Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-10-28
81, didn't see ANYTIME. ecarr

through the curtains Of my bed. Is it
lis it haunted room?'
"Her look was a shocked one, her
protest quite vehement oh, no! No
one has ever witnessed anything like
ghost there, but every one finds it
impossible to sleep in that bed or even
in the room. do not know why I'M
less 1t is that my father spent so many
years Of incessant wakefulness inside
its wallis
"'And did he die in that bedp
asked.
"She gave startled SILVER and drew
me hurriedly downstairs AS we paus-
ed at the foot she pressed my hand
and whispered:
ayes; at night, with the full of the
moon upon him.
II answered her look with one she
probably understood as little as did
hers. I had heard of this father of
hers. He had been terrible old man
and had left terrible memory behind
him.
1.-THE next day my room was changed
according to her promise, but in the
light Of the charges have since heard
uttered against that house and the
family who inhabit it am glad that
spent one night in what, if it was
not haunted chamber, had certainly
very thrilling effect upon its occu.
pants"
Second passage, the italics showing
where it was most heavily marked:
1.-THE house contained another room
ls interesting as the one I have al
ready mentioned. 1t went by the
name Of the library, and it's walls were
heavily lined with books; but the fam
lly never sat there, nor was ever for
tunate enough to see it with its doors
Enclosed except on the occasion of the
grand reception Miss Callista gave in
my honor. have fancy for big
rooms and more than once urged my
hostess to tell me why this one stood
neglected. But the lady was not COM
municative on this topic, and it was
from another member of the house
hold I learned that its precincts had
been forever clouded by the unexpect-
fathers friends, noted army officer.
"Why this should have occasioned
permanent disuse Of the spot l could
not understand, and as every one who
conversed on this topic invariably gave
the impression Of saying less than the
subject demanded my curiosity soon
became too much for me, and l attack
ed Miss Callista once again in regard
to it. She gave me quick smile, for
she was always amiable, but shook
her head and introduced another topic.
But one night when the wind was
bowling in the chimneys and the sense
Of loneliness was even greater than
usual in the great house, we drew to-
gether on the rug in front of my bed
room fire, and as the embers burned
down to ashes before us Miss Callista
became more communicative.
"Her heart was heavy, she told me;
had been heavy for years. Perhaps
some ray Of comfort would reach her
II she took friend into her confidence.
God knew that she needed one, espe-
cially on nights like this, when the
and 1t was hard to tell which most to
fear, the sounds which came from no
one knew where, or the silence which
settled after.
"She trembled as she said this and
instinctively drew nearer to my side
so that our heads almost touched over
the Pickering fame from whose heat
and light we sought courage. She
seemed to feel grateful for this con-
tact, and the next minute, flinging all
her scruples to the wind she began a
relation Of events which more or less
answered my late unwelcome queries.
1.-The death in the library, about
which her most perplexing memory
hung, took place when she was child
and her father held that high govern
mental position which has reflected so
much credit upon the family. Her ia
Their and the man who thus persisted
had been intimate friends. They had
fought together in the war of 1912 and
received the same distinguished marks
Of presidential approval afterward
They were both members Of an impor.
tant commission which brought them
Into diplomatic relations with England
It was while serving on this commits,
sion that the sudden break occurred
which ended all intimate relations be.
tween them and created a change in
her father that was equally remarked
at home and abroad. What occasioned
this break no one knew. Whether his
great ambition had received some check
through the jealousy Of this SO called
friend-a supposition which did moi
seem possible, as he rose rapidly after
thts-or on account of other causes
darkly limited at by his contemporaries
but never breaking into open gossip
he was never the same man afterward
His children, who used to rush will
effusion to greet him, now shrank into
corners at his step or slid behind hall
open doors, whence they peered will
fearful interest at his tall figure, pac
ing in moody silence the halls Of his
ancestral home or sitting with frown
ing hrows over the embers dying away
on the great hearthstone Of his famous
library.
"Their mother, who was an invalid
did not share these terrors. The ia
Their was ever tender Of her, and tn,
only smile they ever saw on his fac,
came with his entrance into her dark
ened room.
ITO be continued.)