Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-05-22
TheTWoFam-
lily House
The Rent Was Low Because
1t Was Reported to
Be Haunted.
BY F. A. Mitchell

s BY F. A. Mitchell
o~~~~~~~~~~~>~~~~
Miss Laura Williamson was an Or
phan, doomed to make her own living.
Being stenographer and typewriter
III large city, she was obliged to pay
for board and lodging nearly all her
salary. 1t occurred to her to take
room in an inexpensive quarter and
get her breakfast and dinner herself.
One Sunday morning. having leisure
for the purpose, she took up news
paper and scanned the advertisements
for lodgings.
There was an advertisement Of two
family house, the rental of one suit
Of four rooms, furnished, on the ground
floor. the price of which was no greater
than what Miss Williamson had ex-
pected to pay for one room. She con-
cluded to go at once and look it over.
Half an hours ride in trolley took
her to its location. She found the
neighborhood respectable and the house
itself apparently in good repair. The
blinds Of both stories were drawn, in
dica ting that neither was occupied.
Miss Williamson rang the doorbell Of
house near by in order to make some
inquiries A woman came to the door
and when asked if she knew anything
about the condition of the house for
rent replied:
"All l know about it is that every
one around here believes it is haunted.
| It's been for rent for long while,
but no one will take either suit, for 1t
| is we'll known that there are ghosts
in it. l understand that they've put
| the rent down to next to nothing, but
still no one so far has been induced to
| live there"
Miss Williamson was not at all SUI
perstitious and had no belief in ghosts
She saw an opportunity to secure a
suit Of rooms cheap, and few days
later she took advantage Of holiday
lower fiat and was so pleased with it
that she closed the bargain at once
and the next Saturday afternoon NOV
ed her few belongings there.
On going to sleep alone in a strange
house that was believed to be haunted
she could not help giving way to q
slight dread lest she might be disturb
ed in the night by the ghosts But
she banished the thought. and the next
morning. Sunday, awakened by the sun
shining in at her window, she expert
enced a comfort in finding herself in
possession Of four rooms, including q
bath. The morning light took away
all loneliness. AS for the ghosts, she
forgot all about them. Not a sound
during the night had interrupted her
slumber.
| Miss Williamson was one of those
persons who have resources within
themselves and are not always pining
for company. She occupied herself
during her first day in her fiat putting
it to rights. and the rest. of the time
she spent reading. Having to rise ear
~ in the morning to go to work and
being a good sleeper, she went to bed
at 8 o'clock.
| About 2 o'clock in the morning she
was awakened by tramping directly
over her head. 1t was tramp. tramp
tramp. tramp in one direction, then
tramp, tramp in another. Sometimes
there were five or six steps, but usual
! ly from two to four. Then there was
brief cessation. after which the steps
were subdued. more like spiritual
tread than the others. These finally
ceased. and all was STILL
Miss Williamson was puzzled. Not
for a moment did she refer these
sounds to ghosts. But what could
cause them? She had supposed the fiat
above was unoccupied. Even If it was
occupied. why should the only sounds
come from it before cock crow?
| Before Miss Williamson left the
house in the morning she went to the
upper hall and knocked at every door
No response. She tried the doors, but
found them locked. Listening, she
heard no sound. Then, from the side
walk. she looked at the upper windows
The shades were drawn, as she had
seen them before.
Miss Williamson experienced sensa
ton of discomfort
That day produced more blunders on
the part Of the typewriter than she
had ever made before. If she was to
be awakened every morning before day
by tramping overheard by and by
the matter would get on her nerves
II it did she would be deprived Of sleep,
and the result would be that she could
not do her work. If she could not do
her work and do it properly she would
lose her position.
She went to her abode that evening
not with the light heart she had en-
tered it two days before. Before open
ing her main door she went upstairs
again. knocked and tried the locks
All was still as before. Returning to
the first story, she unlocked the door
of her fat, half expecting that ghosts
had been there and turned everything
topsy turvey. Nothing had been dis.
turbed, and the tenant set about cook
ing her dinner.
Everything depended upon the tramp
ing being repeated that night. She
went to bed hoping that it would not.
but dreading that it would. She lay
awake an hour longer than usual,
though very tired and much troubled
at having been reproved for the mis-
takes she had made during the day.
She woke up at midnight Every
thing was quiet. and she soon dropped