Evening journal., 1905-02-20
Ole Deserted House

lamps shofe dlnly through the cir
cling flakes, but they were bright COM
pared with the black road into which
I plunged beyond the town-limits. My
four acetylene lamps forced a circular
hole in the darkness, and there would
have been no difficulty IN my getting
on had not the snow increased, while
the wind, rising to fury, blew it into
drifts. My pace grew slower, and
with each drift / was in danger Of be-
ing stalled. The cold was intense, and
l began to grow sleepy.
At last / was stated. My lamps
showed me, not fifty yards ahead,
stone bridge, beyond which the road
forISed at the foot of a large tree. Be
yond on the left fork / thought l saw
a light. Putting on all the force there
was in my machine, plowed through
the snow and drew up in front of
massive stone house, with pillars rising
the whole height of the building, such
a house as was in vogue about 1910.
Trapped with the brass knocker, and
a man opened the door. He was not
servant but a well to do looking per
son of the country class.
told him my story, and he invited
me to take my automobile around to a
shed in the rear and to spend the night
in his house When returned from the
shed, he met me at back door, brush
ed the snow off me and led me into the
living room, where his wife and chill
dren were sitting about a blazing wood
fire.
There was something uncanny about
these. people, and for my life couldn't
tell what it was They were ali as
white as If they had been long III and
seemed hungry, not for food, for they
gave me a supper, never touching a
morsel themselves, but for something
the nature OF which could not guess.
The wife and mother spread her hands
before the fire to warm them, and
could see the fame behind, not through
red blood, but white flesh. The chill
dren, too, had a blue-white look about
them that made me. cold, attempted
to caress a little girl Of six years, seiz-
ing her hand, but she quickly drew it
away, and ! was glad she did, for it
was cold and stiff, not the least of that
warm softness in it usual to childhood.
I was glad when my host showed me
to a sleeping room.
In the night ] awoke suddenly with
suffocation A mouth was glued to
mine. and some one was drawing my
breath from my body. was just in
time to place my hands upon a pair OF
shoulders and hurl the figure away
In another moment would have been
powerless. Gasping, awaited the per
sons return. but when no one came
listened. There was no sound, and aft
er a time wondered II L had not had q
spasmodic closing at the mouth Of the
windpipe and dreamed the rest. 1 wa:
all in a tremor and resolved to remain
awake for the rest Of the night Never
theless 4 became drowsy, and the las
/ remember was struggling with sleep.
/ was awakened by some one shak
ing me, the mouth Of a flask put be
tween my lips and liquor in my mouth
/ swallowed a considerable draft, aftel
which l opened my eyes TO be blinded
by a powerful light, the light from al
automobile Two men were chains
me. When assured that was aliv'
they-told me that they were passing II
their automobile and had found me il
mine apparently frozen. They haG
reached me Just in time to save me.
Ahead Of me was the stone bridge
> had seer, beyond which the roa'
I forked at the foot OF the oak tree
was still stuck in the drift from whicl
l thought l had gone to the house far
ther on. I said nothing to my rescuer
about this, and after they had turne'
my machine went with them back t
the village, where spent the remain
der Of the night.
The next morning was bright, coll
! and still, and after hot breakfast
proceeded on my way, passed the poin
where l had been stalled and pushe
= on by the left fork. What was my as
tonishment to see that the house a
> which I had stayed the night befOr
l was where I thought II. But instead Q
I being occupied it was deserted.
! was paralyzed with a frightfu
! dread. Fortunately / had nothing I
! do but hold the steering wheel to pU
the horrible place behind me. Reachin
! a farm house a short distance beyon,
] stopped and, leaving my AUTOMOBILE
knocked. A woman came to the door.
l "You know the house half a mil
I back on this side Of the road-ston
/ house, big pillarsT
! "Yes."
\ "Any one lived there lately"
mot since few years after it we
built"
: How sofv
'I've heard the family that lived !
1t all died OF cholera somewhere in th
2 ffties."
caught at the railing Of the porch
Ever heard anything - strange
about the placer"
"Oh, yes. There's lots Of talk. don
believe any Of It. but can't get any {
my children to go past it In the darl
One story is that the dead sometime
try to suck the life out of the liyin
and this family
Iwaited to hear no more. Staggerir
to my automobile. pulled myself /
managed to turn the starting gear an
went flying away, bent only on putin