The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-06

you will hear from me. Grandfather was a
and most Of the adjoining farms. Besides
this property he owned numbers of slaves,
and had plenty of money in bank. His wife
died at the birth of her daughter, leaving,
besides the helpless babe, one son, who was
my father. No care or pains We're spared
in raising these children. They fulfilled
their fathers prOudest wishes. He was
proud of them, and they made him happy.
and they lived in elegance and ease. The
girl was named Iva-Iva Dale. You bear
her name: She was splendid girl-beauti--
full. intelligent, rich. Of course, she had
lovers by the dozen, but, with natural per.
yyersity she chose, from among them all
Robert ThOrpe-the man her father de-
spised, and not without reason. Thorpe
was wealthy and outwardly attractive,
but at heart "a man devoid of principle,
a gambler and spendthrift. His cOmpan-
less young men, and he travelled rapidly on
the down track of life. Little wonder.
Aunt Iva's father bitterly rejected his pro-
posai Of marriage with her. She, petted and
vowed to be his wife in defiance of all OBJ
stacles. She persisted in encouraging him
until finally he was forbidden the house.
Then followed the old stOry-an elOpement,
clandestlne and illegal marriage In a for
eign country, and after two years poor Iva
returned alone to her fathers hOuse-her
health gone, her life wreck-that saddest
of all sad things in this sOrrOwful world-a
deserted wife. Her father received her as
one from the dead, shielded her from the
prying and curiOus, and strOve to make her
forget the past as far as possible. There
was no anger in his heart against her, only
grief and sorrow for her sad fate. 1t was
his intention to sell all the property and
take her to some new country as soon as
she could travel but she grew weaker and
paler as the days went by, until one night,
just four months after her return, the doc
tor and nurse were hurriedly sent for, but
The broken heart was at rest; the feet that
wandered SO far from the path of right
were stopped forever, and the tired soul
had carried its burden for the last
where we hope it was lifted by His hand,
and she was welcomed to His eternal king
DOM"
Cousin Abbie paused; / felt tear on
ing as if my heart would break. She soon
resumed her story, saying: when the last
service was over, the house was shut up
and all the business put into the hands of
competent parties. Grandfather and my
father travelled for several years. going to
distant countries, and only returned after
my fathers marriage. My parents made
this their home, and soon after they settled
down grandfather died. and was buried in
the family burying- ground, the first grave
"
Dales werenOt numerous race nor short
lived one. No allusiOn was ever made to
the past, and no one knew just what caused
Aunt Iva's death. Distress, a broken heart,
trouble, were the generally-received Opin-
ions. The doctor and nurse were gone, and
+ the long lapse of years had caused the event
to be nearly forgotten. Now comes the
strange part of the story. Very soon after
the house was opened the baby-face you
saw tonight began to appear 1t was such
terror to my parents they stayed here as
little as possible, and tried to sell the prop
erty, but could not as it became whispered
abroad that it was haunted. 1t never APP
pears to strangers; only to members of our
family. l saw it for the first time when
just your age, in that very window.
/ was no more frightened than yourself.
have seen it at intervals during all the
years since. At my fathers death | de-
termined to stay here if possible, and as
the premises thoroughly from cellar TO gar
ret but have found no solution of the mys-
terry. As grow older and weaker in body
and mind this strange thing preys upon me
more and more. Now, my child, you know
all or any one else can tell you. You have
seen the face which will certainly appear
to you again and again. If You can stand
these encounters with what l am bound to
consider as supernatural we will remain
here until you are at least eighteen. You
need fear no harm or danger from this
harmless yisitant. But if you prefer to 20
elsewhere l will send you immediately to a
good school, there to remain until your ed
world Will be yours some day. do not ex-
pecf to see many more summers, and l
would like to keep you with me, but not to
make you unhappy"
Twill stay with You, dear cousin. Where
else could ( le contenti We will be to-