Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1904-03-25
+ A HAUNTED HOUSE :
+ )

~O-~

0O0 HEN my husband took over
WkW the direction of the Gertrudis
and Santa Maria mines. near
Pinal, Mexico. we brought down from
"the States" our various goods and
chattels, and began the attempt to
make ourselves as comfortable as pos
sible in the huge. Spanish built house
which was the only thing in the way of
an abode that could be secured. for
love or money, in the very inconven-
lent newold town of Pinal.
At first | liked the queer, rambling
old house, with its wide, heavily pill
Jared corridors. thick walls, high
barred windows and enormous carved
doors. 1t had been built. according to
a half-effaced date. in the year 1903,
and had been the habitat of more than
one famous man in its time. But, even
after our modern furnishings were put
in. flowers and vines arranged about,
and everything possible done to bright
en- ii. the house still had dreary,
ghostly air about it, and one always
had the sensation that some one else
was about some one unseen, but felt
and altogether there was an indie
scribable eerie feeling about the place
that did not tend to make one very
cheerful However, | consoled myself
by remembering that big, old houses
generally make one nervous at first,
also, the rent was surprisingly low for
80 large an establishment, with It's tif-
teen rooms. corridors, and corral. And,
as one can get used to very nearly any
thing in this world, by trying hard,
gradually got over the uneasy feeling
which | had mostly felt when entirely
alone, and put it down to nerves"
There WAS the slight drawback, how
ever, that we could not keep servants.
In spite of good wages, light work and
short hours, our servants would inva-
riably leave after two to five days
service, refusing, under any circum
stances, to stop longer. They gave no
reason for this beyond the fact that
the situation was not to their liking
So | could only pay them, and, with
indignant sorrow, view their departing
backs, then fare forth in search of fur
ther criadas, inwardly eonsigning Mex
lean servants to a future which it
would be unladylile to put into bald
words.
In the midst of these turmoils. 80
ciety" with "A big, big s. began. slowly
and carefully, to call, and pleasantly
hinted, In divers ways. that here was
something wrong about our house
The leader of Pinal society, Mrs
Isaacstein, was the last TO call. She
Ind at first been somewhat dubious
about visiting me. As | have before
said, she led" Pinal society for her
husband was the principal grocer of
the place.. and therefore she could not
as she sweetly explained to me. be too
careful about "beobles she CALLED
ubon."
Waving, however, discussion of this
excellent lady, for indeed she is IAN
other, story" her statement during her
call that our house was said to be
haunted by evil spirits, and that we
would never be able to keep Il servant
In 1t, was somewhat dispiriting. In
vain did inquire particulars. No. she
knew nothing beyond the fact that ser
wants and "tradespeople' gave the
place Il bad name; that it was certainly
troubled by something, and that no one
ever lived long in it.
Here was Il pretty ness And, in
deed, as If in confirmation of the WON
ans prediction, the very next day both
servants left, after they had been with
me four days, and | was on the point
of beginning to expect better things of
them. | sat down and wept. Then,
disgusted with native servants, | hied
me forth and wired to the Border
for a couple of old and well-tried Chi
nese servants, determined that | would
not abandon my house, and live in he
tells, to please ghosts, Mexican servants
or any one else.
In due course the new servants ar
rived. One a sturdy, taciturn Celes-
tial, rejoicing in the name of Ching,
was to act as porter, caretaker and
general watchdog-the ghost would
have TO be lively that could get ahead
of Ching. Charley, his cousin. was of
the same ilk, being besides splendid
cook. But | explained matters duly
to the two and could have warbled for
JOY over their derisve smiles and
grunts when | timidly alluded to
ghosts" and limited that they might
be disturbed by mysterious sights or
sounds.
And now did | begin to be acqualnt-