Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1856-12-11
lCoNcT.UDED. |

olllg MIS-. IiaWklns Stoutiy stood up
for the defence Of the Willow Cottage.
"Three murdersl nonsense! three
stage plays! The doctors young wife
tretted herself into an illness, and died
OF heart disease, poor thing. She was
not, therefore, murdered. The old doc
tor himself lived to q good age and died
IN a fit. Was he murdered? | guess
the eoroner's jury knew! The unhappy
young man Keats lost his life in sinful
reveal warning to all youth, What
guilt then rests upon the comfortable
home and beautiful garden? Did they
suggest wine bibbing and brawIing?--
Pshaw! | am ashamed of peoples want
of logic. Only wait until my term is up
here, and then see if / do not move in
to the house, and stay in it too!''
This decision of Mrs. Hawkins, pro-
duced different effects upon each of her
family. for my own part, had a natu-
raj turn for melo-dramatic heroism-ad-
mired Joan Of Are, Margaret of Norway,
Philippa Of Hainalt, and all the lion
hearted, eagle-cyed, battle-axe heroines,
and wished for the opportunity Of imita-
ting them. | had an aspiring, coura-
geous spirit, but weak nerves; and so
stoutly seconded the move to move.
though my heart quailcd at the idea of
our living alone III the haunted house.
A1iy's trust in her grandmother was
SO perfect that she resigned herself in
confidence to her decision. The old ne
groes were possessed with the direst
forebodings, but feeling that it would
be vain to demonstrate, only shook their
heads and muttered something to the eff
feet that sold mist'ess'n confidence in
herself would be sure to have a check
some day.
Mrs. Hawkins was as good as her
word. She began in her steady, ener-
getic way, to tie up parcels and pack
boxes of such things as Nere not in dali
ly use, in anticipation of moving. There
was no competition for the possession
ofthe deserted mansion. Mrs. Hawkins
engaged it at very moderate rate of
rent.
And upon the thirty-filst of October
the ghostly anniversary of Hallow Eve
a day ever to lie remembered, we began
our removal to the haunted house.
1t was dark, overcast day.
Mrs. Hawkins, who seldom stopped
for weather, was only anxious to get all
her effects safely housed before the rain,
or at least before night. So, very early
in the morning, accompanied by Alice,
and attended by old Hector, she drove
over to the Willow Cottage to have fires
lighted in the damp house, and to re-
ceiye and dispose the furniture as it
should arrive.
Myself and VIII Rackaway, who came
to help me and old Classy, remained in
charge of the house to despatch the fur
niture. 1t was hard days work / as
sure you. And as the twilight hours
passed, the sky grew darker, and the
air danlper and colder. A gloomier and
more depressing day could scarcely be
imagined.
1t was nearly night when at length
we dispatched the last cart load of eff
fects, locked up the house, and got into
the old carryaIi that had arrived for us.
Old Classy sat with me on the back seat,
and old Hector, who drove for rs, sat
beside Will R=ckaway, in front. The
rain was now falling in fine slow driz-
zle. Perhaps it was the dark and heavy
atmosphere, fatigue, and the approach
of night, that SO. oppressed my spirits,
but | well remember the feeling Of gloom
and terror with which | crossed the high
way and entered upon that grass grown,
shadowy road, through the thicket that
led to the Willow Cottage. 1t was a
very dark and silent scene-no sight
but the trees, that like lower and heav-
Ter clt uds, met and hung over our heads
no sound but the stealthy, mufiied turn
of the wheels over the wet and fallen
leaves.
The road to the haunted house, is a
very ghostly one! / think, for my part,
Mark Tapley would have found this a.
fine place to be jolly in said VIII, twist
ing his head around to look at me.
But he had quickly to recall his atten-
ton, for his first words had so upset the
equanimity of our driver. that he had
allowed his horse to run full tilt into the
trees. VIII seized the reins from the
shaking hands of old Hector, and soon
righted the carryall.
At length we merged from the
thicket, and saw dimly the great open
area girdled with its pine forests, of
which have already spoken.
Only Ike denser group of shadow,
was the old Willow Cottage in the midst
of its ancient trees, in the centre of the
open space.
We followed the road through the
broom sedge across the field, until We
drew up at the rusty iron gate of the