The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-10-11
BRAU-WYLLEEN.
An Uncanny Mansion and It's
Ghostly Visitant.

eQOSLly NlSlLanL-
cit lies within the shadows Of an
eternal tempest" this was the thought
that occurred to me, as, alighting
from my horse, / tied him carefully to
the old worm-eaten hitching post near
by, giving him a gentle pat as left
him, his great intelligent eyes follow
ing me with seemingly unusual in
terest, and that low, coaxing whinny
(Which meant so much to us both)
trembling on the evening air.
We were firm, loving friends, my
steed and l.
'Be patient, old fellow" / said.
Then, lifting the heavy gate, which
hung by one broken hinge to the post,
placed it one side.
The sun in one conglomerate mass
Of beauty was sinking behind the far
distant hills, and far and near the
glinting yellow sheen lay over the
waving tree tops and grass-bound val
leys in an untold amber splendor. Of
yonder white roads wound away
among the hills and dales, telling of
human life beyond them, but not here,
save for my own presence, and ahl
shall / pass him by, BLACK Dick"
who was something more than human
many times, and but little less at any
time.
Purple and roseate clouds followed
the sinking sun, and. over all, save
this one spot, seemed bathed IN q flush
OF JOY.
Storm cursedi just here in the
presence of surrounding calm and
evening beauty the great trees OF
'Brau-Wylleen' writhed and tossed
their giant branches in the air, where
above them lay a heavy cloud, dark
and forbidding.
A something darker than the on
coming twilight brooded in the air,
and, as l walked up the neglected
path, so overgrown with weeds, one
stumbled as he walked, felt the chill
OF desolation, heart hunger and
death through the moan of the winds
as they swept through the walls and
halls of the somber building before
me-
A large, low, long. quaint structure
made of dark-colored stone, with
many windows of all shapes and sizes,
some placed just under the caves,
others midway and not few close to
the ground
A fight Of stone steps led to huge
door in the center. The roof was
moss grown and broken, and over all
twined vines in a wild, neglected,
picturesque beauty.
A huge garden or lawn lay in front
of the house, which, when well kept
4..s-.
lovely indeed, but now overgrown
with weeds and bushes, together with
the trees and vines, made it a dense
wilderness Of neglect and decay.
Struggling through the interlacing
Of tangled boughs ana leaves, l
sought 10 walk around the old home
stead. The old homestead! Was 1t
ever possible?
Suddenly, without warning, l
reached the brow Of a hill. The back
part of the house rested upon it, and
before me lay long flight OF steps
leading to the river
Not a laughing river, winding its
way to the sea with ripple and song,
but a dark, sullen, muddy stream,
moving sluggishly along, as though
clogged with revenge and bitter men,
orics. But hark! further on 1 hear
tinl1ling murmur, but here the stream
! lies in the grewsome shadow of Brau-
Wylleen. No wonder!
s'See Naples" i. e., Brau-Wylleen,
land die" so the good people of Weir
| Heights told me, as, sojourning in the
| little Southern city for sweet health's
sake, / inquired its points OF interest
/ They were few and far between, and
! Brau-Wylleen, isolated, desolate,
! crime-stained and deserted, lay ten
miles distant; had 1 known this l
! would hardly have mounted BLACK
! Dick at SO late an hour. The spirit
/ of adventure was strong upon me,
| however, and even as the night fell
/ heavily about me had no thought of
| returning until after going through
! the ole house
With a shiver OF disgust / turned
from the stagnant, noisome stream,
/ and, groping my way back, went half
| way down the weed-grown path to see
! if BLACK Dick" was all right /
/ caught the CLEAN of his bright eyes.
| and, hearing me, again he whinnied
coaxingly. This resolved me TO bring
1 him into the yard and tie him close TO
| the house How glad he was, the noble
/ brute, to feel my caressing hands, and
when l led him to the foot of the
stone steps he would have mounted
I them and followed me as a pet kitten
! would had i not kindly but firmly
I told him no" / always talked to
"Dick" just as / would to you or any
| other dear friend, for know he always
understood
Dear fellow. how wistfully he looked
after me as l ran up the dark steps,
covered here and there with still
| darker stains-so suggestive-ugh!
The key you will find in a niche in
the wall near the door" This / was
| also told at Weir Heights.
Cropping among tangled vines and
! leaves, though it was midsummer, the
wall felt icy TO my touch, and so clam
my. / found it at length, the great
hideous, rusty thing. feeling in the
darkness (for could not see it) like
an instrument of torture.
With great difficulty / found the
key-hole. and then it seemed full OF
rubbish, which felt like paper and
4 leaves. -