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I was so impatient of them； that I was mightily glad to get out at
the next station； and to exchange these clouds and vapors for the
free air of Heaven。
By that time it was a beautiful morning。 As I walked away among
such leaves as had already fallen from the golden； brown； and
russet trees； and as I looked around me on the wonders of Creation；
and thought of the steady； unchanging； and harmonious laws by which
they are sustained； the gentleman's spiritual intercourse seemed to
me as poor a piece of journey…work as ever this world saw。 In
which heathen state of mind； I came within view of the house； and
stopped to examine it attentively。
It was a solitary house； standing in a sadly neglected garden： a
pretty even square of some two acres。 It was a house of about the
time of George the Second； as stiff； as cold； as formal； and in as
bad taste； as could possibly be desired by the most loyal admirer
of the whole quartet of Georges。 It was uninhabited； but had；
within a year or two； been cheaply repaired to render it habitable；
I say cheaply； because the work had been done in a surface manner；
and was already decaying as to the paint and plaster； though the
colors were fresh。 A lop…sided board drooped over the garden wall；
announcing that it was 〃to let on very reasonable terms； well
furnished。〃 It was much too closely and heavily shadowed by trees；
and； in particular； there were six tall poplars before the front
windows； which were excessively melancholy； and the site of which
had been extremely ill chosen。
It was easy to see that it was an avoided housea house that was
shunned by the village； to which my eye was guided by a church
spire some half a mile offa house that nobody would take。 And
the natural inference was； that it had the reputation of being a
haunted house。
No period within the four…and…twenty hours of day and night is so
solemn to me； as the early morning。 In the summer…time； I often
rise very early； and repair to my room to do a day's work before
breakfast； and I am always on those occasions deeply impressed by
the stillness and solitude around me。 Besides that there is
something awful in the being surrounded by familiar faces asleep
in the knowledge that those who are dearest to us and to whom we
are dearest； are profoundly unconscious of us； in an impassive
state； anticipative of that mysterious condition to which we are
all tendingthe stopped life； the broken threads of yesterday； the
deserted seat； the closed book； the unfinished but abandoned
occupation； all are images of Death。 The tranquillity of the hour
is the tranquillity of Death。 The color and the chill have the
same association。 Even a certain air that familiar household
objects take upon them when they first emerge from the shadows of
the night into the morning； of being newer； and as they used to be
long ago； has its counterpart in the subsidence of the worn face of
maturity or age； in death； into the old youthful look。 Moreover； I
once saw the apparition of my father； at this hour。 He was alive
and well； and nothing ever came of it； but I saw him in the
daylight； sitting with his back towards me； on a seat that stood
beside my bed。 His head was resting on his hand； and whether he
was slumbering or grieving； I could not discern。 Amazed to see him
there； I sat up； moved my position； leaned out of bed； and watched
him。 As he did not move； I spoke to him more than once。 As he did
not move then； I became alarmed and laid my hand upon his shoulder；
as I thoughtand there was no such thing。
For all these reasons； and for others less easily and briefly
statable； I find the early morning to be my most ghostly time。 Any
house would be more or less haunted； to me； in the early morning；
and a haunted house could scarcely address me to greater advantage
than then。
I walked on into the village； with the desertion of this house upon
my mind； and I found the landlord of the little inn； sanding his
door…step。 I bespoke breakfast； and broached the subject of the
house。
〃Is it haunted？〃 I asked。
The landlord looked at me； shook his head； and answered； 〃I say
nothing。〃
〃Then it IS haunted？〃
〃Well！〃 cried the landlord； in an outburst of frankness that had
the appearance of desperation〃I wouldn't sleep in it。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃If I wanted to have all the bells in a house ring； with nobody to
ring 'em； and all the doors in a house bang； with nobody to bang
'em； and all sorts of feet treading about； with no feet there； why；
then；〃 said the landlord； 〃I'd sleep in that house。〃
〃Is anything seen there？〃
The landlord looked at me again； and then； with his former
appearance of desperation； called down his stable…yard for 〃Ikey！〃
The call produced a high…shouldered young fellow； with a round red
face； a short crop of sandy hair； a very broad humorous mouth； a
turned…up nose； and a great sleeved waistcoat of purple bars； with
mother…of…pearl buttons； that seemed to be growing upon him； and to
be in a fair wayif it were not prunedof covering his head and
overrunning his boots。
〃This gentleman wants to know；〃 said the landlord； 〃if anything's
seen at the Poplars。〃
〃'Ooded woman with a howl；〃 said Ikey； in a state of great
freshness。
〃Do you mean a cry？〃
〃I mean a bird； sir。〃
〃A hooded woman with an owl。 Dear me！ Did you ever see her？〃
〃I seen the howl。〃
〃Never the woman？〃
〃Not so plain as the howl； but they always keeps together。〃
〃Has anybody ever seen the woman as plainly as the owl？〃
〃Lord bless you； sir！ Lots。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Lord bless you； sir！ Lots。〃
〃The general…dealer opposite； for instance； who is opening his
shop？〃
〃Perkins？ Bless you； Perkins wouldn't go a…nigh the place。 No！〃
observed the young man； with considerable feeling； 〃he an't
overwise； an't Perkins； but he an't such a fool as THAT。〃
（Here； the landlord murmured his confidence in Perkins's knowing
better。）
〃Who isor who wasthe hooded woman with the owl？ Do you know？〃
〃Well！〃 said Ikey； holding up his cap with one hand while he
scratched his head with the other； 〃they say； in general； that she
was murdered； and the howl he 'ooted the while。〃
This very concise summary of the facts was all I could learn；
except that a young man； as hearty and likely a young man as ever I
see； had been took with fits and held down in 'em； after seeing the
hooded woman。 Also； that a personage； dimly described as 〃a hold
chap； a sort of one…eyed tramp； answering to the name of Joby；
unless you challenged him as Greenwood； and then he said； 'Why not？
and even if so； mind your own business；'〃 had encountered the
hooded woman； a matter of five or six times。 But； I was not
materially assisted by these witnesses： inasmuch as the first was
in California； and the last was； as Ikey said （and he was confirmed
by the landlord）； Anywheres。