Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-02-16

;to' u'ah. 1t Ia iurk" " I,,~Jrlli,
'.i' e.! l'r -4in u"r freedom, even if
ii cost, IL Cur lives t. do it"
Liza started
Il an ready to do anything YOU
bid Inc. =. sad the faithful Sirl.
| stood in deep thought for a mo
ln"nt. then | badc Liza strip the
large shawl she Wore in pieces. and
did the same with mine: and after
hraldin@ the strips We found We had
made two strong cable, of sufficient
length to reach from the window to
the ground. Then fastening the ends
securely tp some hooks that projected
from tn" outer wall, | set adrlft. as
Llza had not the courage to start
first. In less than Il minute Irpachc, |
Iii" ground; then herkonrl her 10
follow. which She Immediately did.
1t was some moments before we
reached tine street. tired and ex
haustcd, to await the diligence To
convey lis t. Leipzig. Our hands
were sore and nearly raw from de
srrndlng the rope, but we did not
complain, SO rrioiccd were we to have
escaped at all.
After we had reached Leipzig and
br"akfastrd, We set ourselves dill
gently to work to find if possible
some clew to the strange proceedings
at tn" old house We had 50 unhappilv
visited. We We're referred to an old
woman who lived in Il remote part of
tn" town. who. We were told. WIS
familiar with the history of the fam
lily who had occupied IL. also of their
ancestors IN IL long line down. Pro
curing Il cab. Liza and | were soon
on our way to the residence of this
woman, whose name was Nancy
Schranberger As We entered her
| humble domicile size welcomed lis
kindly IN her native tongue, and as
| was familiar with the language our
conversation passed smoothly, and
she related the following story of the
old house and its former inmates:
Thirty years ago | WAS a servant
at the Gotsched house, as it was
called. occupying the position of
lady's maid to Meta. the wife of Bod
mer Gotsched. the owner of the
estate. Bodmcr descended from an
illustrious family, and was a man
great III mind and stature. He was
educated at Ivan university, and was
a scholar of some renown. His wife
was ordinary in every sense of the
word. and at the time of her marriage
with Bodmer there was the greatest
opposition on the part of the Gotsched
family; but through some artful
measures of the crafty Meta. she Sc
cured the hand if not the heart Of
Bodmrr. Her entrance to the Got
sched mansion witnessed the depart
nre of the only brother and sister of
Bodmer. never to return Some
asserted that they went to Inlia. but
to tins day it is not fully known. |
Bodmer generously shared the cnor-
NOUS property with them. and sorrly |
regretted their decision to leave him. |
The parents of Bodmcr were dead: !
thus he and his wife, with their suite
of servants. We're the sole occupants
"f tho lnrt5n. sPlondil h"urn i u.ns
Il confident as we'll as servant IF |
Meta, hence | knew Il great deal .
about some of her mean, petty acts.
many of which do not even now feel |
at liberty to disclose | will pass
them all except the one great circnm-
stance that brought ruin and desola-
ton upon the great house of Got
sched. Bodmer and Meta We're never
blessed with any children of their
own. SO Bodmcr adopted Johana
Brutlnger. a cousin of his. johanna
was a bright, active child, and great
favOrlte of Bodmer's; but Meta spited
her, she was So jealous of the atten-
ton Bodmer showed her, and from
the first treated her almost brutally.
One morning johanna was found
dead in her bed. and Meta Gotsched
was accused of poisoning her; still
1T was never proved against her.
Soon after this event Bodmer died,
leaving his vast estate to his wife.
Meta shortly after left Gotsched
house for parts unknown, although
some maintain that she still dwells in
some obscure part of the old house,
as they are certain either she or her
Si'9I idS b'til SecH ABOUT tfle prem
ises. And there are those who think
that set ofcountcrfeiters of or gamblers
occupy portion of it. No one takes
the pains to investigate the affair,
therefore matters are allowed to take
their course; the land is going to
waste and the house to decay. All
this ruin is brought about by the
misdoin.s of one woman"
l listened to the recital of this
story with breathless attention, and
when the old lady had finished / re
compensed her for her time and
trouble, and in company with Liza
returned to the hotel, feeling CRATE
full for the miraculous escape of the
previous night.
~