A story told to me as a child.  Also told by me to other children. 

 

The ice storm had been going on for three days and power was failing.  It was 1935 and the country was in a depression.  Mr. Goodway was a railroad engineer and he had been called into work because of the weather.  Mrs. Goodway was home alone since her maid and housekeeper had gone to be with their families.  The lights flickered and the wind and sleet battered against the windows all over the house.  Mrs. Goodway took a candle and went to her bedroom.  It was about 11PM and Mr. Goodway was scheduled to come home after three days on the job. 

 

It was cold upstairs as she made ready for bed.  The lights went out and all she had was the candle and some spares.  She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up high.  The storm continued.  It was about three or four in the morning when she woke up from a noise downstairs.  It sounded like the front door had opened.  Then she heard a noise on the stairs like someone was climbing slowly up.  There was a step and a dragging sound as if someone with an injured leg were coming.  Frightened she reached over to the night table and withdrew the revolver that was kept there.

 

She listened carefully while holding the gun,her only protection.  The step and drag continued slowly up the stairs, Then she heard the footsteps come down the hall to her door.  In the darkness the door slowly opened and she cocked the revolver.  Down at the bottom of the bed she heard a slight noise and what looked like a hand came over the top of the bedstead.  She raised the gun and fired,  there was a scream and she realized that she had shot off her big toe.