The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-10-15
MYSTERY OF THE
DESERTED HOUSE
Strange Experience OF a Nan
on Robbery Bent.

NS b1Sh SuOL al OuI 49, - 'oS ~
palled but once and that was by 81
lence.
Id served a term for burglary. spent
what money I'd been given on getting
out and was looking for a job-not a
job of honest work. I'd tried that on
getting out once before and found 1t
impracticable. When an exconvict
knows that he's liable any moment to
be, spotted and discharged it takes the |
zeSt out of him for work. I'd made |
up my mind there was nothing left for |
me to do but stick to my business. |
which was burglary. Well, as | was
saying, | was looking for a house TO
get into and, walking en- the outskirts
OF a city saw one that struck me as
being very inviting. 1t was in the [
center of a six acre lot. with no neigh
bors near enough to make it unpleasant
for the burglar and n wood in the rear
affording a safe retreat. | made
careful survey of the premises No
one happened to be visible in or about
it at the time. but there was plenty
of evidence that it was occupied. New
~ washed clothes were hanging on
the lines: smoke was issuing from the
chImneyS; children's SedS and wagons
We're scattered about in the yard
The night was cold and blustery At
about 10 o'clock | took position In the
yard, shielded from the wind by u car
riage shed, with view to determining
by the lights what rooms were occu-
pied. The whole house was lighted. |
quarry The seat was comfortable, and
some blankets and robes that had been
left in it kept me warm. The result
was that fell asleep.
When ] aWoke ererv light in the
\ house WAS out. 4 distant clock struck
/. got out. went to the house. took
pane of glass out of q kitchen window.
turned the catch" raised the sush
|, softly. pulled myself up and crawled
inside. Striking n match. lit my dark
: lantern and surveyed the roora. livery
, thing had been put in order after the
/ evening meal. a fire was burning in
; the range. | went through pantry To
the dining room. Here. too. all WAS in
order
i Passing through the parlors, | On.
/ tered the hall and went upstairs, TAX
I ing every precaution against waking
: tue inmates. A bedroom door near the
Y landing stood ajar l listened. but
} could hear no one breathing | went
:, in and felt Of the bed. There was nc
/ one in 1t. There being nothing of value
r. in the room, | passed on to the next
! examined it and found it also empty
: Coming to one of the front bedrooms
L | certainly expected TO find it occupied
and entered it with all possible stealth
g listening long for the sound OF Il sleep
n ing being. That heard no such some
: began to affect my nerves. An empt!
), room is n good find for n burglar. hu
/, the advantage in this case was over
q come by the unexpected vacancy.
e CROPPED my way to the bed. felt OF |
e and found it unoccupied. Then flash
p ing my lantern about. / saw woman
clothing that had been evidently take
. off at bedtime lying on the chairs. Th
,e woman had vanished.
n | went to another room and anothe
is with the same result. In some of theT
l found clothing that had been lai
II aside, but no one in the beds Non
IL VI tLt DGd0 ohONGo LIS VI ldfh III
Is been occupied. | went on to ever
* story, and not single living bein
ID did | find. There was some pIunde
" on the dressers. but not very ntucl
e. l did not think Of taking it My min
or was fixed upon the lights / had see
ne iii the house Il few hours b2fore an
the present absence of those whol
OF the lights had served.
81 There is no similarity between da,
at light and dark for weird impressions
One human being. even If policeman
lei would have broken the spell. | feare
lit a haunted house, but feared MOI
be that something in my brain had goI
he wrong Had that which had seen
nd the afternoon and evening been q
hallucination or did | now experenC
ro something that was not? Coming to
ms window overlooking the rear yard.
MS flashed my lantern down into it, The
IN were the clothes still hanging on Il
cd line | walked back through the ha
;. bringing my feet down heavily on ii
his floor that / might hear a sound. II
Of carpet was thick. and there was b
Inc Il faint reSponSe-a response that ad
he ed to my growing terror.
~ Suddenly the rays of my lante
"a. struck living figure. At once my
!, Stinct of preservation ordered me
- cover my light. | did so and waite
r,i There was no sound. Believing Ii
~, been mistaken | mustered courage
raise the lantern again. There w
the figure hut it was my own reflc
30 ed from mirror.
~ | now had but one desire-to get o
:. md away Descending TO the ma
49,. foor. / saw piece of yellow paper.
ook 'it'o. - ,,.a !, =, - y
rty 49,. - ~. uo,, ~ .''aa ~ !
Here was Il clew. The hour of Ser
ing and receipt of the telegram w
written out and gave evidence that