The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-01-24
THE HAUNTED HOUSE.

In the fall Of 1866 ! was living in
, Philadelphia, occupying bachelors
quarters, but congratulating myself
upon the fact that my clearinghouse
, existence would soon be changed into
living in a home. The partner of my
joys, who was TO occupy that home
with me, was a young lady born in
the city of Penn, whom it is not neces-
sary to describe, as she is now looking
over my shoulder at the lines l am
writing.
We were to be married the day
after Christmas, and the wedding was
to be double one, for my old friend,
Fred Doolittle, was to marry the sis
ter Of my Ella.
Where was the home to be located ?
This was the question l was trying to
answer at the time of which l am
writing. l did not want to rent. /
wanted the home to be our home by
title as well as by occupancy. ] had
a few thousands of dollars but not
enough to buy in the city in a good
neighborhood. We---that is, Ella and
I-had talked the matter over and con-
cluded we could be very happy in a
modest home with couple of acres
of ground attached, and not more than
an hours ride by cars from the city.
Every day for several weeks / looked
for such a place. / read the closely
printed columns of the Ledger undeu
the head of Real Estate for Sale,0
but saw nothing | thought would suit
us, until one Friday / read a glowing
description of the very place we
wanted-only the house was larger
than necessary-and was greatly sur
pTsed at its cheapness. The adver-
tisement referred for further particu-
lars to Mr.. Smalls, on Walnut street,
near Fourth.
at once went to Mr.. Smalps office,
| and learned he had gone out few
minutes before 1 called. l made my
business known to a tall clerk in
charge, who seemed to smile when l
mentioned the house, and said "I
am very sorry, but MIR. Smalls has
gone out to show a house to a Gus
toner, and the keys to the house you
want to see are in the bunch with the
ones he has taken"
g want to see the house to-day if
possible" l answered. "a train will
start in an hour, and l would like to
go by it.n
If you are very anxious" replied
the clerk with a very apparent grin,
think you can get the back-door
key from the owner, who lives out
Arch street, almost on your way to
| the station"
got the owners name and ad-
dress, and entering the first passing
car, rode out to Twentieth street, and
then walked three squares to Arch,
and ringing the bell at the proper num-
ber was shown into a Handsomely
INN 18Th I'd rltrrw Il.
owner of the house soon entered.
When 1 stated my business, he smiled
as the clerk had done, and asked /:
" Do you think you would like the
house p"
" If it is according to the descrip-
| tion, l think | will" / answered.
" Have you heard anything about
Nothing but what the paper says.D
Then / may as well be frank with
you," he said, and tell you the house
has the name of being haunted"
/ didn't like the idea of living in a
haunted house, for I wanted to enjoy
my wife's society without ghostly in
reference. But l was not a believer
in spirits, and accounted fop all the So
called manifestations as the theory of
simple mental action on the part of
the person affected. Besides, think
ing it would be sport to show the
owner how foolish and unfounded was
the belief that the house was haunted,
[ at once answered: 81 don't believe
it.n
" All right" said the gentleman,
here are the keys. You may go
and sleep a night or two in the house
if you wish. There are two chambers
provided with beds, one on the second
and the other on the third floor.
Take your choice"
1 didn't hesitate, and took the KEYS.
| Why should | fear ghosts There
were no such things, and felt l was
match for any one who might at
tempt to play ghost. In fact, rather
Drded myself on my physical develop
ment, and | was considered as brave
as the ordinary man.
AS some preparation was necessary.
[ abandoned the idea of taking the
next train, and concluded to wait until
6 O'clock in the evening. When that
hour came / was in the cars, with
some matches, candles and two re-
volvers in my pockets and a heavy
cudgel in my hand. If there was any
one about the house anxious to play
ghost / proposed giving him the op-
portunity of being one in earnest.
had calculated on being at the haunted
house at Z o'clock, but on account OF
a delay, caused by derailed freight
train, 1t was two hours past that time
when l reached the station. / had
but a quarter of a mile to walk, and
after being directed by the station
master, who looked suspiciously al
the cudgel, / started off al a brisb
pace, and in less than four minutes
came to a house which stood amone
, the trees, three rods from the road
AS / saw light in one of the win.
dOws, l thought it could not be the
house I wanted, and walked to the
adjoining dwelling, q few hundred
feet farther on, which was perfectly
dark. There was nothing suspicious
looking about the place, and / at once
went to the back door and inserted
the key, which did not appear to fl
| very we'll. While / was at work witt
the key in one hand and the knob il
the other, an upper window, imme
diately over my head, was Opened
and a white figure appeared.
stepped back, and drawing a revolver
said You needn't play ghost will
me. Come down here or 1 win fire.
. The answer was a scream, un
earthly, but not ghostly, sounding
very much as if it came from tn
= throat Of mortal woman. Th
scream was followed by the opening
of two other windows, and two NOR
white figures appeared. / thought /
was a very good night for ghosts
when it occurred to me that / Nigh
] have made a mistake, PARTICULAR,
over the window-sill and asked
- "What do you want %
"Isn't this Mr.. Pinkney's house P
l said.
No, ii is not, answered the holde
of the gun.
"Then I have made a mistalre,s
suggested.