Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-09-27
VOL. XIII -: NO Sc.

want were ia the cottage. The Colonel
had asked the peddlcr to saw some wood
for the family. and coming upon him When
he was off his guard. had taken his lifo
witllouth his making a strusg'e. IN his haste
to hide the body and the poor pack which
was the reward Of his crime, the Colonel
neglected to spread with fresh earth tile
l,loed dampened ground. and to wash of
the stains which covered the whole door Of
the wood house. These tell tale tokens OF
the terrible deed she SOW before the day was
over, and she charged the crime upon her
uncle in the library. lie only said that
rather than starye he would kill every ped.
dlcr in creation. Then she left the house.
after he lad gon. ont to cover the traces
Of his deeds, to sprinkle the ground with
earth and hew the wood-hOusc door into
ten thousand pieces. She had kept the
terrible secret, for she loved the wretch
ed man. and after ten years of miserable
life had followed him to the world of rctri.
button. He was still chained to tho scenes
Of his crimes. but she, by years Of peDi-,
J tence and prayer. had made some cxpia.
/ ton. Her tilal release from the place;
whose very sight was to her torment,
was conditioned on her making tliis public
confession.
| The real facts connected with this un-
Happy household had at this time bccone
whispered abont in the nciehborhood; but
it is said, l know not how truly, that tho
lady through whom, or by whom, this
strange revelation was made had never
heard the story.
Among tic many who have been attract.
tracted to the Haunted House are tever-
al professional mediums bnt the tales
they tell are so contradictory and incon-
sistent that no reliance can be placed upon
tllcni. More interesting than their disclos-
ures are the physical manifestations which
have attended their presence on many Occa-
sidns. In broad day the house has rocked
/ like cradle, the furniture has danced all
about the rooms. the stove has sung hymt4
and talked. like hook light articles have
risen from the floor and floated through tho
air as if they had wings. and. stranger still.
when the little daughter of Mr.. King has
played the accordion an invisible voice.
has accompanied the instrument, and sung
q dozen as merry stavcs as ever set mortal
Ilcgsin motion. These things have been
seen and heard by so many reliable per-
that they cannot be doubted; but they
throw no light on the mystery that cnyel-
oprs the cottage.
1t is now about year since the writer Of
this article had his attention first attracted
TO the haunted cottage. During this time
the family in the house have giscn him
every facility for investigation but with
the coolest and most careful SCRUTINY he
has utterly failed to fathom the mystery.
His vision is defective when directed to in
visible objects, end it may be for this rea-
son that he has not seen the spectral sights
Of which othcrs speak SO confidently. Ills
hearing, however, is good, aud he has
heard the ghosty sornds-nearly all lie
has cnumcratcd--and to these he is willing
to give his unqualified testimony, To the
facts that he is now to recount he can also
bear true witness hut the ghostly' dis
closures tina. occurred during the strange
interview he woud have the teadcr accept
or reject according to their intrinsic crcdi-
bilty. The facts were rs follows !; AMI
that they may impress the reader as near
ly as possible as they impressed the wri-
ter he will relate them with every remem-
bcrcd detail OF manner aiid circumstance
Daring the last autumn he was passing
an evening with a highly gifted lady re-
siding in his vicinity, when the subject
of the mysterious noises was alluded to.
Though living within few miles away
the lady had never heard Of the Haunted
House or of its original occupants She
expressed natural desire to witness some
of it strange manifestations, and the writer
at once got up his horse and drove her to
the infested domicilc. They arrived about
an hour after dark, and were shown by the
mistress into the sitting -roonl-the apart
ment which had been the Colonel's library.
There they sat down, no one, so far us
they knew, being in the house but they
three and the the two Young children.
1t was balmy ausumna! night. The
moon was up, the stars were out and not n
. breath of air stirred the great tree in the
court-yard but they hnd no sooner taken
their seats than the house rocked as il
by hurricane. The lady is devoted
church woman, and no believer in spirit or
"spiritualism" yet, startled from her self :
control. she threw up her hands and cx
clamed," whata dreadful noiss and the air
how it stifTlcs mel" The writer more fa :
mlliar with ghostly ways, had scarcely
time to assure her that there was no danger.
when springing to her feet, she struck an
attitudc'and with eyes hla@ing and her arms
mooving Ikea windmill shou ted out, who
are ydu trying to probe this mystery! Do
YOU hope to with IL two-foot rule to measure
tie Almighty"
"Notcxacty. But YOU act well; with q
little practice YOU might rival Ristori'"
"tct' it's you who act--vou mortals who
crawl between heaven and earth, Your heads
down and your hands in yourlocktts."
at would trouble any one to crawl with
his hands in his pockets; but if you are no'
mortals what are you!,'
Your pce:-every way your peer; ant
when was Il man would have scnrpcd I.
creep into strange houses to rob the dead
of their secrets.
. They should have no secrets, wheN
one dies lie is expected To leave all his reu
and personal estate behind him.
This WAS too much for the good nature
of the ghost Taking IA few strides for
, ward the dead man. or the living womaii.
raised an arm. and pointing to the door
|, shouted, Co. Leave this house! 1t il
f ,nine. CO. and then a foot came down
/ on the floor with force that set the chair,
a-dancing.
The writer had heard that a strong hu
man will can exercise the worst devil il
r creation, and. rising to his feet, he said
1t is for yon to go. II YOU are that has
= man and have possessed this woman, e.
this moment
Instantly, as if struck by some ;nyisbl,
power, the lady staggered back and fel
q into the chair from which she had risen :
pla ,ng her hands quickly TO her head. sli'
A., said How strangely | feel What Il
- tho nottnr with me What has happen