The Portland daily press., 1894-08-13
THE GHOST.

Near Delaware, O., stand the ruins of
frame house which had most unique
history. Years ago handsome, wealthy
young man appeared on the scene and
bought acres of land in beautiful wood.
There he built an ordinary looking yet
comfortable house. A stray farmer hap
pening through the wood exclaimed,
"What on airth does man want to build
in this outlandish place fer, an what was
he putterin SO long inside now that he had
the outside done?" But the builder was
not troubled with much criticism, for he
was too remote from all human habitation
He toiled on, and then one dreary day he
brought to the house a beautiful young
girl. But to her nothing was dreary nor
uncanny, for she imagined no greater hap
piness on earth than to be always with
her handsome lover husband No one
knows whether she was an orphan or left
loving family circle, but it was known
that the demon of the husbands heart
was mad, unnecessary jealousy He
married her with the understanding that
she was to live far from the haunts of men
only for him was her beauty to shine
and her smiles to charm. 1t was nothing
to him that her sweet. innocent youth was
to be buried alive in this lonely spot But
he did not look upon it as a sacrifice. Was
not he willing to give up his pursuits
his intercourse with men? And would
ever knight of old devote time, thought
and care to charming maiden as he
would to his beautiful young wifes
The girl started with surprise when she
entered her home. The plain exterior gave
no hint of the luxury within. The deli
cately tinted walls were almost covered
with frescoes of celebrated old world paint
ings. In one room was Da Vinci's Last
Supper" which filled one side, while 9TH
er sacred subjects, notably in our Lord s
life, were elsewhere.
Up stairs her bedroom was the picture
of comfort and even elegance, handsome
rugs, easy chairs and divans filed the
small yet complete space while the walls
held frescoes of the Madonna and Child
and other smaller representations.
Throughout the house everything spoke Of
taste and wealth, and, above all, love and
forethought for the brides comfort and
welfare. An old colored woman accom-
panied the young girl She seemed de-
voteGsto her charge and would not allow
her to stoop to mental tasks. Books, mu-
sic and delicate needlework were the occu-
pations of the girls life. Her husband
read aloud to her, sang with her in his
cultivated tenor voice and seemed to
think only of her. Never was such aban-
don of happiness as the bride, radiant and
winning, gave herself up to the delight
of congenial companionship. But even
paradise has it's drawbacks-an earthly
paradise. The young girl had been used
to an open air life of perfect freedom.
Here she was mistress Of all within her
little domain, but beyond the threshold
she must not pass. The immense tract of
woods lay about her yet she dare not ven
ture to penetrate Its mysteries The wild
flowers were brought to her in profusion,
yet she could not gather one of them her
self. Her husband rode away on his spir
tied horses to buy necessary provisions,
but she could never accompany him. She
had no idea where she was even, she and
her table attendant having been blindfold
ed during their long drive. And so time
passed. Sane on every other point, on this
alone the jealous husband insisted-no one
must ever set eyes upon the woman he had
chosen. Perhaps he may have had some
bitter experience of woman's treacherysor
mans faithlessness, which warped his
otherwise noble nature.
Perhaps he was insane on this one sub
ject, yet had escaped an asylum. What
ever the cause, the fact was that after
awhile the young wife dropped and pined.
Like rare bird beating its life out against
the bars Of gilded cage, SO was this
healthy young life fading for want of ex-
ercise and freedom. Still the arbiter of
her destiny would not admit the truth.
His hand, loving, adoring as it was, never
lessened its iron grasp.
And then one day the lonely house was
deserted-the occupants were gone never
to return. Explorers found the grave
which is there today-the grave of the
young wife. Some say that she died
natural DEATH brought on by her unwont-
ed confinement and homesickness. Others
think that her love gradually turned to
hate for her jailer and that this FASTENED
her death. Others again say that the old
colored woman limited at young man
haunting the vicinity-whether former
lover or merely an adventurer attracted by
the mysterious rumors of the place she
did not say, and that whether with cause
or without, the enraged husband chose to
think the worst and put his wife to DEATH
The mystery remains as well as the
ruined house, and pieces of the frescoes
perfect in themselves are still evidences of
past glory.
One charming day in early summer a
party of gay young people started forth on
pleasure intent in the form of a rural pic
mic. Baskets of all manner of good things
to tempt the appetite were in the care of
dudish young man Of color of varied
accomplishments. After some wavering
it was decided that the only spot for their
outing was near the haunted house. They
examined the small building with keen
and shuddering interest. They climbed
into the ruined rooms above, where only
patches of Madonna bere, laughing
cherub there, gave hint at what might
have been. The girls their gay laughter
subdued, wondered over the fate of this
other girl and denounced her tyrant hus
band, even while the romance of his at
tachment pleased their fancy.
''Her spirit will appear to any one brave
enough to spend night in her old home,
and to such a one she will reveal the Sc
cret of her death, said one of the men,
The day passed as such days always do
plenty of laughter, plenty of fun, jokes
TD..L