Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-04-05
LAPE coNPRoNTED BY THE spEcTER.

| tenants, but none would stay. Six
months ago he announced that any one
who would move into the house could
have it rent free for year. In three
months eight tenants had moved in and
as quickly moved out again.
In some respects the stories of all the
tenants tally. Footsteps are heard at
all hours of the day and night, doors
open and close without any visible
agency, the crashing sound of dishes
comes from the dining room when
there is no one in it, groans of the
most ACCOUNTING character are heard,
while many have actually seen the
spectral visitant, being so terrifying
in appearance that the spectators do
not even like to tell of it.
Mr.. Lape, who has to his credit the
longest tenancy of the haunted house,
tells some marvellous stories of his ex-
periences. The house had been unten-
anted for some time when Mr.. Lape
took it, and the night before his family
was TO arrive he took possession and
decided to spend the night there. He
had Il bed. table, chair and lamp moved
into one of the rooms on the lower
floor and built himself a fire in the
CRATE. Having an utter disbelief in the
supernatural, he felt no fears as to any
probable visitors and was. in fact, rath-
err in hopes that some would appear so
that he might expose the mischievous
pranks of some of the neighbors. Mr..
Lape had a fox terrier, an animal with
the most intense curiosity and a dispo-
sition to nose around in corners and
out of the way places, and this he took
along with him.
On arriving at the house Mr.. Lape's
attention was directed to the peculiar
actions Of the dog. As a general thing
the animal was disposed to roam ahead
of his master, and when the door of
the house was opened he darted in. He
Immediately darted out again and be-
trayed n manifest disposition to run
away. He came back at Mr.. Lape's
command, however, but kept close to
the latter's heels, all the while showing
the greatest uneasiness.
Having completed his preparations.
Mr.. Lape sat down near the table con-
tanning the lamp and began to read the
paper. The dog had taken position on
the floor in front of the crate fire, but
his head still kept moving about, as if
following the actions of some person,
and his eyes were set.
1t was nearly II o'clock when Mr..
Lape distinctly heard the sound of foot
steps in the adjoining room. He arose
softly and moved toward the door of
communication, which he had locked
and the key of which he held in his
hand. His intention was to suddenly
throw open the door and catch the NOR
tai visitant that he was sure was there.
As he reached the door, however. he
was amazed to see it noiselessly open
in spite of the fact that it had been
locked. Mr.. Lape was not daunted by
this fact and boldly walked into the
room, the dog all the time at his heels.
The sound of footballs still continued,
yet by the light of the lamp which Mr..
Lape carried in his hand he could see
that the room was vacant
At one of the farther corners of this
room was door that opened into the
hall. and toward this Mr.. Lape moved.
AS he did so the footsteps seemed to
move directly in front of him, and on
looking down on the floor, which was
thiekly carpeted with dust, Mr.. Lape
was amazed to see the imprint of a
naked human foot made before him as