River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-04-17
MILLICENT'S DOVER.

turrets OF the castellated mansion ano
sang in the wide ana dreary halls. II
could have no better place than Berkeley
house in which to waken ghOstly sounds
for it was a rumbling and disjointed
building, full of deep bay-windows and
corners that seemed made for the delec-
tation of unearthly beings.
The old mansion was a relic from the
early colonial davs, and was said &c
represent the character of its master, who
was noted for his eccentricities, even OF
those days of witches and goblins grim.
Disappointed in some cherished am
bition or love affair, Simon Berkeley came
TO America when great forests still
Swallowed the shores of New England,
and, travelling along the cost, found
a hill that looked southwark and over
looked broad sweeps of sea, and there
built him home.
Huge elms rose close to the massive
stone walls, and where time and disuse
had crumpled the easements the branches
of these had forced their way into the
silent rooms, and, when the wind shook
them. shivered as though fear held them
In firm grasp.
Below there were old orchards, where
in the warm sunlight made golden edged
shadows in the long summer days, but
which were now full of storm-songs
that came ringing up the hill
with a strange weirdness born from
the sea, for this was just below them, and
its foamy waves came in on the rocky
ledge that held them in check, beating
them with fierce fury that sent the spray
high in air
The building had great hall that ran
through its main part, and from this two
wings ran away to the east and west,
these containing the apartments that were
intended for family use. They were solid
and of a peculiar construction, those in
the west wing having broad. deep
windows, while narrow and strongly
barred easements gave the east wing a
dungeon look that carried enc back to
the dark ages.
Simon Berkeley married shortly after
his house was finished, bis bride being a
woman as strange and eccentric as him
self. The result of this marriage was
daughter, who, in direct contradiction to
received tenets, was as beautiful and
bright as June morning, and possessed
a soul as lovely as her body.
The mother died shortly after the
birth of this child, and, with two old SER
wants to supply their needs, the stern and
pitiless man shut himself and his daugh-
ter up on the estate he had purchased, and
their manner of existence became mys-
terry.
There were many stories told concern
ing Old SimOns, as he was called. Peo-
pie said that he was 80 hard and cold
that it he stood near a blooming plant,
the flowers would SILVER and close as
though storm was beating them. There
we're rumors concerning harsh words
spoken to the woman he had married,
and more than one whisper said that her
death Was caused by cruel blows from
his hands.
But she passed away and was forgot
ten, and Old Simon lived on in the great
house, with his daughter and the two ser
wants for company.
The girl was Llmed Millicent, and was
very beautiful. This was all the few
neighbors knew. They caught occasion
al glimpses OF her golden hair, as she
played in the garden lying south of the
bnilding, and sometimes heard merry
voice ripping into song among the great
elms that rose about the messy stone
walls
Years passed, and the girl grew to
womanhood. Then young man came TO
the place, stranger to all living ther9.
Some said he was a lawyer, some thought
him an artist; but where his horne was
no one knew, nor did he tell 1t was
soon noticed that he frequented the VI
cinity of Berkeley's house, and once he
was seen talking to MilliCent Berkeley in
the wood that lay back OF the home.
Then he suddenly disappeared, and no
one ever saw him again; but the next
autumn some boys, seeking nuts, found
the skeleton of man deep in tie silence
of the woods back of the great stone
mansion, and there were some shreds of
Wondering garments lying near, which
were recognized as being similar in color
to those he had worn.
How he had come to his death no one
knew, though Simon Berkeley's name
became strangely linked with the affair,
and many said that he knew more of il
than he cared to tell.
With the disappearance of this stranger
Millicent Berkeley ceased to be seen. and
whittier she had gone no one knew.
A few years after this young child
was seen playing in the garden where
Millicent had played when young, and
this new conner had golden hair and mu-
steal voice that were strangely like hers.
Ten years after the disappearance of
Mlllicent, Simon Berklev was found dead,
sitting at his writing desk. his gray hair
falling about the lifeless hands on which
his head rested.
His viii gave the estate to the boy who
had been seen about the grounds, and
whom he called Wardour Berkeley.
From Simon Berkeley's death to the
tins of which this story tells the build
ing had remained in the possession of the
Berkeleys, son succeeding father as gen.
Grafton followed generation.
The estate, however, had dwindled
from its once grand proportions, though s
large tract of land still remained, heavily
encountered by a mortgage, the result oI
the second Wardour Berkeley's prof1iga
CIV. The old house and the orchards ano
gardens about it were free, the will Of ole
Simon having made them heirlooms il
the family; bat the house, though origi
nally strong and massive. was growing
ruined from want of care-the care tina
money alone can give.
There were stories that it was haunted
several people affirming that they baC
seen unearthly forms pacing the terrac'
IN front of its broad hall, or movin!
before its ruined windows.
TIE general description made these
stern old man and beautiful, golden
haired woman; but, strangely as it ma.
seem, though many people residing IL
the neighbOrhood testified TO having
seen these, they were never visible to th'
inhabitants of the house.
At this time the owner OF the oil
house was named Milicent Berkeley,
girl as beautiful and bright as the on
whose strange disappearance, tw
centuries CT more before, was still a nays
terry. She was the daughter OF the las
Wardour Berkeley, man who had lie
his passions rule till they sank a nobl
genius in the ruin of dwelling drunk
ard. and the great cause OF wonder wa
how one so pure and so sweet and won
anly could come from such father.
His wastsfulness had left me land