with coul axe
and | said. when they spoke of the ghost, thau
l would face it, come what might. .,o oo,r-
A grin of Incredibly passed over the coul.
tenances of my listeners, and they puIed, away at
their mines in conteInptuous silence. Vt last pig
boned Krantz Hubsc6er, the butcher, made me
bet that would not sleep for o, one nigh' III '"e
old house in the Lederstrasse alone. ..o,.oa
"Donc! | cried, and the money was sidhcu
not much, few silbergroschen, and was Picose"
to an adventure uoot rrr,bor
of the ghost stories / had myself read turned
upon some unused house or room ana aI unu u
taking to sleep there but lurt cnse had had
little resemblance TO any other ,specIraII
adventure Nor did this render my case less real
or less terrifying. ..o,Io.,.od coll mo
inst that so that may know what KIND OF an
appearance | am about TO face. 'Ach neln they
said. 'mein Herr must just see him as DC Is anu
90 the night was fixed upon, and the key OF
the ancient house procured: y mattress ana some
candles and also pistol at my Teauesb, WIZ one
inst over the doorway. a good bottle OF IcltlnSer
and supper for me were got ready, ana roaring
fire of big logs built up in the afternoon III inc
fireplace there. .. .o
The people living in the Lederstrasse were
much astonished and good deal interested at the
unwonted glare in the windows Of the haunted
house, and when they were informed OF te te" ';t
of the illumination, expressed good deal Oh pltS
for the mad Englshman whose craze had tempted
him to brave the ghost of the locality.
Might came-a dark night il was in November
with windy gusts every now and again GWeeplhS
down the street and among the crazy ola chim-
news There was a pale, glbbous moon Iat
showed herself at intervals from between the drllt
ing clouds in very werd ana said as Inr
self and thought. as ! felt little thrill come over
me, Shall l pay the small bet, ana nave zone
with the matter? Shall cry OIL, ana smoke my
usual hour in peace?' No! | decided. after bit
of consideration, will go through with my under
taking now, come what may. and Show these Ter
mans what an Englishman can do, ana Will 90, at
need L..
- So made all my preparations for my advee1-
ture, and about ten o'clock entered the mouse Win
two three friends, VINO had resolved 10 ac-
company me in order that they might see NE
comfortably disposed Of
The crazy old stairs creaked good deal as
we went up them, but the room looked exceedingly
cosey, for the great logs were smoulderlng III the
chimney and cast out an agreeable heat In all
the corners. and hanging from the beams, were
MANY dingy cobwebs the work of generations OF
spiders undcterTe0 from their work by the house S
evil reputation. Save these cobwcbs, my mattress,
a couple of chairs, and small round table upon
which stood my supper and the good DOttle OF
Zeltinger the room unfinished.
AS q further aid to courage | had provided
myself with flask of eau-de-ve, and, OF course,
MY friends, having cast an approving glance
around the room, sat down smoking for a few
minutes. then bade me guten abend and cute naoht.
and left me TO my meditatiOns.
Il listened TO their heavy boots as they went
stump stump. stump down the stairs, and to the
street door as it shut TO with bang.
q" was alone in the house of evil repute.
STAY bit | said to myself; this is perhaps
Joke trick and il will be with the living
Germans that | may have to deal. We'll, ~,
pistol will give an account Of them; but VIII
make myself rs safe as can
so | took from my pocket screw-driver and a
paper Of big screws, and with quiet smile at my
own cunning,-for of these screws had said moth
ing TO any one,-proceeded forthwith to screw up
the door.
"The door made fast, walked round the room
and carefully took stock OF it. There was small
corner cupboard. | opened this; nothing there
but SPIDERS their webs, and the carcasses Of their
| victims.
"On the other side Of the fireplace was very
low door, about the height of my shoulder,
Another cupboard, thought, and endeavorcd, for
long time without success, to prise il open
| When at last it yielded, | discovered with some
! surprise a step and another low door, evidently
strongly nailed up, and which, from its appearance
had been for ages in the same condition
This discovery gave me for the moment what
the ladies describe as a turn What strange
| thing ! said TO myself, a passage leading to
| somewhere; Just like these haunted chambers
usually have. However. | will take good care
that no one makes use of this passage tonight, at