Sunday Washington globe., 1902-01-05


thing.
There are several distinct brands of ghosts
and to see some OF them is easy but to
scare up one of the real boys is a feat which
very few persons ever accomplish.
The great trouble is, man pursuing the
everyday avocations in life does not ex-
actly know when he is up against the real
thing and thus lets slip an opportunity to at
least say hello"
I once had an experience along the ghost
line, and if the society for psychical re-
search only had the details it might evolve
some material for comparison and discus
sion az its meetings. / saw something
which for want of a better name will call
ghost" saw it twice, aud the circumstances
are as fresh in my mind to-day as they we're
at the time, although several years have
passed since them
II was not one of those optical illusions"
of which the funny man sometimes
speaks; it was the figure Of a man that
moved as quietly as death neither rufiiug
nor disturbing anything in its movements
save the curiosity Of its audience Of one
II was at Cheeuy, Wash, about sixteen
miles west of Spokane. that / saw the figure.
My place of employment was near the cen
ter of the town, but my lodging quarters
were the residence of a family in the
suburbs
The family consisted of a widow aud her
four children, boy and three girls The
room I occupied was on the second floor
and contained bed, stove table and such
other traps as are usually necessary in a
room used for lodging purposes.
A window opened at the east and door
swung inward from a small hallway at the
opposite side of the room The bed stood
in the southeast corner the outer edge be-
ing not more than a foot from the window
It was late in the fall, aud as the days
were short it was my custom to retire about
9o'clock
One evening went to bed at about the
usual hour and was soon fast asleep.
Some time during the night, however, I
awoke. The moon was shining brightly on
the window side and although the shade
was drawn nearly over the window suifi-
cient light came through it to enable me to
see ordinary objects at the opposite side OF
the room. I could see the stovepipe and
my shoes, which I had placed against the
door to prevent it from flying completely
back, as l had left it ajar about six inches
for ventilation.
When I opened my eyes / saw man
standing near the stove His face was
turned toward the window OF course,
was curious tc know what he was doing
there, as I was supposed to be the only
occupant Of the room. I began to get up
but just as I raised my head he started
across the floor toward the window.
He did not make the slightest noise or
seem to notice me, notwithstanding he
passed within two feet of the bed When
he reached the window he stepped right
through it and disappeared.
wondered what it was I had seen or
whether had really seen anything I sat
up in bed and looked at the door 1t was
just as l had left II several hours before
I devoted the next two hours to thinking
over what / considered a strange expert
ence, aud the more turned the matter over
in my mind the deeper became my convic-
ton that it was all a dream; that I was not
fully awake when 1 imagined I saw the
figure. Then I dropped off to sleep and
was dead to the world until $50 O'Clock.
During the following day I did some
more thinking II was really a subject for
thought I did not mention the matter to
any one. To have done so might have
given some one an opportunity to ask me
what kind of whiskey had been drinking
or what brand Of hop had been smoking
and desired to discourage the practice, as
II was then old enough TO vote
In the evening 1 retired al my customary
time and went to sleep, but awoke again
about the same time as / had the night be
fore. The instant my senses returned
thought of the strange visitor and opened
my eyes to see if he was on deck He was
not there. Then felt that Imagination had
played the a scurvy trick aud dismissed the
matter
Some time after midnight on the follow
ing night however I had reason to suspect
that imagination had not been the whole
thing after all, for when awoke from
sound sleep my man was standing about
four feet south Of where had first seer
him and six feet from the foot Of the bed
with which he was in direct line Her,
be is again, thought I know 1 an
awake this time
While / was taking an inventory Of hin
he started to walk toward the bed On
reaching II he placed his hands on the foot
board, raised one knee aud then the othe
70 the top of the board dropped down OF
the bed between myself aud the wall
crawled on his hands and knees until hi
head reached the pillow beside my own
then laid down within foot Of me and dis
appeared
remember exactly how he was dresse,
and the general outline Of his face bu
could not get correct impression of I'll
latter. In the frst place he had no hea
covering save about three months growtl
Of hair, and his face held a beard six week
or two months old
He had on a vest, but no coat Hi
trousers bagged like ioose-6tting overalls
and the lower part Of them was tucked int
the tops Of boots that came up to his knees
] noticed the boots in particular while b
was climbing over the foot Of the bed an
thought he might have decency enough {
take them off before getting into the bed
As near as 1 could judge, he did not nc
tice me-he gave me the royal snub. II
made no noise-he moved as quietly as
shadow. AS he faded from view / said {
myself: Somebody has died in this room
tomorrow / shall find out who it was"
How came to think that what I Ia
seen was the result Of some one havin
died ia the room do not know, but th'
was my lightning-like deduction, and
proved 10 be correct.