davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30
PART .HI.-CHAPTER w.

lie IEhhOh In T6E OLD HOUSE,
Rumors of the mysterious and
frightful occurrences of the night in
the Lobdell House flew fast and thick
through the town all the day. The
fame of the nj spread abroad over the
sandy peninsula, and for the time
there was hardly any other topic in the
minds or upon the tongues of men and
women. Groups of people, old, mid
dle-aged, youth. boys and girls gath
cred upon the streets at a respectful
distance from the old house, and gaz-
ing in awe at it, spoke in low tones
and with bated breath of the last
rumors about it. In the terror and dis
tress in which Mrs. Willis and Helen
had that morning abandoned their
part OF it, they had left the hall-door
open. No man ventured to 60 up and
close it. Helen sadly needed the arti-
cles OF dress and toilet which she had
packed in her trunk the night before,
and Mrs. Willis wanted her own ward
robe; but the man who was bold
enough to enter those rooms was not
to be found in Provincetown. The
more pressing needs of the ladies were
supplied by their sympathizing friends
and neighbors; but neither friendship
nor money could have induced any
one to go to the now untenanted house
for their effects.
Our tale is so largely based upon
facts, and the thread of fiction that
runs through it so thin, that the writer
1eeis like stopping at this point and
answering the objection that NAV be
made in some quarters, that no such
effect as we have described would be
produced upon people by tales of super
natural events occurring in an old
house.
10 those who think thus, we would
say that they fail to take into account
the time, and especially the locality of
tnese last scenes of the story.
Should such things occur TO-DAY
particularly at the West, committee
OF nnterrified men would probably visit
the infested house, thoroughly armed.
ana discover any traces that might re-
main of human agencies.
But we are not writing of the West,
nor OF the present day. 1t is of New
England that we are telling. where.
even among intelligent and educated
people. lurking if unexpressed belief
IN the supernatural has descended from
the over-religious and darkly SUPER
stitlous furitans, who burned witches
at the stake less than two hundred
years ago. And we are telling of a
time removed thirty-fiv years from ms
and OF New England sea-faring com.
nlunlty-the most likely people under
ne sun to yield to an implicit belief in
sh;ngs apparently supernatural in their
.1lg1n. SO we are simply portraying
lie As it was. at the time and place
named.
All day had the people come and
gone. gathering in groups in the vicin-
lty OF the old house, and passing from
group to group to learn eyery reno,,
that had been set afioat.
As night came on, all these patba,>
ings slowly dispersed. Curiosity WAS
by no means satisfied; but nobody
wanted to remain in the vicinity Of ths
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30

Willis was in a very unsettled state Of
mind, and went in to talk the matter over
with Helen. But the latter. usually so
mild and gentle in her ways, was thor
oughly aroused at the mans rude
persistency, and she refused even to
talk of him. She had already packed her
trunk, to be ready for her departure, and
made no scruple of informing he1
mother that she should not return I'M
til Mr.. Hunter had left the house. Mrs.
Willis remained awake half an hour
after Helen had begun to dream Of
Henry Crawford escaping from Span.
ish dungeon, and coming back to her
with ball and chain on each leg, his
hands manacled, and his moustache
shaved of. The mother perplexed her
self with plans as to how she should
contrive to inform their guest in the
morning that she was not at liberty to
offer him her Inequalities any longer
and she fell asleep over the problem.
Between ten and eleven o'clock there
were no lights visible in the house.
The night was wild and misty. The
far-away bark of dog and the faint
sound of bells striking on the vessels
in the harbor were the only noises.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30
PART II.-CHAPTER v.
A HOUSE OF MYSTERY.

The narrative of what Tom Burt had
seen and heard in that brief ten min
utes was delivered to his gaping COM
panions in the tavern with all the old
loquacity. 1t is given here in the third
person, as we wish to strip it of all un-
necessary verbiage and details, and
free it from all the mannerisms of
speech and peculiarities of sailor dia-
lect with which the hero of it managed
to spin it out for whole hour.
He said, that as he slowly came up
to the old house, there was not ray
of light proceeding from 1t.
Its long front rose before him like a
great black wall. All was silence and
quiet about it.
He had heard some talk during the
day about Mrs. Willis and Helen leay-
ing the front door of their part of it
open on their hasty fight. He thought
he would get near enough to see
whether it as.still open.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30
PART IV.-CHAPTER I.


Hearts bowed with grief, heavy with
terror and distress, as were those of
Mrs. Willis and Helen, need rest, quiet
and comfort. All this was kindly Sc
cured to them in the home of Mrs.
Willis sister, in Boston. The latter
was now widow of ample means, and
greatly attached to these, her only
relatives. Welcoming them to her
house at this time, she was at once in
formed OF late occurrences at Province
town. The engagement of Helen to
Henry Crawford had been made under
her own eyes, as it were. She now
learned from her niece that he had
gone to Cuba with Lopez. The news
papers had informed her of the dis
astrous fate of the expedition. In the
whole outlook she saw nothing but
sorrow and misfortune to come for
these two; and she resolved that, SO far
as she could control events, their sad
path in life should be frightened by
whatever wealth, aided by warm affec-
ton, could bring to them.
1t was in this comfortable home that
little by little, Mrs. Willis learned the
fate OF her husband. First came the
certainty that the '.Nellie'' had left Ha-
vana on the second day of Septem-
ber Afterward the report of the char
acter OF the crew reached her, and the
suspicious entertained on the wharf at
Boston, rising almost to painful GER
tainty as time went on, that mutinv
had ended the long and honorable ca
reer OF Captain Wfllis-perhaps that of
the vessel. The dreadful truth came
out at last. The charred and blackened
hulk of vessel, just the size and di-
mansions on The water of the bark.
was discovered grounded on the low
shores Of New. Providence, remote
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30

|unbounded relief be read the words:
i'Lady Jane Grey"
Smiling at his absurd fears, he sal
Idown aud reflected. All was going
prosperously with him: he was domi.
;ciled in the house where the treasure
was concealed; no living person knew
of its existence but he. 1t was perfect.
ly safe in its place of concealment.
The next thing was to get Mrs. Willie
and Helen out of the house; then to
,devise secure plan to remove the
money.
! He thought of Helen; and his brow
.darkened. Success would crown his
efforts; yet without her, it would moi
he complete.
"But she'll never see HIM again." he
thought. II must be patient. Time
works wonders; time will soften her
stubborn heart when she finds he does
mot return. By all the gods, I'll have
her yet! She will have one more
chance. The next time she'll not re-
fuse me-and fifty thousand dollars!''
Mrs. Willis sat alone at the tea.
table, and her manner was anything
but cordial. He inquired for Helen,
and was told that she refused to meet
Mr.. Hunter. The mother added, with
some acerbity, that Helen would 90 to
Boston in the morning, to stay a week
with her aunt. The perfect GOODNESS
and nonchalance of Hunters manner
under the delicate circumstances in
(which he appeared in her house
had somewhat puzzled and an
,noyed the good lady; but his
,demeanor upon hearing this an.
nouncement, which she had expected
would discomfort him, not only vexed
but annoyed her. He merely said
''Ah!" and elevated his black eyebrows.
Then he fell to and ate a hearty sup.
per. He complimented Mrs. Willis on
her biscuits, and ate q round dozen Of
them. He almost exhausted her pa
thence with his calls for more tea, talk.
Ing. garrulously all the time Of
different varieties of the herb, and
what he had read about the
modes of preparing it. When
the tea-things were cleared away and
Mrs. Willis had returned to the sitting
room. Hunter fingered. hoping that
Helen would appear; but she did
not. The candles were lighted and
he was told which one he might take
when he was ready to retire, but
the hint was thrown away upon him.
Mrs. Willis wished to ask many
questions about her husband, but
lshe was SO thoroughly provoked at
her strange and unwelcome guest that
lshe kept silence. Finally he babe her
good night, and went up to his room.
Between her annoyance and her mysti-
6catiop upop Hunters Conduct Mra
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30
lis den last night! say, Uncle Pete

lis den last night! I say. Uncle Peter
-. do you rely think Mis- Willis
saw the Cap'n's ghost last night?"
Il haven't doubt of it! Didn't
tell We yesterday that he'd never
come back? That meant that he'd
not come back in the flesh, and I told
We why; but if you'd axed me, would
his spirit come back, I'd said yes, OF
course. We can't know much about
these things; but l fancy that old
pirate Lobdell's got a hold on the Cap
tain's ghost, and is goin' to train him
round with his bad spirits.''
After silence of some minutes, one
Of the old men remarked:
"Fd like mighty we'll to know
what's goin' on in the old shell to-
night"
May be you'd like to 60 and find
out" was the crushing sneer of old
Peter.
81 didn't say So" the other replied,
with some spirit. q can't fight the
devil, no more'n you can; and, Of
course. l wouldn't dare go inside. But
I'll 60 up close to the outside with
any man here, and listen.''
No one volunteered to accompany
him.
Don't know but I'd 60 alone, -
said the seaman, rather doubtfully.
You don't dare to!' Peter Mullins
tainted.
These two venerable seamen had a
long-standing grudge, arising out OF
their differences about people and
lands they had visited in their voy-
ages; which differences were being con-
tinually stimulated by their compan-
ions, for the sake of mischief No
sooner was this incipient quarrel COM
menced between Mullins and the other
than the bystanders began to express
their opinions as to whether Tom Burt
dared or did not dare to 90 up close to
the outside of the Lobdell house at that
hour.
''There's one way to settle that ques-
tion," said Burt, who was aggravated
to exhibit bravery that he was far
from feeling. '.Tll 60 now. If any of
you want to come, now's your time. y
He walked slowly forward and dis
appeared in the darkness.
Nobody followed him. Some wanted
to cry out to him to stop, and not
tempt the powers of darkness; but the
bantering that had occurred restrained
them.
They waited in suspense for his re-
turn. He was absent not more than
ten minutes; but in the painful silence
that prevailed no man spoke word.
He came back hatless, his usually
ruddy face pale as ashes, his eyes wild
and staring.
Eagerly they gathered about him and
piled him with questions.
''Not here" he said, family, look
ing over his shoulder as if fearful that
some ghostly presence was pursuing
him. ''Let's get away from this ac-
cursed place. Come down to the tav-
ern, and I'll tell you"
They all eagerly complied.
Seated in the ale-house, with his
dropping courage braced by stimu-
liant, Tom Burt gave his plain and
strange narrative.
By daylight it was being repeated in
every house in the town; and there
after the vicinity of the old Lobdell
house was Stunned as though the
plague had possessed it.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30

The Saturday Review lately UNI
dertook to prove that only restitution
waits upon the men who go to the
bar in England. 1t has gone on to
contend that those who turn to
medicine have even smaller chance
of earning livelihood than sucking
barristers. Those who take to litera-
ture are. it says, in still more hope
less plight
The Cause OF rweddy's SoIcitude'
..ChoNy. I'm in doosid bad pickle
bah Jover'
..What's the mattah. Fweddy!'
al lost my valise on the wallwoa"
twain yestahday. Cholly."
THAT WASH much of loss, was 1t!
..Gwacious! 1t wasn't the value Oh
It, Cholly. But it had my lunch ID IL
"a bottle of beeah and some naws'y
wed hewwings. And the vallse mas
my name on it. If any body snouiu
find it aud Advertise the contents,
Cholly. bah Jove, think ! Snou'a
dlor'-Chicago Tribuae.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30
WORK DELIBERATELY.

The Man Who Can Do 1t Is the One
That Will BE Successful.
There are some things which must
be done in a hurry, or not at all.
Catching flea is one of the best ex-
amples apropos to this. But as a
rule. it is safe to say, the man or
woman who works deliberately ac-
complishes the most. The deliberate
worker is the thoughtful worker,
with whom the habit of system be-
come second nature. Any one may
cultivate it who will take the trouble
to try; and the most unsystematic,
spasmodic worker will realize with
amazement how easy it is to 60
through an allotted task in half the
time it formerly required by planning
it all out before entering the office,
workshop or kitchen.
The hurried worker is the one who
fancies he is an uncommonly busy
man. True, he is; so is the man who
tries to bale out leaky boat with a
crownless hat; and in proportion to
the energy expended, very often. the
one accomplishes about as much as
the other The busiest men we have
known were those who never seemed
to be in hurry, and they accom-.
plished more in given time, and were
less worn out when their work was
done, than many who accomplished :
half as. much and almost ruptured
themselves in doing it.
Think of your work before begin
ming it, then go at it deliberately. 1t
will save wear and tear of nerve and
muscle, you will accomplish more.
and what you do will be better done
Manufactures and Builder.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30

He did So He plainly saw that il
Uas open. He heard the sound of the
clock striking eleven.
He thought that his feelings were
highly wrought up, considering where
he was, and that he was alone; yet he
knew that his senses were all alert and
acute.
He waited for moment after the
clock had ceased to strike For mo-
ment he heard nothing.
Then. seeming to proceed from some
where along the abandoned part of the
house, he heard a moan. A moan by
person in mortal agony might have
sounded so. 1t was not loud, but dis
tinct.
He was terrified. He was reluctant
to approach nearer to the place from
which the sound seemed to proceed.
Again the moan-repeated, again
and again. 1t was muffled, breathless
but sounded strangely like human
cry for help.
Against his will, by the fascinating
terror of the time and place, his re-
luctant feet were drawn toward the
place. He came as though drawn by
magnetism.
Window-places, half-raised from the
cellar. were a feature of the house. At
one of these, midway of the unused
part, the sailors feet were arrested.
The sunken part had been nearly
filled up by dirt and rubbish The
window-panes had been broken out;
only at one place was it possible for
light or air to enter the old cellar
through this window; and at this place
only through a narrow chink.
But now a single ray of light shot
through this crack in the darkness out
side.
An eager desire to see what was oc-
curing within overcame the fears of
the sailor. He knelt down by the win
dOw-place and tried to peer inside.
His hat fell off as he leaned forward,
but he took no heed of it.
His eye followed the ray of light, or
tried to follow it; but he could make
nothing of it. Itwas like ray of sum
light shining into cavern choked
with damps and poisonous exhalations.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30

worthy son of Neptune referred to hys-
terics.) she's had, and the pretty young
'ooman bears up bravely while it's
plain to be seen that she s a'most down
sick with her fright
GAS any one would be, arter the
things that happened in that old dew
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30

vanished through the doorway, and I
lost sight of him.
'You saw his face" Mrs Willis
screamed. ''Who was it?"
"You know-don't ask me! Here is
what he left with me.''
1t was massive ring with an onyx
stone. engraved with a Roman W
Mrs. Willis own gift to her husband,
which he had worn for ten years on his
little finger.
Helen was holding a senseless form
in her arms.
Louis Hunter fastened away by the
back door.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30

zen-mast sloop-rigged, the same cut
of bow and stern, and she sat as low
In the water as did the "Nellie' when
full-freighted. This vessel was in fact
the twin of ''Nellie" built and launched
at the same time, in the same yard;
but Louis Hunter knew nothing of this.
A cold sweat stood out on his forehead.
Could this, he asked of himself, be the
specter of the bark he had stranded
and burned in the Bahamas, come up
here to betray him? A marine glass
tay on the table; he snatched it up and
looked anxiously and with trembling
hands holding it, till the progress of
the vessel showed her stern. TO his
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30

DAY poured into the room; IN the joy
of their relief, both fell upon their
knees and offered silent prayer.
A rap at the door disturbed them.
"Are you awake Mrs. WILTSHIRE
you and your daughter alive?"
It was the voice of Louis Hunter,
shaking with excitement and agita-
ton.
The door was unfastened to him. he
came in, looking haggard, exhausted,
sIeepless. He stared wildly at the
women.
"Excuse me-Tve come to bid you
an abrupt farewell" he said. Nothing
could tempt me to remain an hour
longer in this cursed house. should
have fled in the night had dared. "
He turned to 60. In the hall he
stopped and looked back.
"Did you see them?" he whispered,
glancing fearfully up the stairs.
1--WE heard the horrible noises; that
was enough" Mrs. Willis said. "Pray
don't talk of it! Goodbye, sir; Helen
and will leave here at once"
'Not talk of itr' he cried. "No, I
would MOTTO any one but you. I've
seen that in the night which has turned
mems hair white, and made the strong
man chattering idiot. o, Heaven
o, God, blot it out from my memory!'
He put his hands over his face, and
shuddered.
"Spare us!'' cried the mother. go
in peace.
81 can not 60 till I have told you; it
would be cruel to keep you in ignorance
of what these horrible things mean.
You must know; you must be prepared
for the news that is on its way to you. "
The poor woman stood rigid as a
statue, staring at him, held up from
falling only by the arms of Helen.
81 heard the awful noises all through
the night" he went on. They chilled
my blood with terror. fear not man,
but 1 lay covering with alright at the
demons from another world. At last,
when for an hour there had been lull
in the hellish revels, / became bold
enough to open my door and look out
into the hall. Horror of horrors! /
saw light coming up the stairs. /
heard the footballs of the man who car
ried it; it was ships lantern, held
high up at arms length, as if the bear
er wished to make sure of the way. !
fell back into the chamber; the hideous
thing followed me. He stopped at the
stand, and laid something upon it,
Then he looked at me with the CHASTITY
face and dull eyes of the dead. He
looked at me, and pointed at the OBJ
ject which he had placed upon the
stand. looked that way, and I saw
that it was great seal-ring. He
made the circuit of the room slowly,
examining everything in it; then he
vanished through the doorway, and I
lost sight of him.
"You saw his face" Mrs Willis
screamed. "Who was it?''
"You know-don't ask me! Here is
what he left with me-"
1t was massive ring with an onyx
The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-09-20
Fond of Music.

DIR. Ford, the rector of Melton, England
was an enthusiast in music and great hui
morist. He was especially fond Of Handels
music His admiration ofthe Messiah" was
carried to such an excess that he never made
q Journey from Melton to Leicester that he
did not sing it quite through
His performance served us a pedometer, by
which he could note his progress on the road
As soon as he had crossed Melton bridge he
began the overture, and always found him
self in the chorus, Lift up your heads
when he arrived Mt Brooksby's gate; and al
"Thanks be to God !" the moment he got
through ThomastOwn toll gate. As the pact
of his old horse was pretty regular he con
trived to conclude the Amen chorus" al
ways at the cross in Belgrave gate.
Although man of undoubted piety, his
eccentrcity was ut times not restrained, ever
in the pulpit, lie had good opinion OF hi:
own vocal powers, and once stopped his CLERK
who had just set the tune, saying:
John you have pitched it too high follow
me = then Justify began the tune.
When the psalmody went to his mind hi
enjoyed it, and in his paroXysms of delight
would assume attitudes in the pulpit which
could by no means be deemed elegant or fit
ting.
OuCe, WHEN pichChluS GllhlIlS sClHlon a.
Melton, some gentlemen belong to Tho
hunt established in that town entered the
church in their scarlet dresses, rather late
lie stopped and cried out
Here they come. here come the red coats
They know their Christian duties; there's
not a man among them that is not good for {
guinea r
The doctor was himself performer, hat
an excellent library of music, and always
took the messiah" with him when on hi
musical journeys. Atthe Birmingham must
cal festival once, he was sitting with his bool
on his knee, humming the music with TN
performers to the great annoyance of an at
tentiye listener, who said:
II didn't pay to hear you sing, sir"
into the bargain"
The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-09-20
Sharp Criticism.

The Hon. Henry w. Paine, who is one o
the most prominent members of the Boston
Bar, did not entertain the greatest respect
for the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, as
it was at one time constituted. HIS opinion
of it may be gathered from some of the sharp
remarks attributed to him by the Green Bag:
Once, when asked his opinion of the WIS
dom of appointing certain person of &C
knowledged ability to that bench, he replied,
ut would be like letting ray Of light into
cave of bats"
On another occasion, while arguing a case
before the court, he made a statement of the
law as he understood it to be. He was in
tcrruplcd by one OF the judges with the re-
mark, "Mr. Paine, you know that is not
law"
at was law until your Honor spoke" re-
piled Mr.. Paine.
One afternoon, as he was riding in Cam
bridge horse-car, reading a book bound in
sheep, friend remarked TO him, "Ah, Mr.
Paine, see that you are reading law"
No, sill" was the reply, i am not read
ing law am reading the last volume of the
Massachusetts Reports"
lie was much annoyed on one occasion,
when trying a case in court, by the constant
and apparently uncalled for Interruptions of
the presiding judge. Finally he stopped
short, slowly gathered up his papers, and
started to leave the courtroom.
stop, sir " cried the judge, angrily, "Are
you doing this to show your contempt for the
court 2"
"No, your Honor" replied Mr.. Paine II
was retiring in order to conceal my con-
tempt"