Nevada County picayune., 1892-01-21
NIGHT IN A HAUNTED HOUSE

haunted.
 A murder had been committed ten years before, and since then the poorest laborer in the county would not take the place for present.
 Beggars had tried to live there but had failed to secure sufficient rest to live upon,
 Tramps had been known to clint in at the windows, but they clint out of them before daylight.
 Not dog would stay there.
 It was a genuine haunted house.
 And so, being down at my friends for a visit, l resolved to investigate the matter, and declared that would stop rthere, at least one night more, if necessary.
 Well Frank, you'll be sorry il you do, l assure you," said Mir Gibson.
 ''The house is haunted" said Mrs Gibson.
 Yes, sir-haunted, !" declared the friend of the family, who was smok- ing his cigar on the porch.
 Sure, and I saw the ghost my l
 self, sir, :" said little Biddy, nursing the baby on the lower step.
 linen Pm going to sleep there tonight, " declared. i've alway: wanted to see a ghost
 l stuck to my determination. went to the little house that night and carried thither a mattress, a blanket or so, and a revolver It was a warm night in summer and the little place was dry enough l refused all company.
 'Ghosts never appear to large parties" said. If l need help will fire my revolver out of the win dow. You'll hear that"
 And so, half scolding, half laugh ing, they let me have my way.
 At eleven o'clock l retired to my couch with a book and kerosene lamp, and by midnight l had reaC myself to sleep.
 What awakened me 1 do not know but l suddenly sat up in bed with ; feeling of great discomfort abou mo.
 The lamp was burning, my bool lay where l had dropped it, and had a feeling that something was il the room.
 A trick is about 10 be played up on me, !" l thought, and started tC my feet.
 Of course l had not undressed and, holding my revolver in my hand looked about me.
 l saw nothing, but heard quec sound. It was as though peopl, were snapping their fingers al about me.
 1 could associate the sound witt nothing else. It was not a cracking or ticking, it was positive snap ping sound.
 Yet some insect might have made it. That should not discompose me
 At last the sound ceased suddenly as it began, and another took it. place-a pattering as of bare fee walking about.
 They went in and out of the door upstairs and down.
 1 could have sworn that such feet were pattering all about me, had been blind.
 But the moon shone brightly, anC l went from room to room with mN lamp, but saw nothing,
 Returning to my room l lay dowr again, and now q low beating began
 It was as though stick had been struck upon the floor at intervals of two minutes.
 And suddenly acurious thing hap pencd. All the bed-clothes were drawn entirely off me, and throwr into one corner of the room.
 Now, for the first time, l began tC feel nervous. l sprung to my feet and rushed into the entry, thinking that some one must be concealed without the door, with some con trivance for twitchng away the blan- kets; but the house was empty.
 went downstairs; l peeped in to closets; Iexplored the cellar, and I returned to my room. That was no longer empty npon my bed lay a man.
 He was a rough-looking fellow dissipated in appearance, and dressed in ragged clothes; his feet were bare.