Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-07-14
a Country yzysfery

we i've among nySterieS. Lie Itself IS a myS-
terry. Death, with all the light that has been
poured on it py revelation, is a mystery. Every
process OF nature in the transformation OF Invisible
matter into green vegetation, purple and gold and
blue flowers and fruits, IS a mystery. But so ac-
cusiomed are we TO these wonderful and mex
plicable processes which are going on around US
that they excite but little interest and small sur
prise. while II an event occurs which is out OF the
ordinary course OF events in our lives or among
our surroundings, are curious TO know all about
II, and some such events excite our widest curl
Osity.
II we lived among ghosts, II intelligent beings Of
another than our human race were constantly Wis
IDLE 10 Us by night or b. day, passing to and fro
among but not OF US, we should look on ghosts
with as little wonderment as on the coming up OF
trees the drifting OF clouds in the air the return
OF spring time aud winter An interesting illustra-
ton OF this Is found among the cOlored people In
parts OF the South. They believe in ghosts
or ''haunts,' and think they see them FIRE.
quently. 50 frequently and commonly that
"Did you ever See HAUNT 7 once
asked an Intelligent colored man. "Oh, yes.
everybody sees hagnts." do they frighteD yOu?"
What should a haunt frighten any one for? You
see plenty OF em all the time. They never hurt
People are fond OF minor mysteries, regardless OF
the greater mysteries around them. There are
few localities N which you will not ind existing
some special mystery, some occurrence which has
taken place about which the local mind exercises
Itself vainly TO find explanation OF the why or the
wherefore.
Away down the valley beyond the Franconia
mountains is q clearing in which are the remains
OF cellar wall, proving that q small house once
stood there. Equally strong proof exists In the
tangie OF cinnamon roses which annually perfume
the air among the thlckets OF wild cherry row
covering the clearing, and IN the few rotten boards
which crush under your feet as you push through
the thicket TO reach the trout stream which
runs few rods behind where the house
stood IL Is more than q half century since
this house stood r there It was , lonesome
In rear and on right and left by the untouched
forest. looking out In front over an extended
landscape. IL was a mile from the next house.
and nearly two miles from the vilIagr. The
house was old when stranger bought The farm
from the man who had built the house and
10 the West The stronger was thoroughly
stranger. No one knew him, or where he
came from, and, still more important, his con-
versation, haOits. tastes and general style OF life
were wholly strange TO those or tine people IN this
locality. He had no employment in common with
the people. He knew nothing about farming. He
never plowed or cultivated his land He lived
quite alone In the little house, whose sparse furnf-
ture he had bou%ht 18th II. He received letters
occasionally at the village post-oifice, which prob
ably brought him the means OF living, for he
always had sufficient money for the purchase OF
the necessities OF life. lie did not mngle with the
people, 0ut was nevertheless greatly liked by the
men because OF his kindly ways. his occasional
services TO those in need his valuable advice often
sought and always given with willingness and
with ample evidence that he was well able to ad-
wise Years passed, and he had become part OF
the community: an important part, too. The VIII
lage minister who was Of ability fond OF stud
les related TO his sacred profession, was surprised
and delighted one day In casual conversation with
10 help him in getting at the meaning
OF a Greek word used by ST. Paul by
citing the repeated use of the same word
IN Greek literature. The doctor, who like many
country physicians had been compelled TO lead a
very lonesome life so far as Intellectual compan-
ionship was concerned, found immense delight In
passing talks, BRIEF but fuu OF Information and
appreciation, with the unknown man. For he re-
manned practically unknown. He never talked
long with any one. He would exchange few SEN
fences, pleasantly, with minister, doctor, farmer
or mechanic then turn away, seeking again his
lonesomeneSs In which he seemed content. This
much think may be taken as fact about him.
Much more exists In tradition among the older In
habitaRt5 who say that he was a wonderful
scholar, great lawyer, man Of immense
that he had come from a crowded world OF so
clety, OF books. ana learned men, and the asso-
where only nature seemed his familiar cOmpan-
ion But this was not the mystery Peo-
pie thereaoouts were not inqlisitive. TO them,
that man should come from anywhere to enter
into that community and sort or society In which
they lived and from which they had no desire 10
remove. Nor at that place and time was there
any OF the now existing curiosity which character
lies Inhabitants OF the large cities, leading them
10 pry INTO the private lives OF one another ana
which makes The highest rriumphs OF Journalism
the discovery aud publication from day to day OF
sonal life now approved In the cities were unknown
10 that social system in which every mans house,
though it We're only log cabin, without lock or
bolt, was his castle, sacred TO home privacy, de-
fenced from invasion by universal respect for the
decencies and duties or sociapnfe.
For more than fifteen years the stranger (who,
from the address on his letters, had come 10 be
known as John Wilson, without even a Mr. or an
Esp lived In the Old house, while the land around
IL went 10 waste, brush grew over the clearing,
the mountain brook wore a new course for Itself
IN freshets, and covered what had been the gar
den behind the house with a broad sheet OF sand,
dry. not, and White in the summer sun. Now We
come 10 the my Stery.
one August day Josiah Bolson, farmer. drove
up the lane between the naples 70 the door OF the
Old house lie went 0y appointment TO get from
Mr.. Wilson some medicine promised him for sick
horse. He knocked but got no answer. Then he
walked around the house Across the bed OF sand,
on the edge Of The brook, he saw some one living
ana called out. The niotionless figure frightened
MIN lie went nearer. IL was John Wilson, dead;
shot through the breast with pistol riie bullet
Josiah B1tson was u Selectman, Intelligent, Judi
clOis. Tie satisfied himself the man Was dead past
help. then went as fast his horse could carry
him for the doctor. the minister and three or four
OF The most Intelligent men he could pick up. In
an hour or two they reached The mouse all to-
gether, and Josiah, with much anxiety, babe them
follow IN single Ele the sand leaving foot
prints only where he had before crossed IT, They
carried the dead man into his house. Then they
began an examination. There were other foot
prints On the sand, which was much trampled.
Some OF these were made by the boots or the muir
defeu man. Others were by boots OF smaller
size. For long time these two sizes Footprints
We're The only ones found. At length the doctor
uttered an exclamation He had found a third
sort OF Footprint, clearly woinan's IL was small
and In those days. when shoes were mostly hand.
made, was recognized as the print OF what they
called city shoe.
In the mouse there was nothing to attract notice
IL Was cOnJectured that In the night time man
ana Woman had come, had called the solitary man
out INTO the moonlight, had held an interview OF
some Kind with hun, which had ended with the
pistol shot. There were few facts on which to
found conjecture The mystery Of this violent
death how made his lie a mystery Among hfs
effects they found nothing 10 indicate who he was
ana theie was therefore no 10 whom the fact
OF his death could be communicated .sShall we
open Tie nrxt letter which comes TO him aI the
Dost-ofce!" was much-iiscussed Question: IL
vas useless discussion for, TO increase the mys-
teFy, no letter ever again came addressed to hm
How Old MS correspondent know that he was deadP
The entire contents or the house were sold by
due process OF law 10 pay his funeral expenses for
\ ne had only a tr1ne OF money Ia his pocket-book
The minister bought the pocket-Dook, and the only
other books found In the house, To viii a small
| sophocles. In the Bible he found an occasional
marked passage-Inarked only wolh black dot OF
| a pencil on The margin. Each or these passages
had reference 20 tue tngratitude OF children. The
same sly OF marx directed his attention TO pass
ages OF similar character In the Greek tragedies
10 alter years the people used TO say that the min
ister ivund something important IN the pocket
! the minister was oead, and he had never spoken
| Oh any such md All this happened NIFTY years
| ago. Low old were they whose foot prints. man
and woman, marked their presence and the prob
able guilt Of one or both IN the murder OF JOE n
wilson? Are they living still, old people, going on
/ heavily loaded with The weight OF this ancient
crime? or nave they met the murdered man In q
lighted Dy alI-coiape,ling power.