Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1895-08-30
A WEIRD STORY FROM TEXAS.
A CHILD HAUSTs THE HOUSE WHERE
HER MOTHER DIED.
Born During Great storm-The Mother
Carried Away on IA Floating House
Gave Birth to the child Before
She Died From Exposure.
From The Philadelphia Times.


| In 1873 the coast of Texas was visited by
a terrible storm. which ragged increasingly
| Tor two days and nights. To this day the
storm of rs is talked about by those who
| remember it, and narrowing stories are told
| of the death and destruction left In its
wake one incident told of the storm Is
was separated from her family and carried,
with three men, on the top of a floating
house, down Buffalo bayou and into Gal
| weston bay. where they We're rescued by
man in skin and taken to an unoccupied
| house on MorEans Point, beyond the reach
of the water. There Mrs. Kane, an hour
after her rescue, gave birth to a girl baby.
The three men did all in their power for her
and the child, but the poor woman died
the time she was brought TO the house until
the hour of her death, when conscious and
ltuqe to heaven FOR bringing her to that
shelter before the baby was born.
Nhen the storm subsided ana travel was
OF its mother living in the same county.
and nothing more was heard of It, Twelve
years later a family named Betram, wish
ing to spend several weeks at Morgan's
house. where Mrs, Kane died. The Betrams
We're delighted with the place and found
the house all they wanted 10 camp in for a
few weeks; 1t was built over a nigh, part
the basement at the back of the house, and
at the top of the steps was "a door to shut
off the .passageway when necessary. The
front of the main part of the house had
broad veranda running the whole length
and broad steps directly in front led up to
it. There was but one door opening out
on the veranda and that led into bed
room occupied by Mr.; and Mrs, Betram.
Their neighbors--fishermen and their fam
lies for the most part-said the house was
haunted and regaled the Betrams with sto-
night, and mysterious sounds they often
beard in passing. As the Betrams had
heard heard The SAD story Of Mrs. Mrs. kane,s death
result that those simple people would at
tach something uncanny to the house They
lis % al "a
heed TO Them and set about settling COM
fortably in their quarters. For the first
unaccounted for sound some member of
the family. would laugh and say, THAT
was telling us about" or Joke in some way
about the ghost or ghosts supposed 70
out and nothing more was thought about
two weeks when one night, Mr. Betram
and two halfgroWn sons went out on "a
reef in m the bay after fer, t3nndefs Mrs Re- Re-
younger children locked the doors and re-
tred early eX[pIeetingg NJ Retram b an4 ,1 the
mad all been sleeping soundly when Miss
Adele awakened her mother and told her
was like someone walking down the attic
stairs.
Mrs. Retram got out of bed and struck a
light, saying she supposed her husband
and sons had Just come in and probably
Something Giancins at the clock on the
shelf she saw it was a few minutes after
or three times quite distinctly. There came
door ana locked H in a minute or two the
taxable. Someone was walking up the at
tie stair and making no effort to Walk
but to Mrs, Betram and Adele, ages, Mr.,
Betram came and was told Of the foot
very well his wife was not given to fances
and had strong nerves, and felt sure she
1ltl rl he 81 Gfi he nor i'm
agne how anyone could have entered the
house as Mrs, Betram had securely locked
stairway, and also the front one.
With one OF his sons after qrming him
careful, but frultless, search from p'5a base
ment TO attic The attic had been cut up
only partly hoored, and the lumber car
ried VI, for fort the purpose Of flooring the up-
together the attic was good hiding place.
Not finding even trace of anyone having
been in the house at ALL they finally went
The next night the family remained to-
gether fearing a repetition of the perform
prepared most ingenious contriyance By /
which they could discover the presence of
going to bed she took her four sieve ana /
sprinkled a light covering Of fiour over the I
the ate led ram ana ON ON the hest stairs IT
far as the attic, The Betrams went TO /
bed and slept through the night. without
tram arose early, went to look at the -four |
and to her amazement saw in II the i'm |
pressons OF two pairs of feet. Calling for |
the rest of the family, she began TO exam |
inc the prints on the floor.
Evidently half grown person AMI a
walked down from the attic and up again
They were struck with one popularity of
the footprints. The impressions made by
the feet Of the woman were so very light
and none OF the flour had been misplaced /
as was the case where the child had
walked. Following the footprints they saw .
the two, whatever or who they We're, had
walked side by side. Mr.. Betram, with
the others following, went up to the attic
for second investigation, feeling sure he
would tind some second explanation Of the /
mystery this time. However, 1t was too
and he sent one OF the children down after .
lantern
When the child returned with the light,
MIR. Betram began to explore every inch I
of the attic thoroughly. The lumber .
spoken of was piled loosely. and after ex-
Mr., Betram stopped and looked in the
large space between the planks. Looking
closely he saw dark object in the largest
of the spaces in the lumber but could not
distinguish its shape until he brought the
light of his lantern full on IL. There
staring at the light; Such a weird specta-
Gle she made, huddled down like human
rat. Recovering from their astonishment
they spoke TO the child, but received no
They tried to coax her out from her hid
the child hardly seemed conscious of their
presence. II only crouched as before and
stared at the hight. They knew 1t would
De useless 10 attempt 10 reach and drag