The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1864-08-17
Selrtt 9}lj5tcllany,
THE DARK CORNER.

Alton was quiet country place, its pco-
pie mostly interested in ship-building,
which was quite extensively carried on by
Buck & Brother, who lived in two large,
elegant dwellings, on the extreme southern
limit of the town, near the little water
course into which thoir structures, when
ready for rigging, We're launched, That
tidiness and thrift which arc usually seen
where honest industry is rewarded by
prompt cash payment, characterized the
homes of the mechanics in Alton. Every
neatly painted house had its yard prettily
laid out in grass plats and studded with
shrubbery, that presented at once pleas
ant sight and an agreeable perfume.
At the time Of which we write, however,
there was ono dark corner that, like stag
nant pool in well-kept garden, was i'll sig
nal contrast with the prevailing order, "an
eyesoro,' as the villagers expressed it, to
all decency." The property belonged to
Halman Shaw, an eccentric widower, a
wheelwright, who with his one son, Nc
Kehzie Shaw, had vacated the mansion six
teen years before, removed to remote pa, t
of the town, and subsequently never allow.
ed it to be occupied. The building was
suffered to decay, the weeds 10 choke the
shrubs to death, and the fences to droop
toward the ground and this, too directly
opposite the fine grounds of DR., Yamow,
and next to tho Baptist church.
Every spring, MFR. Shaw had dozen ap-
plcants for the neglected. house, and as
many were unceremoniously dismissed from
that gentleman's presence when he wish
ed to rent his property there would be a
bill on it,"
"But Why" inquired the Baptist parson,
who had recently erected tho church, and
considered his congregation too much bur
dened with debt at present; to enter upon
the expense Of parsonage, "why not per-
nit tue Committee to repair your house ;
the property will rather be improved than
injured by use p
al know, and my son knows, and that's
enough to know. And this was all the re-
ply the old man ever gave to these who
were curious enough to pry into the mo
tiyes of his singular conduct.
So the gate dropped from lis hinges the
boys broke out the windows, the cows ate
the rose bushes, and the swallows tenanted
the chimneys unmolested by smoke, until il
came to be current saying, cold Shaw'e
house is haunted At night tho childrer
avoided the dark corner, or passed by OIL
the other side looking furtiveIy across the
street, and shiverins with fright if one o.
the old shutters creaked in tho wind. Some
| older persons went so far as to declare thai
lights had been seen moving to and frc a
the dead hour of night, and all sorts Of un
earthly noises had been heard but nobody
had actually seen or heard these things him
seli--it was all proxy. Mr. Shaw was dea
to rumors pursuing the even tenor of hii
way, more regardful Of wagon tongues thar
human tongues, moving more among wagor
bodies than human bodies. No man coulC
bring charge against tho character of Hal
man Shaw he was good enough sort o
man an his way and made good work" St
said the Buck brothers, for whom he bull
heavy los-wagons.
In the course Of events the wife Of Mr.
Burt, the pastor, went into decline, anc
his son VIII, a mischevous blade Of sixteen
was despatched to Mr.. shaw's shop from
time 10 time to procure tar for an iugredi
ent in tue domestic medicine which the in
valid lady made to romedy her disease
VIII, upon the occasion of one Of those er
rands, found Halman Shaw alone. The oil,
man had become faIoilar with the boy h,
admired his intelligence aud INDUCED hi
good-natured, oif-hand behavior. viii, en-
-csuraged by Mr.. Shaw familiarity, had sew
eral times referred to the deserted house al
spook Hall aud IIobgoblin Roost. Rollip,
over upon the work bench IN front Of tn,
wheelwright, he said
{" What do yOu think saw in your ol,
rat castle last night, when was going t
l..I