Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1917-08-04
TheTWOFam-
lily House
The Rent Was Low Because
II Was Reported to
Be Haunted.
BY T. A. mitchell

plau. Goomrd Ia make her own living
Bciu. ~lvuo-rarhcr and typewriter
in lar@c Guy. She was obliged 10 pay
for board and lodging nearly all her
SALARY II occurred Ia her to take II
room ia an inexpensive quarter and
get her breakfast aud dinner herself.
one sunday morning. having leisure
for the purpose she took up II news
paper and scanned the advertisements
FOR lodgings
There was an advertisement of II two
family llIu~c. the rental OF one suit
OF -four rooms furnished on the ground
floor the price 81 which was no greater
than what Miss Williamson had rX-
pcctcd to pay lar one room She con
clulcd 20 - 10 once aud look il over.
Half an hours eide in trolley .onk
her To its locatiun She found the
ncighborl"od respectable and the house
itself apparently in good repair. The
blinds ui both stories were drawn. in
dcaiing that neither was occupied
Miss Williamson ram. the d"orbcll ~
a house near hy IN order to make some
inquiries \ woman came To the door
and when asked il she knew anyihin.
about the condition ~ the house for
rent replied
"All know about II i that every
one around here believes 1t is haunted
Its been Tor rent tor u long while
hut no one will take either suit. for il
is well known that there ARE ghosts
in il understand that they've put
the rent down 10 next to nothing. Int
still 10 one 81 far has been induced T."
live there.
Miss Williamson was not AT all 81
pcrstitiuus ana had 10 belief in ghosts
She saw au opportunity {" secure u
suit 81 r"nmN cheap and u few days
later She took advantage II n holiday
to visit The house with II key Ia the
lower Hat and was 50 pleased with IT
that slic closed the bargain 1T once
ANA the next saturday afternoon NOV
ed her few belongings there
ON @oin. 10 sleep alone in II strange
house that was believed to be haunted
she could not help giving way to n
slight dread lest She might hc disturb.
ed in the might by the ghosts Hut
she baniShrd the thought. and the next
morning. sunday. awakened 10y the sun
Shinin. IN nj her window She expert
cnccd comfort IN finding herself IN
possession ~ four rooms. including
bath The mnruin. light took away
all loneliness ~ Tor the ghosts she
forgot all about them Not II sounc
during The might had interrupted her
Sumhcr
Miss Williamson was one Of those
persons who have resources within
themselves and are not always pnin.
FOR cnmpauy She occupied herself
during her first day in her Hat putting
il 10 rights. and (hr resi- nf the time
She spent rraIitg Having To- rise ear
~ In the morning I" - To- work and
being good >lcrrrr. She went To bed
nj . O'Clock
About O'Clock in the morning She
was awakened by trampug directly
over her head II Wa< tramp. tramp.
tramp. tramp III one direction. then
tramp. tramp ii another Sometimes
there were live or six steps but usual
~ from TWO To four Then there was
brief cessation after which the steps
were >uIducl. more like n spiritual
tread than the others These finally
ceaScd. aud all Was Still
Miss Williamson was puzzled Not
for Il moment did she refer these
sounds to =liusts En- what could
cause them: She had supposed the HAT
above was uroceupicd Even II II was
occupied why should the only sounds
come from 1t before cock crow:
Before Miss Williamson left the
house in The morning She went Ia the
upper hall aud knocked at every door.
NJ response She tried the doors hiIl
found them locked Listening she
heard no sound Then from the side
walk. she looked at the upper windows
The shades We're drawn nS She had
seen them hrfnrc
Miss Williamson experienced II ScnsH
tiun II discomfort.
That day produced more bluudrrS on
the part 90 tho typewriter than she
iaN ever liJ'lf lhlblt. II size WIS ti
Ice awakened every morning before day
lay q tampinS overheard 10y and by
the matter would gct on her nerves.
II II did she would bc deprived of sleep.
and the result would he that she could
not Il" her work II She could not do
her work and dc il properly She would
lose her position
she went tu her abode that evening
not with the liaht heart She had en-
tered il two DAVIS hcinre Before open
iug her MAIN door She went upstairs
again knockcd AMI tried the locks.
All was sin n before Returning to
the first story ~h" unlocked the door
NJ her Hat half expecting that ghosts
had been th,i, ANA turned everything
topSy turvc5 Nothing had been dis
iurhcd AMI the tenant set about cook
ing her dinner
Everything depended upon the tramp
ing hcn. repeated that night She
went Ia bed hoping HAT it would not.
hut drcadiua that it would She lay