The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1904-05-20
The OctagOn House
IOriginal.l


week l was riding on beach. looking
for house in which to put UP for tho
night. On point of land standing out
into the ocean saw an octagon shaped
building and rode toward it. When /
reached the place l was disappointed
to find it deserted. l cast my eye
northward along the beach for an in
habited dwelling, but could see none.
AS it was growing dark, I determined
to dismount and see if could effect an
entrance and spend thesnight there.
found the house securely locked. Aft
er examining every door and window
on the ground floor went down to the
waters edge to look again for another
habitation. While there 1 noticed a
stone built opening that had evidently
been used for a sewer. Bending, | Ell
tered it and walked till | came to a
trapdoor, which 1 removed and came
out in what had been the kitchen.
To my surprise, l found house that
had evidently been shut up for many
years. There We're haircloth and ma
hogany chairs and sofas and four post
bedsteads. Pictures, all Ok: fashioned
one was an engraving of General Win
field Scott, labeled "Our Next Prcsi-
dent'-hung on the walls. Some of
them were Oil portraits, one of fine
looking old gentleman who might have
been the owner of the place.
In the kitchen pantry was food that
had crumbled to dust. found a candle
on the shelf which 1 appropriated and
took with me into the principal bed
room. Opening the curtains, saw that
the bed was made up, though the
bedding was yellow and had musty
smell. But l was tired and concluded
to cover it with a blanket 1 carried
with me and sleep there. Before doing
SO, amused myself for a few minutes
examining the furniture and the pic
lures. That of the old gentleman in-
terested me most. 1t seemed to be in
excellent condition except it's old fash
toned design frame. 1 noticed the eyes
particularly, for they were very ex-
pressive.
A deserted house is not slumber
winning place, and after a futile effort
to get to sleep l opened my eyes,
glancing from one article in the room
to another till they fell on the old
mans portrait. Great heavens! The
right eye was not painted at all! 1t
was real; not only real, but it was
looking straight at me. 1 sat up in
bed and stared at it, as it was staring
at me. The other eye was still
painted eye. with the same expression
1 had noticed in both before l went to
bed. I glanced from one eye to the
other in q vain endeavor to detect the
cause Of the difference. Then l re-
membered THAT l was travelling to
benefit overstrained nerves. and COW
ering my face with my blanket l
tried to quiet myself.
No effort of self control could keep
me from docking again. 1t seemed to
me five or ten minutes at least-it was
doubtless the fraction Of a minute
when l threw Off the blanket. There
were the two eyes, the one of paint,
+ the other of reality, forming gro
tesque contrast, the right eye looking
straight at me. Then suddenly there
was quick side glance and return to
the same position as before.
This was too much for my already
overstrung nerves. 1 gave a cry Of
agony and buried my face again under
my blanket.
1t occurred to me that there was but
one chance of my retaining my reason
that was to occupy my mind till morn
ing. l had often put myself to sleep
by repeating the multiplication table.
and after many Intellectual efforts to
repeat the muItiples of succeeded
in fixing my mind on the table and
went through with it to the end. AS
soon as l had finished l went over it
again and continued the process till
began to feel drowsy, and at last fell
asleep.
The sun rising out of the ocean cast
his first beams upon me and awakened
me. He was very beautiful to look
upon, but l was no sooner awake than
l remembered my experience Of the
night before and turned to the por-
trait. Both eyes were painted and har-
monious as the night before. l got up
and stood directly beneath the picture.
There was something like line cir
cling the pupil Of the right eye. Draw
ing the table to a position where l
could stand on it and face the picture,
l mounted and put my finger against
the pupil of the uncertain orb. To my
surprise, my finger went through it
without resistance. l withdrew the
finger. and the pupil was again in place.
Then 1 saw that it had been cut SO that
it swung from the upper edge by few
threads of the canvas. Some one had
used it for & peephOlc.
There has never been moment in
my life of such exquisite mingled joy
and relief as the discovery that 7 was
not on the verge of insanity. So inter-
ested was l that l resolved to probe
the matter till had discovered a COM
plete explanation. In the adjoining
room I found a hole i'll the wall COW
cred by picture and under it stand
on which 1 mounted and, lifting the
pupil of tie old mans portrait, looked
down upon the bed in which l had
slept. Then I explored the house and
in the cellar found under pile Of rub