The Spook House

by Ambrose Bierce

road leading north from Manchester, in eastern Kentucky, to Booneville, twenty miles away, stood, in 1862, wooden plantation house of somewhat better quality than most dwellings region The house was destroyed by fire year following- -probably by some stragglers retreating column of General George W Morgan, when driven from Cumberland Gap Ohio river by General Kirby Smith destruction, it had for four or five years been vacant The fields were overgrown with brambles, the fences gone, even the few negro quarters, and out-houses generally, fallen partly into ruin by neglect and pillage; negroes and poor whites vicinity found building and fences an abundant supply of fuel, they availed themselves without hesitation, openly and by daylight By daylight alone; after nightfall no human being except passing strangers ever went near the place

known "Spook House " tenanted by evil spirits, visible, audible and active, no one in all that region doubted any more than he doubted what told of Sundays traveling preacher Its owner's opinion matter was unknown; he family had disappeared one night and no trace had ever been found They left everything--household goods, clothing, provisions, the horses stable, the cows field, the negroes quarters--all as it stood; nothing was missing-- except man, woman, three girls, boy and babe ! not altogether surprising that plantation where seven human beings simultaneously effaced and nobody the wiser under some suspicion

One night in June, 1859, two citizens of Frankfort, Col J C McArdle, lawyer, and Judge Myron Veigh, State Militia, were driving from Booneville to Manchester Their business was so important decided to push on, despite the darkness mutterings of an approaching storm, which eventually broke upon them just arrived opposite the "Spook House " The lightning was so incessant easily found their way gateway and into shed, where they hitched and unharnessed their team They then went house, rain, and knocked at all the doors without getting any response Attributing this continuous uproar thunder they pushed at doors, which yielded They entered without further ceremony and closed the door That instant they were in darkness and silence Not gleam lightning's unceasing blaze penetrated the windows or crevices; not whisper awful tumult without reached them there as had suddenly been stricken blind and deaf, and McArdle afterward said that for moment he believed himself killed by stroke of lightning as he crossed the threshold The rest adventure can be related own words, Frankfort Advocate of August 6, 1876:

"When I had somewhat recovered dazing effect transition from uproar to silence, my first impulse was to reopen the door which I had closed, and knob not conscious of having removed my hand; it distinctly, still clasp fingers My notion was to ascertain by stepping again storm whether I deprived of sight and hearing I turned the doorknob and pulled open the door It led into another room !

"This apartment was suffused with faint greenish light, the source determine, making everything distinctly visible, though nothing was sharply defined Everything, , but in truth the only objects blank stone walls room were human corpses In number they were perhaps eight or ten--it may well be understood that truly count them They were of different ages, or rather sizes, from infancy up, and of both sexes All were prostrate floor, excepting one, apparently young woman, who sat up, her back supported by an angle wall babe was clasped arms of another and older woman half- grown lad lay face downward across the legs of full-bearded man were nearly naked, hand of young girl held the fragment of gown which she had torn open breast The bodies were in various stages of decay, all greatly shrunken in face and figure Some were but little more than skeletons

"While I stood stupefied with horror ghastly spectacle and still holding open the door, by some unaccountable perversity my attention was diverted shocking scene and concerned itself with trifles and details Perhaps my mind, with an instinct of self-preservation, sought relief in matters which would relax its dangerous tension Among other things, I observed door that holding open was of heavy iron plates, riveted Equidistant from one another and top and bottom, three strong bolts protruded beveled edge I turned the knob were retracted flush edge; released it, shot out spring lock inside no knob, nor any kind of projection--a smooth surface of iron

"While noting these things with an interest and attention which it now astonishes me to recall myself thrust aside, and Judge Veigh, whom intensity and vicissitudes feelings I had altogether forgotten, pushed by me room 'For God's sake,' I cried, ' go in there ! get out dreadful place ! '

" no heed to my entreaties, but (as fearless gentleman as lived in all the South) walked quickly center room, knelt beside bodies for closer examination and tenderly raised its blackened and shriveled head hands strong disagreeable odor came doorway, completely overpowering me My senses reeled; myself falling, and in clutching edge door for support pushed it shut with sharp click !

"I remember no more: six weeks later I recovered my reason in hotel at Manchester, whither I taken by strangers the For all these weeks I had suffered from nervous fever, attended with constant delirium I found lying road several miles away house; but how I had escaped there I never knew On recovery, or my physicians permitted me , I inquired the fate of Judge Veigh, whom (to quiet me, as I now know) they represented and at home

"No one believed word story, and wonder ? And imagine my grief when, arriving at my home in Frankfort two months later, I learned that Judge Veigh had never been heard of since that night ? I then regretted bitterly the pride which first recovery reason had forbidden me to repeat my discredited story and insist upon its truth

"With all that afterward occurred--the examination house; the failure any room corresponding which described; the attempt me adjudged insane, and my triumph over my accusers--the readers Advocate are familiar After all these years still confident that excavations which neither the legal right to undertake nor the wealth would disclose the secret disappearance unhappy friend, and possibly former occupants and owners deserted and now destroyed house despair of yet bringing about such search, and source of deep grief that delayed undeserved hostility and unwise incredulity family and friends late Judge Veigh "

Colonel McArdle died in Frankfort thirteenth day of December, year 1879