The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-24


her children (her husband being sbsent)
was offered a large, old.rashioned house
In the vicinity Of one Of our seashore re-
sorts on highly advantageous terms Hav.
ing i"specled the house and found it,
though old, in good repair, she engaged it
ioylully, and few weeks after the date OF
her first negotiations she was settled there
with her family. For some time nothing
occurred to mar the peace Of the household
The children enjoyed the fresh seabreezes,
their pleasant sports on the beach and the
large airy rooms, while the ladies sewed
and read and looked after household
matters and took long walks after the
fashion Of most people during the summer
season by the seaside. One night, when
the mother was about to retire 10 rest,
ono OF her younger children, bright lit
tie boy, called 10 her from his sleeping
room. Fearing that he was ill'she has
tened to him.
Mamma" he said very earnestly, 81
wish you would tell that strange woman
10 keep out Of my ROOM"
"Whst woman, dear :" asked his moth.
er, convinced that he had been dreaming.
81 don't know her name, and ! can't see
her face because sho wears big sun'bon.
net, but she comes and stands at the loot
Of my bed, and she irightens me-"
"Well; never mind, dear. Go TO sleep,
and II ever she troubles you again, come
In my room and sleep with me" answer.
ed the mother, still thinking the child had
been Weakened by an uneasy dream. The
little fellow thus soOthed and Consoled,
soon tell asleep, and slGpt soundly till
morning. But a few nights afterward the
child came running into his mothers room
at dead OF night, painting ind terrified, and
exclaiming Mamma mamma she has
come again |" His mother took him into
her arms, and soon carrGssed away his
fears, but thinking that the child's uneasi.
ness was caused by his sleeping alone, she
had his bed moved into her own chamber,
and fitted up the vacant apartment as a
guest chamber. Soon after this the serV.
sntI began to complain OF strange sights
and sounds for which they could not &C
count, and one burning July day the sis
ter, who was seated by the parlor win.
dow, happened to say, "Oh, | am 80
warm |" when voice, seemingly from
the cellar, made answer, And l am so
coldlm Struck with ama2ement, she
called, but no one replied, and subsequent
investigation proved that there was no one
IN the cellar at that moment, nor could
there have been, as its only door was al
ways kept locked.
l cannot now recall the details oil va.
rious strange occurrences which alter
ward took place, but will pass on TO the
final one, which may be considered as
tho announcement Of the whole story.
Tho lady Of the house, n strong'minded,
practical woman, had always sternly re-
iectGd tho theory that the odd incidents
that annoyed her had any supernatural
origin; so, disregarding them wholly,
she sent an invitation to an old friend of
hers, q clergyman, 10 pay her q visit OF
some weeks duration. Her invitation
was accepted, and In due time her guest
arrived and was put In possession OF the
spare bedroom. Night coming on, the
whole household retired to rest Early In
tho morning the active hostess rose to see
that all was In order for the further enter.
tainment of her guest, when, on going 10
the parlOr 10 uniasten the shutters, what
was her amazement 10 find him there ex.
tended on the sofa, and looking very Ill,
as though he had passed wretched night !
In answer to her anxious questioning he
stated that on retiring to rest he had lall.
en- into profound sIumber, from which
he suddenly woke, and saw q woman
wearing large sun.bonnet, which COM
pletely concealed her face, standing beside
his bed, the moonlight which shone into
the room rendering every detail Of her
figure distinctly visible. Supposing that
she was one Of the servants who had come
to his room to see that he was perfectly
comfortable and wanted nothing, he spoke
to her. What she replied, or how lie first
became convinced that the Thing before
him was no form Of aesh and blood, ! can.
not now remember; but recollect two
particulars oil the interview: one was, that
she told him 10 look for her in the cellar;
the other, that he asked her why she wore
q sun.bonnet, and she answered, " Be-
cause the lime had spoilt my lace" At
this his failing senses iorsook him, aud
when consciousness returned his ghOsIly
visitor had disappeared. y,
His hostess heard him in silence. As
soon as breakfast was over she request
cd him to accompany her 10 the cellar.
Careful examination soon revealed g.
spot where some Of the stones with
which Il was paved had been removed
and afterward replaced. Assistants with
proper tools were procured, the stones
were lifted, and after q few minutes Of
vigorous digging mass Of lime was dis
closed, in which was found Embedded
quantity Of calcined fragments Of bone,
which medical authority afterward pro.
nounced to be portions Of human skele-
ton. These poor remains were carefully
removed, placed in box and inferred In
neighboring cemetery, and the woman
in O sun.bonnet" was seen no moro.
Subsequent investigation into the his.
tory oil the old house revealed the follow
ing facts: It had originally been occu.
pied by q retired sea captain and his only
son, the latter Q wild, reckless youth Of
evil character and confirmed bad habits,
A young girl went TO live there as a ser.
want, and for some months seemed we'll
contenLed with her place, but afterward
she became gloomy and unhappy, and
was frequently seen In tears by the neigh.
bors. At LIST che disappeared, and 1t was
given outby her employers that she had
gone 10 VISIT some friends at distance,
but she did not return, and suspicion was
already directed toward the old man and
his SOD, when one morning the house was
found 10 be shut up, It's inhabitants having
found 1t expedient to remove as silently
and secretly as possible. The girl was
never heard Of siterward. The discovery
OF the bones led 10 the supposition that
the younger man had seduced her, had
aiterWard murdered her to conceal his
original crime, and that he had then