Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-09-26
A HAUNTED HOUSE.
A St. Louis Ghost Story That Reads Like
Some OF the Old Novels.

n 80 A-oah5 ohoaN otoNy AnAb A~A4D
Some OF the Old Novels.
Stories have been ahoat for some time
which have excited a great deal of COM
ment among residents Of the West End,
and which have given employment to
the tongues of the gossips. 1t is veri-
table ghost story, and while the incredu-
lous have smiled and affected a con-
tempt for what they term nonsense of
that kind, the fact remains that the tale
continues to go the rounds and to in
crease in interest as the days go by.
The house which is the scene of opera
tions for his alleged ghostship stands on
the south side Of Chestnut street, west
of Twenty-ninth, and is just such look
ing place as might be selected for such a
strange inhabitant. It is dark, gloomy
looking structure, rearing its solemn
front above the street in strange contrast
to the cheerful aspect of its neighbors.
From week to week the somber shutters
which hide its windows from the eyes of
the curious are never opened to admit
the cheerful sunshine, and no noise of
laughter or prattle Of children at play
ever greet the passer by. An air of mys-
terry pervades the place, and strange,
uncanny feeling comes over those who
pass it.
The weird visitor is said to be the ghost
of a young man who, in days gone by,
blew out his brains upon the very thresh-
old of the house. A young lady, with
whom he fell in love and who had
plighted him her troth, grew tired of his
attentions, and broke her engagement
with him. By every means within his
power he sought to regain her affections,
but in vain. She turned deaf ear to
his most earnest entreaties, and finally
forbade his visits entirely.
Still clinging to the hope that he might
in time regain her love, he sought an in
terview, which was denied him, and,
filled with despair, he resolved to end his
life. He called to see her, but finding
that she had gone to visit a neighbor he
repaired to the house where it was sup
posed she had gone, and, reaching the
door, he placed pistol to his head and
coolly blew himself into eternity.
1t CHANGED, however, that he had mis-
taken the house, and the story is that
his spirit, which had gone in search of
the lady he had loved and failing to find
her, has from that time, as each recur-
ring day brings back the hour at which
he died, returned to renew the fruitless
search. Inhabitants Of the house were
startled by strange, unearthly noises,
and on more than one occasion the weird
visitor was seen to ascend the steps lead
ing up from the cellar and go wandering
about the house as if vainly searching
for some one. It groped its way from
room to room, and after accomplishing
its rounds would disappear. So thor
oughly frightened did the inmates Of the
house become, that, overcome at last by
fear, they removed to another locality
and for time his ghostship was left in
sole possession Of the premises Then
the property was sold and the new own
er, who had heard the weird stories that
were told, resolved to remodel the house
with view to driving out the unwel-
come visitor. The cellar from which
| JuO phuAIOLA hdo dkAocA OA tuo OCCdSIOu
of his visits was filled completely up, in
the hope that when its hiding place was
gone it (the ghost would take its depar-
ture, and the interior of the house was
carefully rearranged, but without avail
The ghostly visitant still remained. It
is said that it still wanders through the
house, and rumors go abroad of strange
sights and sounds to be seen and heard
at night. However it may be, no one
has been able to solve the mystery, and
the inmates of the house are seldom
seen. They hold themselves carefully
aloof from the outer world, and main
tain an air of mystery that lends cred
ence to the tale. No one is seen to come
or go across the mysterious threshold,
darkened by the blood of the self MUIR
dered man, and the neighbors glance at
the house significantly and relate the
story with an air Of general belief.
A reporter, in order to learn the exact
facts, called at the house, but was de-
MED admission. Inquiry among the
neighbors, however, verified the state
ments here made.-St. Louis Republic.