Connecticut western news., 1891-07-23
A MYSTERY SOLVED.

1t was called Maplewood There were l60 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 a gentle slope, backed by forest of naples, stood the mansion.
 Capt. Ralph Severn had lived in the mansion until he died. He had never married-or at least he had never had a 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 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- tor, had come to Maplewood, bringing with her an only daughter. But Mrs Atherton did not remain at Maplewood 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 Lillie Atherton, the widows daughter. But Lillie 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 possi- bly could. Parties came and hi1 ed 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, when my attention was attracted by the beauties of the place. I had just come home from sea, and had promised my wife that l would try and settle down and become sober landsman. My wife and Lillie Atherton were bosom friends, and it was partly through this friendship for the young heiress-for Lillie was only 19-that l was led to Maplewood; but having once seen the place and admired the beauties of it's sur roundings I was anxious to make it my home.
 found Seth Dabney to be man of 60 or whereabouts, and his wife of the same age. They were meek and humble and seemed very anxious to serve me. In 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. It was almost midnight, and my wife Molly and my self worked at arranging our library. The clock had just struck 12 when Peters wife-her name was Lucy looked in and informed US that the bed chamber was arranged. was hanging picture. and wished to finish it before l left it. Molly's dressing case was in a small dressing room upstairs, and she said she would run and get it while hung the picture. She took lighted candle and went. 1 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 caught her in my 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 it's snowy drapery.
 'Oh, it was dreadfulI' said my wife. 'The specter waved it's hand in threat ening manner, and said to me, in an awful whisper, Woman, there is a curse upon this house, and upon all who follow in the footsteps of Ralph SevernI And then she pointed to gaping wound upon her forehead, and with cry of ter TOT fled down the stairs"
 Surely this was not pleasant opening, but l urged it upon my wife that she had not been hurt, and furthermore, that a respectable ghost would have appeared to me rather than to her.
 It was half an hour after midnight when we retired. The chamber which we had selected was the pleasantestr room in the mansion-a large square room with deep bay window looking dowr upon the lake. The hangings were o1 green velvet, heavily fringed with gold and the curtains, though slightly yellow from time, were clean and of finest lace left d small lamp burning upon thu dressing table, and being very tired fel asleep soon after touching the pillow.
 How long slept I cannot say, but i cou,.l not have been an hour, when wa awakened by my wife, who was cling1nt to me in fright, and as awoke heard low moaning sound as of some one il deep distress, and presently whisper a though the speaker were close to my ca "a whisper awful and distinct-ant these were the words that were spoken
 "A curse there is upon this house ant
 upon all who would follow in the foot : steps of Ralph Severn"
 The lamp had been extinguished, an'
 while the foregoing words were beinl
 whispered the apartment was pervade'
 by ghostly ight-a sulphurous, death