nhabited. I was told that it was haunted, that no one would
inhabit it. I smiled at what seemed to me so idle a story. I spent
some money in repairing it, added to its old-fashioned furniture a few
modern articles,--advertised it, and obtained a lodger for a year. He
was a colonel on half-pay. He came in with his family, a son and a
daughter, and four or five servants: they all left the house the next
day; and, although each of them declared that he had seen something
different from that which had scared the others, a something still was
equally terrible to all. I really could not in conscience sue, nor
even blame, the colonel for breach of agreement. Then I put in the old
woman I have spoken of, and she was empowered to let the house in
apartments. I never had one lodger who stayed more than three days. I
do not tell you their stories,--to no two lodgers have there been
exactly the same phenomena repeated. It is better that you should
judge for yourself, than enter the house with an imagination
influenced by previous narratives; only be prepared to see and to hear
something or other, and take whatever precautions you yourself
please."

"Have you never had a curiosity yourself to pass a night in that
house?" "Yes. I passed not a night, but three hours in broad daylight
alone in that house. My curiosity is not satisfied, but it is
quenched. I have no desire to renew the experiment. You cannot
complain, you see, sir, that I am not sufficiently candid; and unless
your interest be exceedingly eager and your nerves unusually strong, I
honestly add, that I advise you _not_ to pass a night in that house."

"My interest _is_ exceedingly keen," said I; "and though only a coward
will boast of his nerves in situations wholly unfamiliar to him, yet
my nerves have been seasoned in such variety of danger that I have the
right to rely on them,--even in a haunted house."

Mr. J---- said very little more; he took the keys of the house out of
his bureau, gave them to me,--and, thanking him cordially for his
frankness, and his urbane concession to my wish, I carried off my
prize.

Impatient for the experiment, as soon as I reached home, I summoned my
confidential servant,--a young man of gay spirits, fearless temper,
and as free from superstitious prejudice as any one I could think of.

"F----," said I, "you remember in Germany how disappointed we were at
not finding a ghost in that old castle, which was said to be haunted
by a head