code: public static Properties load(File file) throws IOException {
          if (file.isFile()) {
              FileInputStream fis = null;
              try {
                  Properties headers = new Properties();
                  fis = new FileInputStream(file);
                  headers.load(fis);
                  return headers;
              } finally {
                  IOUtils.closeQuietly(fis);
              }
          }
          return new Properties();
      }
docs: Utility method to load a properties file.
  
  @param file the file
  @return the read properties, empty if the file cannot be found.
  @throws IOException if the file cannot be loaded.