The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-05
A MYSTERIOUS HOUSE.

1t Is possible that some of our readers
Of london Socisty may be fond OF ghost
stories, and therefore l relate for their
benefit the following legend about Ger.
tain London house. For obvious reasons,
lSuppresS the name Of persons, and exact
localities, and further desire TO be un-
deHtOOd that l do not hold myself re-
sponsible for the accurate truth OF all the
details of the story; ! need only add that
the events are to be taken as having oc-
Cured some years ago.
Some years ago, then, a gentleman,
whom We will call Col. Somefville, was
deslrops OF buying house In the west
end OF town, and passing one day through
well known square, he observed a house
to DO sold, which seemed to him as far as
outside appearance and situation were
concerned, TO DO the very thing he wanted.
The printed bill referred him 10 q firm Of
esta,e agents In the city, and TO them he
al once went; though he could not help
entertaining O misgiVlpg that the price
would be oxhorbltanly high, and beyond
his means. No harm, however, could be
done by simple inquiry. He was agree
ably astonished 10 lind that tho sum de-
mAnded was only four hundred pounds.
Not beinGR commercial man, he could
not help expressing his astonishment ct
the small sum demanded and nAively in.
quired II the mansion was much out Of
repair. The representative Of tho firm
replied unheSitatngly that the house was
In very good repair, and would not require
more than the usual outlay upon decora-
ton. The Colonel pressed his inquiries,
and, as he seemed 10 bea likely and de-
sirable purchaser, he was soon Informed
Of the circumstances under which the
house In question was TO beeold. II had
belonged to q queer old gentleman who
lived In Clerkenwell, and who had died
intestate, and tho sale was ordered BY bis
next Of kin, who had been found with
some difficulty. This old gentleman had
died, strangely enough, in tho very act oil
drawing up his will, He adjust peuned
the words; "And desire that my house
in-SqnAre shn1ld be--ie when, some
kind oil lit seized him, and he was discoy.
cred the nextmorning- by bis housekeeper,
dead in his chair. Now, the next OF kin
was found In Australia, or some remote
colony, and was anxious 70 realize the
property asquickly a. possible. The house
n-squAre had been uninhAbited for
years. There was not q scrap Of furniture
10 1t; but II had been sorupulously cared
for and kept clean by an elderly, deal
woman, who did not live In II, but used
togo tott every morning and spend almost
all day there and preserved Il In such Z
condition that the owner might have Idr-
nished Il at any time, and come 10 live
there without experiencing any sense d
discomfort which would ordinarily arise
from residing In house which had moi
been inhabited for q long time. Il was
well known, may add, that tho elderly
cate.tAker never slept there. The Colonel
went TO view the house BE found tina,
hehad NOS been deceived by external ap,
pearances, or by the description Of ne Al.
ccmmOdaliOn detailed by the agent; Il was
In abort, Just such a house as he and III
vile wanted Tor town residence, and Ii
due course the purchase was completed,
aldSaMn, so@stvIfs Happened 70 Be- ss N
wen Of this particular time, and unable L
come 70 London to- Supefintend the fur.
nshlng, he oontented himself with prepar
ing bedroom for his own use, on the iirS
noor, and another for his valet on the floo
above, ne retained ne services Of III
elderly deaf woman, who appeared 10 b
gra&tul for his confederation, as abe al
legged that the pay she received for he