The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-02

Azz1REz1z seeking all over the city in vain for an
unoccupied dwelling they were at last
obliged to take a very old and somewhat shabby
looking house in the suburbs. 1t was an ancient
mansion which everybody declared was haunted.
and it is fact that it had been occupied very
long by any family that had moved into it. No
body in the neighborhood told this to Mr.. Hooper,
but every person predicted that they wouldn't stay
in the old house more than two weeks. After a
few days some children with whom little Howard
Hooper had become acquainted asked him if any
thing had happened and whether he had things
in the house. Then they told him all about the
ghosts which said to haunt the old dwelling,
but as he had been taught that there were no such
things ghosts, he laughed.
Soon, however, he had many reasons to think
that there certainly was something funny in the
house. Two things constantly occurring
which set Howard to thinking often of what the
other boys had told him.
On the lawn in front of the ancient mansion,
which was certainly hundred years old, was a
curious fountain. 1t had great circular pool or
basin, in the middle of which stood a very ugly
statue holding a curved shell, out of which the
water longer spouted high in the air, but tricked
and dribbled slowly, that by nightfall the pool
was filled with warer. Every morning, however, the
basin found perfectly empty, almost dry in
almost at once, and many were conjectures regard
ing the of the nightly disappearance of the
water. They concluded at last that someone who
had no water in his house taking it The other
curious thing about the mansion the fact that
door under the cellar stairs could not be kept
closed At first Mrs Hooper scolded when she
found that somebody had left this door open, al
though it the door of a deep, empty closet in
which nothing was kept. When each OF the CHI
dren had declared himself guiitless of touching tne
door, Mr. Hooper blamed, and then the servant
girl got It. and yet the door kept opening at all
sorts of times. 1t EGo no keyhole, yet latch
fastener, nothing except little catch to hold
1t SHUT yet that seemed surely sufficient If people
Kept tEei- hands of. Finally a stick OF wood was
placed against 1t By Mr. Hooper Just to stop his
wlfe's scolding. Next day he that the wood was
gone. Then he got after the children and every
body, but all said they had never touched the old
door. Finally, hir. Hooper declared that the door
. had got MS nerves and said that he would
go to town, buy some nails and a hammer and nail
the thing fast sc that nothing but an axe would
open it. He had to go way town because as they
had OILY becu two weeks II the house, the hammer
and nails hadn't turned up yet among the barrels
and boxes. When he had gone Howard went into the
cellar, which, after all, scarcely real CELLAR
being on level with the ground, and then he ex-
e1nined the door carefully to see If he could dis
cover the cause OF the mystery. He wore his Indian
mOccasins and his steps were noiseless and as he
stood there silently studying the tine-stained and
rickety old door it opened suddenly with a swish.
Howard started and was about to run when he
thought of Roosevelt at San Juan and stopped.
He stared INTO the closet, and the cellar was we'll
lighted it easy to into its depths, and he
instantly something there.
He MEETS 4 STRANGE OLD NAN
He opened his eyes in establishment, for the
something a bent and feeble old man dressed
IN funny clothes of antique STYLE whose white beard
almost touched the ground. Howard thought that
he must be dreaming, but the old mans voice drove
away the thought. 1t only when he spoke that
Howard regained his conposure and his courage
Tor, after ali, there nothing feaTsone IN feeble
ola The ancient gentleman in the long coat
and silk stockings, for that's what he wore, came
TO the doorway and said:
$50 your father Is going to get nails and nail
up this door, eh z"
"He is" replied Howard; "but he didn't know
you were in there am sure"
"Well, he mustn't do it, I can't have this door
closed" said the old man.
"Why, it's housep cried Howard
Cut, tut; PYe lived here for ages before your
father was born his father before him. and I
won't have it,"
Now, as Howard knew that his grandfather was
ninety years old he was very much astonished
at this statement, and said:
"Was it your house, thenl"
Certainly not. This house was the residence
of the Colonial Governor before the Revolution
but it was unoccupied for many years, and took
possession of this closet in 1915 just after the war
I've been here ever since, and nobody has dared to
think OF mailing up the door until your preslimp-
tuous father conceived the notion. l wonder what
kind Of people live III the world now, anyhow"
The little old fairly danced around in the
closet as &c spoke Harold ventured to say:
81 don't think, sir, that my father would have
wanted to shut you in he merely wished to keep
the door closed"
'Well, L want 1t open to. give me air. I'd be
smotheTed enough if / were TO be shut in here
Besides wish to see what's going on In this world
SWhy don't you hire n house of your own 2"
asked Howard.
Because first, can't afford it, and second
don't believe in paving rent. That's why. This
house suits me and l have never been disturbed
before in all these years can pursue my vocation
here better than arx-vrhere eIse1