The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-01-12
HOW CANE IT THERE.

New York Mail.
HOW CANE IT THERE.
4 BY MAR0ERY DEANE.
But one thing marred tho home
Kate and I made for ourselves IN
Belleville, just after we were married,
and that one thing marred it very lit.
tie In the first years. It was trifle-
merely that the next house was
reputed haunted, and beng empty
presented rather a desolate appear.
ance. Neither Kate or I took much
stock in the villagetales ofghosts who
dwelt there; yet we often wished for
neighbours and would have been glad
for some life At the blinded windows.
The two houses stood little back
from the village street in pleasant
grounds, and were not a hundred feet
apart. The haunted house was large
and handsome. The place was IN the
care OF q trusty gardener, who kept
the keys, entering at intervals the
rear door to see that the elements
we're kept out. He cared for the
grounds and cultivated for himself
the large garden behind it.
Kate had moro than once confided
to me that the place gave her the
creeps," and had comforted her by
the assurance that since the house
showed no decay and the grounds
were we'll kept up no neighbors we're
vastly better than bad ones.
The house had been vacated manv
years before we came to Belleville.
The story ran that a stranger bought
it OF its builder for summer residence,
Except that this stranger 'looked like
lord" and was very austere in man
ner, nobody could describe him, for
nobody could have the courage to ap-
proach him. His young wife was a
very beautiful Polish woman, who
spoke not a word of English. The two
usually talked in French. and as they
walked down the village street. con-
versed so earnestly together as to
seem unconscious of any one whom
they met or passed. Often there were
tears in the great, black eyes of the
lovely Pole, and frequently she had
been seen to burst into a fit of weep
ing while sitting on her veranda and
to 60 quickly into the house, her hand
kerchief pressed against her face.
can we'll understand the effect OF
this mysterious sorrow upon certain
people in the village. whose neighbours
er than their own. Unfortunately for
Bslleville gosslps, neither the man SER
want nor the maid servant who came
with this couple could speak word
OF English. This indeed was cruel.
1t was said by workingman who
made some repairs to the furniture
which had been brought in huge,
foreign-looking cases, that such fur.
nishing had never been seen in Belle
vile; that there were rooms whose
walls were hung with silk damask with
huge flowers wrought upon it. and
that the bed hangings were of the same
rich stuff. The iuriture new, all for
eign aud carved. While people yet
wondered about the interior, it was
suddenly stripped of all it's adorn-
ment, and the big cases went of. The
gentleman and servants left town at
midnight, but it has been asserted
that the beautiful Polish lady never
was known to 60 away. She certain.
~ was not left in the house, for half
the villagers trooped through it to
satisfy their curiosity, and then it
was shut uoand thegardener kept the
keys.
How the story started that the
house was haunted do not know.
Possibly had I known ali this. I
might have hesitated a little before
buying our home, for Kate Is bit
nervous, and being physician had
to leave her often at night. Thought
less persons told her tales OF the
haunted house, only one of which I
recall, and that said that the Polish
lady had been seen at night to pass
in and out of the locked, closed door,
it Offering no resistance to her.
1t was late one night when our door.
bell rang and answered it myself. A
strange gentleman-I knew every man
6y sight in the villaee-asked mo to
come and see very sick lady. beg
ged him to enter and sit down, while l
made preparations to accompany
him, during which asked
"Where is the patient?"
"She is in the next house." he re-.
piled.
Surely. not in the next house," I
answered. ''That is empty. No one
lives there!'
''She is in the next house, sir"
II beg your pardon. did not know
that anyone had moved in"
Kate, overhearing US, entered the
room and remarked little excitedly.
''There is certainly no one next door.
The house is wholly unfinished.
"Look!" said the stranger, drawing
aside the curtain, and pointing to the
second story, where in the middle of
the house were two brilliantly lighted
windows.
Kate was pale. It did not seem
possible that even footstep on the
srdvel putin COuiu W udVe Ad!!eH uu-
needed by her; that even lamp could
have been conveyed into the house
and she not know it.
The stranger was tall, 6ne.looking,
and gave the impression of tremen.
dous reserve force. His manner was
genial and exceedingly courteous; but
he spoke as ono accustomed to COM
mand, and with few words. Telling
Kate that it was undoubtedly the
owner Of the place just arrived, and
that I must obey professional call,
I left her with her little womanly fears
and all her womanly curiosity Great
ing quite a turmoil within her.
We passed out OF my gate and into
that OF the next enclosure. The stran-
eer led the way up the steps and easily