Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-18
OLD SETH DADNEY.
A True Ghost Story.
uy rvELlNE ERRETT.

ES ENElIINE Elthfll.
# WAS called Maplewood. There
,o,n one hundred and fifty acres in the
[s,,te-.one hundred acres Of land, and
Inv acres of water; and this water was
beautiful lake upon the northern
(lo,e of which, on gentle slope, backed
" a forest of huge rock-maples, stood
lie mansion.
can't. Ralph Severns had lived in the
Oapsjon until he died. He had never
rarriel-or. at least, he had never had
wife in this country-and the only
MEMBERS of his household whom he had
omitted to share at all in his compan-
buship had been Seth and Hester Dab
ev-man and wife-the two servants
ILo had been with him in the begin
inc. and who remained to the end.
Upon his death-bed, contrary to gen.
raj expectation, Copt. Ralph Severn
ad remembered a sister whom he had
O, seen for years, and to this sister
nd her heirs he had willed his estate.
Ibis sister, then q widow, and
amed Atherton, had come to
laplewood, bringing with her an
nlv daughter. But Mrs. Atherton did
%. remain at Maplewood a month. She
OF frightened at strange things which
appeued there, and moved away; and
be- long she died.
And so Maplewood came to be the
roperty OF Lille Anterior, the widows
aughter. But Lille would not go
here to live. She let old Seth and
estey Dabney hold the place in
barge, directing Seth to find good ten
hts if he possibly could. Parties came
ld hired the mansion; but they did not
kmain. And other parties came-for
all the country round there was not a
ore charming spot-but these other
hrties were driven out as the first had
Een.
Capt. Ralph Severns had been dead
byee wears, and full a score of people
bd'tried to live at Maplewood, and had
filed, when my attention was attracted
i the beauties Of the place. Ihad just
kAe home from sea, and had promised
= wife that I would try and settle
own and become q sober landsman.
" wife and Lille Atherton We're bo-
bla friends, and it was partly through
hs friendship for the young heiress--
tf Lille was only nineteen-that [ was
eI TO Maplewood; but having once
cen the place, and admired the beau
PES Of its surroundings, ! was anxious
p make it my home.
Lille shook her head, and advised
Ne not to 60. She was eager to find a
Food tenant, as the valuable estate was
present simply an incumbrance upon
Ter hands, but she would not have my
Tie subjected to the horrors of the
leat mansion. And then she told me
andldiy, that it was haunted. She had
efseli seen and heard most frightful
llAgs there, as had all who had at
FG-pted to live beneath the roof.
bns was determined to make the
lal. And after due deliberation and
Fseisslon, my wife, who had great
EAi IN my courage and prowess, con-
Fhted to go with me.
7nd SO, with q letter from Lille, we
resented ourselves at Maplewood.
1 found Seth Dabney to be a man Of
NY. or thereabouts, and his wife of
u same age. They were meek and
uNole, and seemed very anxious to
IVe me. In fact, Seth was altogether
meek. He was an old sea-dog, and
IaPt; Ralph had ever been a pirate,
aao been whispered since his death,
was not hard for me to believe that
eni l1abney had been his best bow
oe'hs face vas never made for
{ lace OF a meek and humble man.
: i!ad evidently schooled himself into
E character. His face was cunning
81 sinister.
nesldes Seth and Hester I found
el'!ng at Maplewood Peter Dabney
LIS wife. Peter was a young man
1--WE and twenty, a SOD OF Seth and
eyer, and his wife was an innocent
Iatns woman. with the appearance of
EIlGasehold drudge.
Daphey shook mis- head with
,S1efio1s solemnity when I told him L
y ,1led the place, and said he hoped
.-3ne oe able to do what others had
asked Seth how he and his wife had
.ssed to remain there; and he re-
en mat he had bound himself by a
ei!h oath to Capt. Ralph that he
a'o remain and take care of the man.
shlle he lived, or until satisfied
ssii's had possessed it.
I h;u how I asked, docs your son
M Ias wife manage to stand it?"
MY ooy," answered Seth, with a
n eaaou sigh and groan, "stays for
~ lp1f mothers sake. The same oath
MA 9inds me binds my wife; and she
u ule II Peter were to forsake her.
e1rs upon the boys wife, as you can
HI ,u' She will not leave her hus-
o"nu l have had my own way, under
Voc ",piesslons which forced them
h upon me, I should have turned
Ioy Daoney and his family out before
II ~ m; but that could not be done,
nh,l pad been a condition Of Capt.
MA uEs Will that Seth and Hester
10 .. nnd a home beneath the roof
v IueY lived ,,p1o,. A.. ... of