Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-05-21
Copyright

sold masonry for 20 stories. 1t was
eve used. Indeed it might be ques-
toned If the men and women who
shot up and down in the elevators
Knew of any other mode Of ascent or
descent.
1t was very still on the stairway and
rather dim and dark, and gradually
it acquired a bad name.
At last a murder was committed on
the tenth landing. The murderer was
not apprehended and this fact added
to the terrors of the stairway. Before
q month had passe5 it was called
haunted, and men whom no one would
have counted superstitious moved
their offices to other buildings.
Finally the matter 'iegan to attract
the attention of the owners. Many of
the offices were empty and the ren. IS
were falling of.
Its got tn STOP" sata Brixton &
B%rixton; anG they put in more electric
lights and hired watchmen to patrol
the stairway.
But, after a weeks trial, the watch
ma threw up his job. Three other
watchmen cam and went, and at last
Moran. the ~janitor, was detailed tc
succeed them. Moran's resignation
came in the succinct statement:
Mike for me-"
B~rixton, senior, struck his clenched
| hand i'm nafiont1u nn hic dash
Such foolishness, Moran" he said
THAT may be, sor," Moran agreed;
but yen have to git another man."
Later Brixton, senior, sent for him
and put him on the elevator service,
1t was getting a little hard to keep
elevator boys, and Moran was trust,
worthy, If he was superstitious.
Again a succession OF watchmen
came, and went.
Brixton G. Brixton consulted a de
tective agency. ITS running our bust
ness" they said. Find out who is
playing us such a trick"
From the agency came men, two al
a time. 1t grew to be a most unpopu
lar assignment.
Good lord" said Citizens, who was
on duty the fifth week, Il keep seeing
that poor fellow on the stairs with the
sun shining in on him. ] wonder how
he happened to be down SO far; his
office was on theetop floor"
They were on the fatal landing. 4
broad, deep window overlooked the
other skyscrapers in the block ant
showed row after row of twinklins
yellow lights, and above them all, the
moon, pale in contrast to the glitter
and glow of the city night. Moran hat
made his last trip for the night. The
three men stood looking out.
Suddenly a wailing cry to a mourn
full, lifting measure reached their ears
Somebody's singin'," Citizens gasped
The three Irishmen chung together
er. ITS Killarney"
who's singin' it," Murphy's bravo
do was gone,
my God!" Moran said, there was {
little gurryl in Browns ofice-Kat,
O'Neill-on the sixt' floor used to sin,
like that. l heard her one time
Where's she now?" Citizens asked
"She wfnt away last spring" Moran
said.
Next day Moran found himself IL
resistibly drawn toward the haunted
landing, 1t was the noon hour ant
Citizens and Murphy had gone to lunch
Moran didn't want any lunch. Thu
affair of the night before had upse
him, and the plaintive tones of Kat
O'Neill still rang in his heart.
Six steps down from the tenth foo
and around a curve was the landing
and Moran, following the curve
stopped short, staring.
With her back to him, a woman
stood looking out of the window.
She turned at the sound of Moran
footsteps.
ITS me-" she said. "Tve com,
back"
Kate O'Neill!" gasped Moran.
"Yes. I've been in the hospital. Nv
been sick"
Moran went up to her.
Katie" he said, was you here las
night?"
She looked at him, wide-eyed.
mo-" she said, Il was in the hos
pital. I lef' there this mornin'."
MY Cod" said Moran.
She shivered.
Whats the matter?" she aske
sharply.
I'VE heard you singin'-me and tw
other men. You was singin' Xxi
~larney.'"
Her hand was over her heart, he
eyes dark with horror.
what am | going to do?" she criet
what am | going to do? dream tina
l come here, and go up and dowr
and up and down the stairway-an
there is no rest"
She paused and went on, whit,
/, Tipped: "Maybe-it isn't a dream
/ maybe it's true-maybe-I do come
maybe / do"
r Her voice died away in a whispe
I Moran stood spellbound.
t "'Twas likely the wind" he sal,
Then, su~spiciously: why did yo
Gomez"
!, Nyaar{1v she orndaruad honn1I