Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-02-25
THE HAUNTED ROOM.

lated to me by the wife of an officer in
West Indian regiment. | shall tell it
as near as | can in her own words:
We were quartered once in Demerara,
and had a good deal of trouble in find
ing house we liked, or in any way suit
able. However, one at last was offered
to us at ridiculousiy small rental, con-
sidering its size. furniture. ETC., and we
figuratively jumped at it. / went over
it with my husband, and inspection only
proved what a lucky find it was.
The landlord, colored man, made
only one stipulation in the agreement
viz, that on a certain date, every third
month, we should not occupy the dining
room after sunset. Naturally, we asked
for an explanation; none was forthcom-
ing. 1t was take or leave, as we liked,
but the clause could not be altered.
Woman-like, | fancied there was some
sentimental reason attached to the pro-
hibition; man-like, my husband pro-
nounced it a ridiculous fad that could
make no possible difference to us. So
we signed and sealed. and entered into
our most roomy, pleasant quarters, and
all thought of the curious restrietion
faded from our minds, even the date,
| really don't think the matter was ever
alluded to among my husbands fellow
officers.
Eve went into possession the begin
ming of January, and it was about three
months later that one evening 1--WE had
been dining out, and returned home about
l0). sitting in the drawing room, Just
above the dining room, we heard dis
tinct movement of chairs, drawn as to a
table, down below, and a confused sound.
We looked at each other. The servants
lad all gone to their quarters in the
yard, with the exception of my maid.
who slept in the house. We listened,
doors and windows all wide opened. but
could distinguish nothing but this muir
muir. My husband threw down the paper
III his hand
What can it be. Emmie 2 he queried.
and then in flash it dawned on us both.
Il do believe, Jack | whispered, and
| know | was trembling all over, that
today is the day we are forbidden to
use the dining room
Rubbish he said, but, all the same.
he went to his bureau, which happened
to be upstairs, and drew out the agree
ment. 1t was the 10th of April. and
there stood the same date on the pdeer.
10th of April, 10th of July, and so on.
wonder what would happen if we
did 90 inY he queried A less super
stitious man never breathed 1t is all
such rot, there must be some explanation
of the sounds
OF course | said, quite bravely, and
we went to bed. and heard no more
The next morning | questioned the
maid and the other servants, but no one
had noticed anything, or, if they had,
in a land where the Obeah man and d
dozen other supernatural beliefs are rife.
they would not say. Well, | confess /
began to have creepy feeling. which
| tried to hide as well as / could. but
after that evening | never was fond of
being in the dining room at any time,
and as the next date drew near | made
up my mind to be away on the inauspi-
cious evening.
But either my husband had again
forgotten, or was 50 utterly an unbe-
lever, that he actually arranged to have
some friends to dinner on the 10th of
July
Impossible. Jack | assured him:
you remember the date, don't Your
Yes he said. carelessIy, and we will
all see the fun together
But we pledged ourselves, remon-
strated
An insane. idiotic busnessv he de-
clared. He meant to find out the secret
and be done with it. Very likely it was
all imagination, moonshine. etc
Nothing would deter him. could
have backed out, of course. but what he
wished, | would also We agreed that
nothing was TO be said to our quartette
OF friends invited.
You can imagine the state of fear |
was in; | had neither belief in, nor was
| skeptical of, the supernatural. Well.
the evening came. and, to my horror,
tour more were added to our party.
In those days in the West Indies din
ner was much earlier than it is now, and
had hoped We might fix ) o'clock, which
would, | calculated, bring us to its finish
soon after sunset, My husband overruled
TINS, so 1t was settled for half past 5.
In truth, it was nearly 6 before we sat
down Darkness follows sunset very
quickly in these climes, as You know.
W" had no gas then, only the light of
many candles.
The table looked very pretty, with its
wealth of fruit and flowers. never see
one laid now without a tremor of ghast
" recollection. Our party was "a merry
one; at least. our guests were in their
happy ignorance. For myself, held my
breath in dread of what might happen,
and my husband has since confessed that
despite his GOODNESS, he was not ouite
comfortable. The bravest, the most skep-
teal. have still a shadowy, unacknowl
edged fear OF the unseen.
The meal progressed. all were chat.
ting and laughing, when, without a mo.
ment's warning. l felt my chair pushed
on one side, heard another drawn up
between myself and my neighbor on
either side, and, as l am living woman.
an indistinet shape on each was plainly
visible.
To say the blood eurdled in nv veins
Is not tigurative. How / controlled nv
self | know not. nor how l found eour-
age to look around the table. and into