The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-25
THE RETIRED BURGL1R,
An Adventure showing that . Live woman
Is More to Be Dreaded than n Ghost.

AT . O'Clock one morning" said the retired
burglar, II was in n good sized second story
back bedroom in n comfortable old house in a
country town in Massachusetts,. The bed in this
room was empty, but the clothes were turned
back and the bed had evidently been occupied.
II stood in the rear corner furthest from the
door, with the headboard against the rear wall,
and the side OF the bed about a foot or so away
from the side wall. At the foot Of the bed,
against the side wall, about in the middle of that
side OF the room ana right opposite the door,
stood the bureau; between 1t aud the footboard
itself there was a space OF perhaps a foot, maybe
a foot and q half, enough for any body to pass
through comfortably.
IL stood now In front OF the bureau. I had
set my lamp down on top OF IL and had Just
orened the topdrawer when something prompted
me TO look up into the mirror. In that mirror ]
saw, dim. but clear enough, the reflection Of a
chest in the hall. There was n faint light in the
hell. just a little light from a lamp standing on
n table near the front end. and by that
light when / turned 10 look, | saw
the ghost. 1t was moving from the rear
OF the house toward the front, along the hall, a
little nearer to the side | was on than 10
the other, and moving slowly, like a stage
ghost. IL was tall and spare and ali in white,
with something white over its head, Ii moved
slowly across the aoSr and disappeared. After
" A moment later II reappeGred. moving now
toward the rear Of the house, and this time
nearer still TO my side of tho hall. IL was NOV
ing slowly, as before, but instead Of p9 Ssing by
1t turned toward my doorway when Il came OPP
posite TO IL, and came IN over the sill and moved
slowly across the room straight toward me;
nearer and nearer, ara | couldn't move. until
something told mel wondered why IL hadn't
come 10 me befOre-that the ghost was a sleep
walker. IL was a woman; this was her room,
and she was coming back where shs belonged.
"Of course, ! felt "A little easier then. hut |
wanted To get away, and ! thought should soon
be able 10, for ! suppressed. OF course. that she
was making for the bed, and the idea that she
Lat ES-+S- the fFSFt- of the
hed and get In there, like am Other humen he
ing, never entered nay head. While she WAS
coming across the uDom hRc sJrt OF inVGlun-
taTily backed into that gap between the corner
stood there looking at her while she was stiIl
coming straight across toward the bureau, never
doubling that she would turn IN tune
and go % the front ~ the bed. and
she did turn and mOVe la that diruc-
ton, but when she got pretty near
TO the other corner OF the foo hoard from where
] was she turned again and started toward the
gap that | Was standing in, G1dyntly with the
Intention OF going around tc the hack az the
bed, between u and the wall. and getting In ON
that side, That last three or blur feet along tho
footboard she sreElsl 10 glid,, as smooth ~
ever, but qutcker'n lightning, Rd ia the way
anu TOO scared 20 move. She vac awake the in
slant she touched me, and sy like a
mad woman, and | was awake then. my friend
nnally, and clawtnR across that bed TO a win
dow there was az the head Of Ia, / cleaned that
window out, blinds and all. With one sweep Of
the Jimmy, and Jumped"