Ellsworth American., 1913-11-19
John Jones'
Find
1t Was a Vacant House
That Paid 4 Good Rental
By NATHAN b. TOWNSEND

SbhAA1 btAaI1s AAuAAtt HtEA 10y
went to the city to make fortune, bur
getting stranded. started to walk home
hundred miles, usually sleeping oui
OF doors.
One afternoon while vending his
way eastward along the coast he came
to handsome country residence
standing alone. Looking about him. he
could not see another house. though
the coast was open in either direction
for several miles, But Johnny doubted
If he could get any comfort in the
place. for he could see no evidence OF
its being occupied. The shutters were
closed, not one being left open. Then.
too, there was an old look about the
house. The shingles on the roof were
black and crumpled, the woodwork in
places was rotten. and only the brick
of which the house was mainly built
was solid.
"If / could get inside" said John to
himself, Il could at least keep warm.
and the night promises to be cold
He had on only the thinnest clothing
and shivered as chilli November wind
struck him. Climbing the fence-the
gate was fastened with rusty chain
and padlock-he went up on TO the
porch and began to look about him for
a means Of entrance. He was not long
Ia finding d shutter with a loose fasten-
ing and a pane Of broken glass behind
it. Putting his hand inside. he unlock
ed the sash and raised 1t.
To his surprise. the room into which
he looked was furnished True. there
was a moldy look about the furniture.
but it was of fine quality. though old
fashioned. John climbed over the win
dow sill and inspected the furnishings
at closer range. He was In the draw
ing room among damask covered chairs
and sofas and velvet curtains to the
windows. plano stood at one end.
and John struck the keys. He WAS
startled at the breaking OF the still
ness. 1t seemed to him that the shades
of those who had once inhabited
this house. who had years ago locked
and left il, had cried out at his in
trusion.
John fell to wondering why so much
valuable property was left to rot.
Though young. be considered the tinan-
cial feature connected with it, Had
the property been sold years before II
would have brought what TO him would
have been a fortune There must be
some reason why 1t had been suffered
to sink to ruin.
John hesitated about spending the
night in so grewsome a place. and had
it not been for the cold without he
would have preferred to sleep under
the stars As 1t was. be looked about
for a bed and. though he was hungry.
finally got on 10 one OF the couchcs up
stairs But it seemed to him that he
was lying among worms. He took hold
of a coverlet to draw it over him. and
it parted through decay, This was too
much for i'm: he arose and felt his
way downstairs and, finding lounge
covered with leather though il was
stiff through age. stretched himself on
1t and fell asleep
He was awakened during the night
by voices For few moments he
could not recall where be was Then
he listened for the direction of the
sound and concluded that IL came from
under him. Presently light flashed
through crack in the floor. Sliding
off the lounge. he crawied to the crack
and put his ear to It.
We've got &c run in some o these
s~NaAe ~ tva
This cellar Is fun"
why not store the next lot above?"
what rot. Don't you know we've
taken ever pains to keep any one
from looking in here? Put goods on
the tloor above. and some boy or some
tramp will look In. see them and re-
port the fact"
TITS a wonder no one has got on to
Us as it is" remarked a third man
They've gone around this depot often.
Fact is. it's well known that Crawford
owns it and Crawford is above sus-
picion."
I'VE pay him enough rent for it,
Rent be hanged. He's one Of u.s."
"He tells me the place can't remain
mnch longer as II is. A number of real
estate men have been to him to buy 1t
They want to fix II up and make II
pay"
Crawford is making 1T pay well
enough
This was the last heard of a dia-
logue between different men. none OF
whom John could see. He heard some
thing fall and thought bolt was shot.
though he could not be sure OF this.
then all was silent again He lay
awake. thinking about what he had
heard but couldn't make out anything
except that the basement was used for
the storage OF goods. We're they stolen
articles? Were they barrels Of liquor
manufactured Illegally? The reason
for the house remaining in its present
condition was apparent This man
Crawford was keeping 1t for a pur-
r.<.Sa IL had aa,, hffaSs Iono hs,ssr Sh.,<