Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-01-05
AN ASTRAL DOUBLE.

house without Objection
"Who oaresp'' laughed 1. "Ghosts can't
trouble us. They always come at ~
o'clock, and l am always sound asleep
then If you ever chance to be awake at
that unseemly hour, begin practicing and
that will drive even ghosts away"
Our friends called, and all were charmed
with our delightful little home. Walter
practiced steadily and patiently and was
getting pale and nervous. We attributed
it to his persevering work and decided to
spend the holidays in the little country vii
LACE, which was our real home, leaving the
piano and every note in the city. We re-
turned refreshed and ready for a IA weeks
siege of constant sound-musical and 9th
erwise
We had been in town two weeks, not
long enough to overcome the effect Of our
visit, nor yet to be tired of the practicing,
yet Walter was evidently getting thin and
pale again. ! suggested mild tonic, but
he did not take kindly to the idea, and
did not insist. Then, one night, was
awakened from a sound sleep by Walter
standing by my bedside, wide awake,
shaking from head to foot.
MOuueT, u0 sdlu, CaAnoV oAuuAc
this another night
"What is it, my SOM" asked, thor
oughly aroused by his excited tones.
"Come into my room and listen. My
telling will never convince you"
arose, threw on my wrapper and fol-
lowed him into his room. He turned on
the light, and we sat down and waited.
Nothing unusual was heard. Walter re-
fused to tell me what he had seen or heard,
saying he preferred to see if could expe-
rience the same thing he did. For three
nights this was repeated; then I told Wal
ter that I would exchange rooms with
him, as he was getting haggard from want
of sleep or anxiety. A week passed by, and
had heard nothing, had not been aroused
or awakened once, and Walter was nearly
convinced that his nervousness had been
caused by the electric light shining in his
window, producing disturbing dreams. We
decided to change rooms entirely and car
ried all of his furniture into my room
and mine into his, which apparently set
tied the matter. began to joke Walter
upon his ghost being off on vacation,
but saw this vexed him and dropped the
subject.
In March friend came to visit me, and
shared my room with her We had not
seen each other for several years and lay
talking together till the clock struck 1.
"There,' / said, "not another word, or
you will not be able to do the city tomor-
row. Good night
The house was silent.
whats that" softly said my friend.
T I,,tn cfn cfn n
step, step! A heavy stick was set upon a
stair; then one foot, then another. Over
and over till the top of the stairs was
reached-through the short hall into our
room. Oh heavens!
My friend shrieked, and flew out upon
the floor and turned on the gas as Walter,
white as death, came into the room.
"You have heard it at last?'
No strange person was in the room.
Nothing was disturbed. told Walter
rather sharply to 60 back to bed and not
brighten us again in such manner. After
he had gone, however, 1 looked carefully
under the bed and into every corner, but
discovered nothing. I returned to my
couch little nervous and great deal
vexed with myself. Of course my friend
anu IOlu RIObU 6UJllCS UuO lC5U Va WIN
night, and the ghost always proved to be 9
cat or rat. We did not fall asleep til
nearly daylight We awoke at 10 o'clock
Then we laughed at our fright-knew j
was not burglar, for it made too muci
noise, and ghost would not need cane
1t was plainly wholly imagination.
We tramped and rode and shopped al
the next day and attended the opera in the
evening, returning at 10 O'Clock used W
entirely I left the light burning brightly
At /, precisely-bump, step, step; bump
step, step-it came again, like an old mar
climbing the stairs with a heavy cane. M,
friend was sound asleep, and was glad o
it. Down the hall 1t came and in at the door
I was sitting up staring straight at it, bu
saw nothing. Bump, step, step-acros
armchair. / stared and stared and dit
not even wink, but there was nothing IL
the chair-simply nothing. l heard NJ
more sounds. Breathless and frightened
I sat there till either 1 tainted or fel
asleep, I never shall know which. Th'
next thing realized it was morning
Walter and my friend were upand dressed
They had heard nothing, and kept quie
about what had dreamed (?).
Every night for two weeks this SAM
thing happened. My friend went home
and went house hunting 1t only tool
me short half day to find just what
wanted Then said to Walter: "Thi
house is too small, too dark, too cold, to-
everything. have taken house on Viii
lett place.
GAN right" he replied, but noticed HI
looked little curiously at me, though h
said nothing; neither did I.
When informed my landlord of my in
tended removal, he said, "The house 70,
have taken is much smaller and darke
and colder t IN this one. "
II don't think so, replied shortly
"By the way, Mr.. b., did anybody eve
die in this house Of yoursS"
"No, Mrs. Allen" he answered. :"
bought 1t Of the man who built it. II
was an old man, John Huntington b,
name, who was lame in one leg, and h
walked with stout cane. He went t.
New Jersey to live with his daughter whel
che was married. He didn't want to 90
though--not bit. But he is living Their
now"
I moved, and I often wonder if TIL
spirits Of the living haunt the places whicl
their hearts love. News Tribune.