West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-30
daughters by telling them what he had

/ daughters by telling them what he had
heard.
/ He then quieted them a. we'll a. he
knew how, but they could not Toe in
/ duced to 60 10 their chamber again.
Ihey had heard the same noise as their
lather, and were trying 10 get asleep.
when they heard a slight noise, and
\ saw dim light flash for an instant, and
\ during that moment saw a hideous face
Hash out from the wall The eyes were
I ike burning Goals, aud il grinned with
teeth like the tusks of wild boar.
his was too much for the Bensons.
They resolved to quit house haunted
so feafully.
Martin Ripley was astOnished when
/ he heard the cause of their removal: he
would not believe it; but when the
I Bensons had moved away. and the next
family were equally Mortified, and
stayed there only month, then he be-
/ gan To think there was some foundation
/ 10 the stories. The fact Of the house
I being haunted became known in the
/ town; and exaggerated accounts we're
| told, until but few persons dared TO pass
| 1t i'm the evening. OF course no one
would hire it, and Martin began to
7 think II was poor piece of property TO
own, for from disuse il was rapidly get
ting out of repair.
He, however, saw that something
must be done to keep the mansion from
going To complete decay; and the
only sure remedy was to remove the
reputation it had acquired of being
haunted. So he determined to occupy
the house himself, and devote his
time To unraveling the dreadful mvs-
terry. His friends advised him not 10
undertake 40 hazardous Job. for they
were sure he would regret il: but Mar
tin had made up his mind, and would
not be dissuaded. He moved into the
house, and did not have 10 wait long for
the goblin noises 10 commence. The
noise came with its regular repetitions,
and, soon after, the footsteps were
heard approaching nearer and nearer,
until they seemed 10 recede again, and
finally were heard no more Martin
RIPLEY was convinced that these things
were done by some sort of human
agency; he did not believe in disem-
bodied spirits playing such pranks, and
he resolved to discover the cause TAX
ing his lamp and revolver, he com
menced search through every room,
opening each closet door, and cxamin-
ing thoroughly every hiding-place. At
length he came to the room once occu-
pied by Louisa and Emeline Benson. 1t
was a very old-fashioned chamber. with
great deal of paneling about it. and
had large, deep closets. Martin was
particular in his search here, hut found
nothing.
He was just leaving the room, when
he noticed that another light besides his
a. tryua OH IL.
ing around, he saw over the fireplace a
horrid face-the same hideous one
which had frightened the Benson girls
50 much. Quick as thought, Martin
raised his revolver, and fired at the OBJ
ject.
An unearthy yell followed, and the
room was in total darkness Martins
lamp was cxtinguished, and he had to
grope his way from the chamber 10 the
parlor, where he could relightit. He then
returned to the haunted room. Groans,
as of some one in distress, were heard,
and IN the wall was a small, square hole,
as if a panel had been removed Climb
ing TO this aperture, Martin easily broke
away the woodwork, and found large
recess inside. He entered, and was
shocked to sec his brother John groaning
VI VIZ hDOiS WIFI MS hfU DTOken Dy
pistol-shot.
The mystery was now unraveled. John
confessed 10 having haunted the house,
in order TO make it worthless to his
brother He had long since discovered
a private entrance to one Of the old
towers, completely hidden by wood
bine; this led to a secret room, by
staircase constructed between the walls.
In this room he had arranged clock so
that it only struck once day, and that
was at midnight; by mufflng the bell,
the sound was 50 disguised that no one
would think il was a clock that made the
noise. The footsteps were his, when ne
ascended the hidden staircase. and the
horrid face he had purchased at a toy
ship, illuminated il with a candle. and
held 1T to the aperture in the wall.
Martin was sorry for the injury he
bad done his brother by using his pistol
80 hastily, and John repented OF the
mean way he had adopted TO damage
Martin. a reconciliation took place.
and after that the brothers lived i'm
peace and goodwill towards each other.