The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-03-04
THE HAUNTED MILL.

town which shall be nameless. It was
rather lonely spot, however, and some
distance from the village. Just back Of
the mill were dense woods of tall, dark
pine trees, which gave the place rather
gloomy appearance after sunset. The
miller's house and barns were close by;
but as he employed several men to work
Ii the quarry beyond, the upper story Of
the old mill was occupied by them for
sleeping room. One evening after dark,
instead of going to their usual quarters
they entered their employer kitchen.
After sitting around awhile they de-
clared they were not going to sleep in
the mill that night, for they were sure it
was haunted.
'What ridiculous idea!' said the
miller, laughing. I'm afraid you drank
too much beer last night, and so had the
nightmare or bad dreams.
ssIt's only Hans Rittendof who drinks
much beer, and he slept like a top. But
the rest of us were as wide awake as you
are this minute; and [ declare we heard
all sorts of queer sounds"
Indeed, we did! ' added Jamie Nc
Donald, and it was a'thether uncanny.
"Oh, Jamie I guess it was nothing
but the winds whistling among the pines.
and with your Scotch superstition you
conjured up against a ghost. %
',Hoot, mon, wi your Scotch super
stition. I tell ye we were a awake, and
dinna kenn what the awful noise could
mean"
"Och, surel' joined in Michael, such
a grooming and shrieking Indade, yees
never heerd the likes of it. The place
is haunted, sure, and never bit will
Michael O'Toole go back there to
Sleep"
Zone and all had the same story too
tell, and the miller could not persuade
them to go to their beds. John Mason,
however, bravely declared that he should
not be scared by a ghost, SO he went
back to the mill to sleep there alone,
while the rest made themselves as COM
Portable as they could in the BAN. But
one night shortly after, John rushed in
to the miller's house, pale and trembling,
to tell of the awful sounds he had heard.
So at last the ghost proved too much
for him to endure.
''The mill was finally deserted. Even
the people in the village talked about
the strange means and unearthly groans
and shrieks that came from there after
twilight They were sometimes heard
in the mill, then above apparently abose
the trees then back again IN the mill.
So it went for weeks, but no one could
account for or imagine the cause of such
strange doings. If any one ventured to
drive by there after twilight it was with
fear and trembling, dilated eyes and
suspended breath.
ssMr Trowbridge paused a moment
and gravely shook his head. A breath
less silence reigned around, and all eyes
were intently fixed upon him as he re-
sumed ''John Mason, who had been
ridiculed for his boosted bravery, deter
mined to go back to the old mill and
solve the mystery, if he had to seize the
evil spirit it self, which was making
such a commotion there. So one night
with lantern and strong club, he took
up his station on the ground floor. 1t
was late hour; all nature was hushed
in silence, when he heard the tread Of
light feet over his head, a sort Of shrek.
and then a moan. His hair stood on end
and his limbs trenbled. He seemed
glued to the spot, while another and an
other of those horrible groans made the
old mill seem filed with evil spirits.
ssFinally John gained a little strength
and courage. He tightly grasped his
club; then, with his lantern, slowly
crept towards the stairs. But once
more, on hearing strange sounds, his
courage failed. what was ne TO 90 !!
ssBe man, Jack Mason! - he mutteredl
Then he very cautiously beheld-oE,
horrorsl"
Susie, with shiver, slipped her hand
in her mothers, and Willie drew nearer
to his uncle's side; while George, scarce
above whisper, and with trembling
voice, asked: "What did he see, uncle2
Do tell us.
|sWhy, what do you suppose? An
immense rat running round the rim of
and old fashioned spinning wheel, which
had found it's way among some things
stored in the mill. It had not been oil
ed in many day, and when the wheel
went over it sounded up the stream like
a screech; when it was under it was
sort of groan, and was strangely echoed
in the quarry. Then it seemed back
again in the mill.
.sSeizing his club, John Mason felled