The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-14
A MYSTERY SOLVED.

$50 acres in the estate-100 acres of land
and fifty acres of water; and this water
was in beautiful lake, upon the north
ern shore of which, on gentle slope,
backed by a forest of naples, stood the
mansion.
Capt. Ralph Severn had lived in the
mansion until he died. He had never
married-or at least be had never had
wife in this country, and the only
members of his household whom he had
admitted to share at all in his compan-
ionship had been Seth and Hester Dab
ney-man and wife-the two servants
who had been with him in the begin
ming, and who had remained to the end.
Upon his deathbed, contrary TO gen.
eral expectation, Capt. Ralph Severn
had remembered a sister whom he had
not seen for years, and to this sister and
her heirs he had willed his estate. This
sister, then widow and named Ather-
ton, had come to Maplewood, bringing
with her an only daughter. But Mrs.
Anterior did not remain at Maplewood
a month. She got frightened at strange
things which had happened there and
moved away, and ere long afterward she
died.
And so Maplewood came to be the
property of Lille Anterior, the widows
daughter. But Lille would not go there
to live. She let old Seth and Hester
Dabney hold the place in charge, direct
ing Seth to find good tenants if he posi-
bly, could. Parties came and hired the
mansion, but they did not remain.
Capt. Ralph Severn had been dead
three years, and nearly score of people
had tried to live at Maplewood, and had
failed, wheL my attention was attracted
by the beauties of the place. had just
come home from sea, and had promised
my wife that l would try and settle
down and become sober landsman. NV
wife and Lille Anterior were bosom
friends, and it was partly through this
friendship for the young heiress-for
Lille was only 19-that | was led to
Maplewood; but having once seen the
place and admired the beauties of its sur
roundings was anxious to make it my
home.
found Seth Dabney to be man of 60
or thereabouts, and his wife of the same
age. They were meek and humble and
seemed very anxious to serve me. II
fact, Seth was altogether too meek. He
was an old sea dog; and if Capt Ralph
had ever been pirate, as had been whis-
pered since his death, it was not hard for
me to believe that Seth Dabney had been
his accomplice.
On our first night at Maplewood we
kept up until rather late. 1t was almost
midnight, and my wife Molly and N.Y.
self worked at arranging our library.
The clock had just struck - when
Peters wife her name was Lucy
looked in and informed us that the bed
chamber was arranged. was hanging
a picture, and wished to finish it before
| left it. Molly's dressing case was in
small dressing room upstairs, and she
said she would run and get it while
hung the picture. She took lighted
candle and went | had finished my
work to my satisfaction, and had Just
folded up my stepladder when my wife
came rushing in with her candle extin-
guished. and as she dropped her dressing
case upon the floor l caught her in nv
arms. She was pale and frightened. and
looked over her shoulder as though ex-
pecting that something had followed
her. As soon as she could speak heard
her story.
She had gone to the dressing room and
got her case, and as she reached the
head of the broad staircase on her re-
turn she had seen upon the landing at
her right female figure robed in white,
with blood upon its ashen face and with
dabs Of blood upon its snowy drapery.
"Oh, it was dreadful said my wife.
THE specter waved its hand in threat
ening manner, and said to me, in an
awful whisper, Woman, there is
curse upon this house, and upon all who
follow in the footsteps of Ralph Severnr
And then she pointed TO a gaping wound
upon her forehead. and with a cry of ter
ror fed down the stairs"
Surely this was not pleasant opening,
but urged it upon my wife that she
had not been hurt, and furthermore. that
a respectable ghost would have appeared
10 me rather than to her.
Ii was half an hour after midnight
when we retired. The chamber which
we had selected was the pleasantestr room
in the mansion-s large square room,
with deep bay window looking down
upon the lake. The hangings were Of
green velvet, heavily fringed with gold,
and the curtains, though slightly yellow
from time. were clean and of finest lace. !
/ left small lamp burning upon the
dressing table, and being very tired fell
asleep soon after touching the pillow.
How long slept cannot say, but it
could not have been sn hour. when was
awakened nv my wife, who was chnglug
to me in fright, and as awoke / heard |
a low moaning sound as OF some one IN |
deep distress, and presently whisper az |
though the speaker were close 70 my ear
a whisper awful and distinct-ana 1
these were the words that were spoken. I
"a curse there is upen this house and /
upon all who would follow in the foot /
steps Of Ralph Severn"
The lamp had been eytinguished. and 1
while the foregoing words were being /
whispered the apartment was pervadei I