The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-01-10
THE MYSTERY OE TITUSvILLE.
A New Years Sketch.
BY EDWARD 8. ELLIS.

ghost mystery, ana on t0ls New ear :
Eve there was widespread and gen.
erai resolution that the problem
should be solved before the rising of
tomorrow's snn.
No one ever vet heard OF ghost,
spook, or hohgobin. without feeling
the strongest sort Of desire to get TO
the bottom facts, and the more pro
found the inconiprehensibility. the
more eager are we TO learn how ii all
is.
The Titusville to which we refer
stands on the Delaware River. few
miles north of the capital at the
State of New jersey. aud numbers
perhaps four or five hundred inhabi-
tants. he houses stand IN 81 etrag-
Cling fashion between the river a:d
canal. along which extends the rail
road, while a mill blacksmith shop,
and severa! private dwellings,, are on
the other shore OF the artificial
stream, through which ihe canal boats
laziIy make their W., in the direction
Of Easton or Trenton.
1t is not pariicG 'arly emterprisin-
village, and, in order 10 note arv
thing IN The nature 81 progress ar i'm
provemcnt, il is necessary 10 time
your visits at intervals nf twenty
years or so.
Ii has a couple nf churches. a
school, several ol,ifa h;ri.cA stores, aai
the Inevitable establishment where
Jersey ii h;n;n g" can be procured at
any desirable degree OF triluration.
One New Years Eve, an old to,ler-
ing gentleman, i'll collapsed hat.
rni long, diIapidated coat, was seen
by nearly all the villagers, rs he
tram ped YEARLY through the SNOW.
staggering sometimes like drunken
man from evident exhaustion.
There was nothing particu-
iarly mysterious in such a
proceeding, but the first time
he appeared he WAS followed by two
laborers, living near the brick-yard.
Eho declared that as they were cross
ing the canal bri lge haIfmile above
TitusvilIe, and com.ng down the
river road by the cove. they sa W the
old fellow emerge from the river.
which was as full of q 'ating ice at the
time as when Washington and his
shiyering Continentals crossed al
nearly the same spot more than CEN
fury before.
They were sure that he had descend
ed the Delaware from LambertvilIe,
or some point above, Oh OIc OF the
chunks of crsunching ice.
These reliable informants. further.
more, were positisessthat tie stranger
walked 3 erect and steadily ~ ri irt
himself, at the international contest,
unit! he reached kugler'o mill, when /
be began staggering ia 4 most uucer. |
tar. Kind of way
This story, as told IN the principal |
village store. would not have caused |
any serious comment. but for the fact /!
that il vas confirmed 10 q most sin. |
guiar manner.
An oit fisherman ana his two hul,s- I,
ing sops were pushing their way over
the frightful road, from the direction !
Of Taylorsville, and were near the
southern edge Of the village, and were
smacking their lips ia anticipation q
the fiery NIP" awaiting them, whe4
they encountered the same venerable
gentleman, who seemed To be on the
point CT going down all in a heap
from weakness.
Something curious IN his looks
caused the fisherman and his sons to
turn and watch him.
Suddenly he strai ghtened up, ard
made plunge doan the river bank.
vanishing from view in a twinkling.
A loud splash convinced the spec
tators that he had become disguised
with the world and himself, and had
committed suicide.
Tney hurried in his track, to learn
whether such was the fact, but moth |
ing more was seen or heard of him. /
That is, not until the succeeding New !
Years Eve, when almost precisely
the same thing occurred, and it so
happened that both ends of the pro-
grxmme were rounded up by other
parties, and corresponded, as we have
said, with the first performance.
On each occasion, the moon was
shining brightly. so that the myster-
ious stranger was seen distinctly; be-
sides which, it may he added that
half the village observed him, as he
went through the one main street.
The fact that i'm both instances it
was New Years Eve when he showed
himself, led to the accepted theory
that in the future he would only APP
pear on that noteworthy date.
There was a deep undercurrent of