Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1880-05-26


tottering, did as he babe her. To-
gother they dragged the dead body
of the man, who had eaten with
them an hour before, to the cellar.
There, by the pickering candle,
the old man began to dig. 1t was
a hard task, but terror inspired
him. Meanwhile, long tracks Of
blood covered the floor. The old
woman had no more strength left !;
she could not wash them up.
"Of what good will money he to
us :" she cried over and over again
Goods curse will be upon u.s."
She began to hate the old man;
vet she could not cry out and be-
tray her own husband.
The candle burnt low; the dead
man lay stark and cold upon the
cellar floor. A grave was nearly
made, when suddenly strange
sounds filled the air. Music and
singing, hasty feet, cries from with
ont of "Mother Ritter! Father
Ritter! halo, there! let us in !"
"What is that 2" cried the old
man.
"My God, do not know" cried
the old woman.
She arose to her feet and totter-
ed up the ladder stairs. A band
of merry neighbors filled the room.
"Hallo, Mother Ritter!' cried the
first. "Ah, you were you in your
cellar; and where is the stranger
who came here while ago! We
are looking for him."
mo one has been here" said the
old woman.
"What said the neighhor, mot
here yet! But know he is. |
came to the door with him; and
here is his hat. Why, old mother,
what is the matter ?"
"a man came, but he went away.
We had nothing to give him." fall
tered Mother Ritter.
"The rascal! He is hiding some
where! Did you not recognize
him 2"
"Recognize him p gasped Moth
er Ritter. 81 never saw him be-
fore !"
Then I'll tell you who he is,'
said the neighbor. "Here, Hans
come and show Yourself! Why,
it is your own son, Mother Ritter,
come back to share the fortune he
has made. with you. We knew
YOU would not know him in his
long beard, so we made him prom
Use not to reveal himself until we
were by to see. We have come to
enjoy the meeting and have
feast. Halo, where are you, Hans
Ritter9 There-she is fainting.
1t is too much happiness"
Meanwhile the lights the COM
pany had brought with them illu-
minated the room, revealed the
open cellar door, the dark, wet
stains upon the floor and upon
Mother Ritter's clothes.
No answer came to their cries of:
"lians, where are you ?"
They entered the bedroom and
saw the blood-stained pillow and
marks of red hands upon the
sheets. The women screamed, the
men grew pale; they rushed into
the cellar. There they saw the
new made grave and beside it a
dead man with his throat cut from
ear to ear, and in dark corner
the old murderer stood at bay, ar
med with glittering knife, and
the edge of the travellers wallet
protruding from the pocket of bis
gray jacket.
Only at the words, "You have
murdered your own son." did he
sink down before them and LET
them do with him what they would
The old woman happily died
that night after making full con.
fusion of all the circumstances
/ The old man was tried for the mur
der, condemned and executed
The story is still told in the Ger
man town in which the events tool
F. place, aud ruinous little building
which every one avoids, since it j
said to be haunted by terrible
ghosts, is pointed out as the dwell
ing of old Father Ritter. The,
say the grave he dug for his sol
may still he seen in the cellar, hu
no one desires to investigate tn
truth of this statement.
Dying with the Rear Guard.