Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-03-04
HAUNTED HOUSES.
Authentic stories Concerning the Super
natural.

natural.
During a recent visit to an English
country-nouse, the conversation turned
upon the above suhjet, and allusion was
made to the Berkeley Square mystery"
OF which no one present seemed to have
heard, As the guests were chiefly young
people this was not surprising, and the
gentleman who had made the remark re-
lated the story for our amusement | am
not absolutely certain of the date, but this
Is unimpOrtan: compared with the actual
facts.
For some time prior to the year 1864.
General Leslie and his three beautiful
daughte resided in this square These
lovely girls were almost as well known and
reputed of as the celebrated Misses Gun
ming, aud they all married within a short
time of each other. Then General
Leslie LETT London, aud put his house in
the hands of and an agent for let
ting.
a tenant was soon forthcoming, and
the Grst Of series of strange things oc-
cure3-vi2.: the sudden illumination of
the house from top to bottom unaided bv
human hand. When to this was added
strange, unearthIy noises throughout the
night, no servants could be induced to
remain on the premises, and the house
was shut up
The following year it was taken early
IN the season by ii gentleman who, before
bringing his family to reside there, re-
solved to test the truth of what ne called
'absurd reports" ~ dwelling alone with
his valet, after setting the police to watch
the outside of the building
They, as well as the narrator referred
to, saw it sudden ~ lighted up in the most
extraordinary manner, and both went to
bed nlystihed as thesrest OF the world had
been, but not until they had barred and
bolted every door and window. and
thoroughly examined all the premises.
The whole story OF az apparition was re-
jec5ed just as the other phenomena had
been, but from his man-sarvant being
placed in an adjoining apartment it was
probable that his incredulity had been
somewhat shaken.
Bot nothing was known of what had &C.
tualIy transpired during the night. What
the valet saw when he entered the room
on the following morning was his masters
corpse! Apparently he had sprung
hastily from the BED to the couch at a
little distance fr N it, and there had an
encounter with the enemy, for his hands
were thrown back as if in fright and en-
deav0TiDg to IcpeI an attack.
The excitement caused by the recital of
this weird event stirred the heart of
London society, for it was handed about
from mouth to mouth, and probably lost
nothing by the telling. That such a
thing should have occur! ed in one fashion
able center seemed past belief, and no
one was bold enough 10 enter such n
ghO5tiy abode, on any terms whatever.
But as time went on an officer appeared
on the scene who utterly discredited the
whole business, and avowed his intention
of taking the house, and sleeping in the
haunted climber To satisfy the scruples
OF friends he consented to have a loaded
revolver at his side, and his man in the
dressing room close by.
The instant you hear me fir" he said,
"come in"
The man slept souDdIy till nearly / A.
NJ, when loud report suddenly aroused
him. In a moment he was ON the spot,
where borrowing sight awaited him.
In semi-upright posture, with his
hands thrown back precisely in the same
manner as described of the former tenant,
was his dead master, and at the end of the
couch exactly opposite was a horrible ani
NAL resembling a toad of such huge
dimensions as almost to destroy the
evidence of his sense.
lie stood there trans6xed with horror as
the creature vanished away under his
very eyes.
No e'ucidation of the mystery was ever
obtained, and although there were no
apparitions in the adjoining house, there
was something uncanny about it in com
mon with number fifty.
The family who lived there frequently
gave balls during the season. Two men
who were present at them have affirmed
that in the intervals between the dances
as they leant against the wall cf the
haunted mansion their bodies were sud
denly thrust forward as by an electric
shock. By some an under ground dis
tillery was suggested. That, Of course,
was easily ascertained, but neither specul-
alton Hor conjecture ever succeeded in
getting the matter cleared up, -Edinsbur,