a vine on a house

by Ambrose Bierce

about three miles from_the little town of Norton, in Missouri, on_the road leading to Maysville, stands an old house that was last occupied by a family named Harding . since 1886 no one has lived in_it, nor is anyone likely to live in_it again . time and_the disfavor of persons dwelling thereabout are converting it into a rather picturesque ruin . an observer unacquainted with its history would hardly put it into_the category of " haunted houses," yet in all the region round such is its evil reputation . its windows are without glass, its doorways without doors; there_are wide breaches in_the shingle roof, and for lack of paint the weatherboarding is a dun gray . but these unfailing signs of_the supernatural are partly concealed and greatly softened by_the abundant foliage of a large vine overrunning the entire structure . this vine-- of a species which no botanist has ever been able to name-- has an important part in_the story of_the house .

the Harding family consisted of Robert Harding, his wife Matilda, miss Julia went, who was her sister, and two young children . Robert Harding was a silent, cold- mannered man who_made no friends in_the neighborhood and apparently cared to_make none . he_was about forty years old, frugal and industrious, and made aliving from_the little farm which_is now overgrown with brush and brambles . he and_his sister- in- law were rather tabooed by their neighbors, who seemed to_think that_they were seen too frequently together-- not entirely their fault, for at_these times they evidently did_not challenge observation . the moral code of rural Missouri is stern and exacting .

Mrs Harding was a gentle, sad- eyed woman, lacking a left foot .

at some_time in 1884 it became known that she had gone to visit her mother in Iowa . that was what her husband said in reply to inquiries, and_his manner of saying it did_not encourage further questioning . she never came back, and two years later, without selling his farm or anything that was his, or appointing an agent to look after his interests, or removing his household goods, Harding, with_the rest of_the family, left the country . nobody knew whither he went; nobody at_that_time cared . naturally, whatever was movable about_the place soon disappeared and_the deserted house became " haunted" in_the manner of_its kind .

one summer evening, four or five years later, the Rev .J .Gruber, of Norton, and a Maysville attorney named Hyatt met on horseback in front of_the Harding place .Having business matters to discuss, they hitched their animals and going to_the house sat on_the porch to_talk . some humorous reference to_the somber reputation of_the place was_made and forgotten as_soon_as uttered, and_they talked of_their business affairs until it grew almost dark . the evening was oppressively warm, the air stagnant .

presently both men started from their seats in surprise: a long vine that covered half the front of_the house and dangled its branches from_the edge of_the porch above them was visibly and audibly agitated, shaking violently in every stem and leaf .

" we_shall_have a storm," Hyatt exclaimed .

Gruber said nothing, but silently directed the other's attention to_the foliage of adjacent trees, which showed no movement; even the delicate tips of_the boughs silhouetted against the clear sky were motionless . they hastily passed down the steps to what had_been a lawn and looked upward at_the vine, whose entire length was now visible . it continued in violent agitation, yet they_could discern no disturbing cause .

" let_us leave," said the minister .

and leave they_did .Forgetting that_they had_been traveling in opposite directions, they rode away together . they went to Norton, where they related their strange experience to several discreet friends . the next evening, at about_the same hour, accompanied by two others whose names are_not recalled, they were again on_the porch of_the Harding house, and again the mysterious phenomenon occurred: the vine was violently agitated while under the closest scrutiny from root to tip, nor did their combined strength applied to_the trunk serve to still it . after an hour's observation they retreated, no less wise, it_is thought, than when_they had come .

no great time was required for_these singular facts to rouse the curiosity of_the entire neighborhood . by day and by night crowds of persons assembled at_the Harding house "seeking a sign ." it does_not appear that any found it, yet so credible were the witnesses mentioned that none doubted the reality of_the "manifestations" to_which they testified .

by either a happy inspiration or some destructive design, it_was one day proposed-- nobody appeared to_know from whom the suggestion came- - to dig up the vine, and after a good_deal of debate this was_done . nothing was found but the root, yet nothing could_have_been more strange !

for five or six feet from_the trunk, which had at_the surface of_the ground a diameter of several inches, it ran downward, single and straight, into a loose, friable earth; then it divided and subdivided into rootlets, fibers and filaments, most curiously interwoven . when carefully freed from soil they showed a singular formation . in their ramifications and doublings back upon themselves they made a compact network, having in size and shape an amazing resemblance to_the human figure . head, trunk and limbs were there; even the fingers and toes were distinctly defined; and many professed to_see in_the distribution and arrangement of_the fibers in_the globular mass representing the head a grotesque suggestion of a face . the figure was horizontal; the smaller roots had begun to unite at_the breast .

in point of resemblance to_the human form this image was imperfect . at about ten inches from one_of_the knees, the cilia forming that leg had abruptly doubled backward and inward upon their course of growth . the figure lacked the left foot .

there_was but one inference-- the obvious one; but in_the ensuing excitement as_many courses of action were proposed as there were incapable counselors . the matter was settled by_the sheriff of_the county, who as_the lawful custodian of_the abandoned estate ordered the root replaced and_the excavation filled with_the earth that had_been removed .

later inquiry brought out only_one fact of relevancy and significance: Mrs Harding had never visited her relatives in Iowa, nor did they know that she was supposed to have_done so .

of Robert Harding and_the rest of_his family nothing is known . the house retains its evil reputation, but the replanted vine is as orderly and well-behaved a vegetable as a nervous person could wish to sit under of a pleasant night, when_the katydids grate out their immemorial revelation and_the distant whippoorwill signifies his notion of what ought_to_be_done about_it .