The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-12
OUR OLD ROOMS AT LAKE PLACID.

I think Hohman's Lake Placid the very
first thing of that kind California said Major
pre-, fetching down a bushel Il
thing to do with encouraging young the
terPrse. so made practice OF spending couple Of
months in his house every summer We-ny wife and
children-were regulars the old days and at least
holman always claimed largely responsible for
the success which his place situated
rocky table the very Lake Placid and TO
this day have not seen in all travels landscape
maJescaly beautiful that particular high
range the Sierras
we had rooms in the southwest corner Of the
second floor, and whenever the began get hot
and muggy down Sacramento 1 drop q
Hoffman asking that be reserved or
such date. You oldfashioned abits
and. while there plenty equally good perhaps
better rooms in the hotel felt at home in the suite
we had first known would other. we didn't
miss summer Lake Placid for years. but I'm
ally the girls got the notion Paris and the CONT
nent,' and Angela engaged and wanted do
some shopping abroad went the Paris capital and
spent what regarded utterly miserable and proht
less season. We didn't back till September and,
the girls were bent cutting Frisco.
them all down their decided up
for month at Lake Placid.
'Of the season was over, and I thought the
mountains and the lake. glorihed
u1nn and mysteTiousy inviting in the hazeke smoke Of
mountain fires beautiful than any season.
Hoffman a cordial welcome, himself charge
of baggage assisted by couple OF boys
the porter all of whom knew quite well. led
suite in the OF the Mrs.
Longpre protested that she would have
but our rooms whereupon there awkward pause.
the boys looking oddly at one another and MI Hoffman
seeming puzzled what say Finally. however,
patched boy the keys let into familiar
The stuy odor in the suggested
that they had been occupied. and said asking
that all the opened and the beds aired.
it only o'clock in the evening and the night
bamy
Hoffman said that the rooms had been occupied but
during the and Their abruptly left
housekeeping retired pretty early sleeping
custom in the westerly Some time during
the night my wife awakened and said she
there somebody in The moon, in its last
quarter shining the smooth waters Of the
lake and floors there constant but
flood of light 1 lay quite still moment. looking
about but my wife, placing my arm pointed
the open door leading into the middle There
if passing toward the third 1 the figure
OF young a bathing suit. She had stopped
right in the moonlight and seemed 70 be listening what's
the matter l quite loudly. but the
as If frightened. only hurried into the further
asked my wife to go her and myself and
lighted the coal oil lamps But Mrs. Longpre who
now quite back presently and said that the
strange left by the hall door Of the east
room Thinking that mistaken her room.
and yet puzzled by her odd attire, locked all the doors
and went bed We heard and nothing Of her
that night.
THE next day I took the matter up with Hoffman.
He seemed very excited about utterly
shed by his explanation 1t seems according TO his
story, that early the young couple had
IN hotel, registering and wife and had been
assigned to our rooms few days later bathing
the bodies had been recovered and the relatives had
claimed them. a scanduous question had arisen rs
whether they had been actually and wife The affair
made ugly tax about the hotel in spite or the fact
unfortunate young people had been beyond
their behavior. That all Hoffman knew
except after the drowning nobody cared to
the rooms a matter of my wife and 1
The occupants the tragedy of the early
Of the All the effects of the couple had
been collected listed and accounted for and nothing
further had been heard from their mutual relatives
my wifi a she q
minded she agreed to keep watch again for the
supposed ghost.
"she did pretty TIL past midnight then she
iozed and slept and left alone the lookout The
irst thing to unlock the hall doors leading
rom leaving them slightly sjar Pretty
soon I noticed the curtains and mosquito bar swayirs
lnsteady in draught from the inner land side. OF
he house. and then her again coming swiftly
he middle wearing the dark bathing suit before
md pausng at intervals II to stare about the dark
corners. She went again into the further and L
hink it must have been hour before decided that
hat the ghost whatever it had
lad away I got up and lighted my lamp and
leading straight for the further when she
nut passing she made for the hall OF mid
lie room. looking. I thought. very worried and
rabe Ny lamp out in the breeze coming in the
oor and when had lighted it and peered into the hall
way there sign.
When I got up in the morning felt quite sure that
must have been dreaming out l told my wife all that
had thought that had and what do
ou suppose that most practical Of said That
rovned girl must have left thing. something
these rooms. Let's That's what Long
said, and don't deny that felt silly when began
ransack drawer shelf corner
Z the We back the task after breakfast
ut. except dried-up bits Of soap few halt
mpJy match boxes and slipper had found
othng I it the poor chid's slipper said my
rife, picking UP the dusty little relic
And she shook it against the bed post crumped
iece Of paper fell upon the floor marriage
fcate bundled hurrediy about rnH and
tuTed the slipper secrecy or safety which,
But DO you really believe you her ghost
sked DR.. Lemon wher Longpre had stopped
mo. no. Not all avowed old fellow 1T was
4 Illusion OF course but" He knocked the ashes
heroot and concluded: But odd very odd. I
Tat we both her before knew her story
JOHN II RAFFTERY.