Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-09-02
THE HAUNIED WE'LL.

am an old farmer, living in the old
est house in Oldtown. The trees about
the place are the trees Of the primmval
forest. I have plenty of farming land
beyond their delightful shade, and the
only thing new upon the place is my
well. We have an ancient well with the
old-fashioned sweep, but no one ever
tastes the water there, though it is as
cold and clear as crystal.
L suppose the place is worth q great
deal. 1t was valued 81, 500 when I
bought it years ago The house is
handsome mansion; the sort Of place
a gentleman retiring from business
usually buys to end his days in, and city
people came to see it and the grounds,
and seemed to be delighted. Now,
when tell you that 1 came into Old
town with exactly 1920 pounds in my
pocket, and that I had no idea what I
should do when that vas spent, you will
feel surprised that, six months after, I
owned this place. But I'll tell you all
about it. 1t was what folks call q
haunted place, and for ten years it had
stood vacant. People tried to live there,
but were always frightened away. II
it had only been the house, that could
have been torn down but nobody would
even farm the land on shares.
Twelve years before this, the proprie-
tor had been a jealous old gentleman,
who had young wife whom he would
never permit out of his sight, if he could
avoid it.
However, she was as sly as he was
watchful, and she managed to firt suf-
fciently to make herself talked about.
Being very pretty, she set one or two
silly young fellows wild about her, and
one used to follow her around, making
great eyes and signing desperately Ike
a lover in a play.
The postmistress said that he wrote to
her, and I suppose he did. And at last
the news spread through the place that
she had run away with him.
He was gone, and she was gone and
the old man came ole morning TO Law
yer Tantivy, and sold his property at
great loss to man who had wanted it
for years. rich man, who liked to have
It said that he owned the finest place in
Oldtown.
1t was plain that the poor old gentle
man did not care what became of him,
and when he had got the money he
wandered away, and was never seen
again.
The new proprietor moved up to the
great house in state, but at dawn the
whole mily-servants and all-re-
rned to their old quarters.
What they had seen, or what they had
not seen, it was hard to tell, but they
were all nearly frightened to death. The
doctor was sent for for the ladies', and
they spoke of the most awful appari-
tons.
After this the head of the family and
the constable spent day and a night
there. They held their tongues, but
those who saw them first knew that they
had been well frightened, and the man
put the place into the market at once.
Lawyer Tantivy privately told people
that only a coward would have been
frightened by rats in an cid wall, and he
sold it to city man. Much the same
thing happened :: but this time the house
Was not sold again. The city man went
elsewhere, and tried in vain to get rid of
his bargain 1t was let for the summer
once, but the people old not stay a week.
After while nobody would farm the
ground.
Some said they saw a woman with her
throat cut. Some that they saw a man
with a wound in his breast. Some both.
. Voices were heard hanGs were felt; and
there, when came to the place, the old
house stood, with moths and spiders for
It's only tenants.
went up aid looked at it, and then I
talked 10 Jane. She had not bit Of
superstition in her, and she agreed to
what 1 proposed.
went to old Tantiyy and offered him
Cos year for four years lease of the
place, the 91OO to be paid in one lump.
After that" said I, "Fll give you
four hundred for the property. Wife
and I are not afraid OF ghosts"
The old lawyer shook his head.
"Tou say you've met with losses,
FRIEND" said he, "and have just 912O
left. Keep it. You couldn't live in
that house one week. TIE tried it. I'd
make a bargain with a rich man, but I'm
not rascal enough to take poor mans
all"
"I'n risk it, said I. 81 do it freely,