Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-06-01
A NAVAL GHOST STORY.

There is a legend which, I am sure,
every one having the remOtest connec-
ton with the navy has heard. I know
half a dozen or more versions of it,
varying greatly in detail. All combine
to Law the scene in the east, sometimes
in Japan. sometimes in China. What
believe to be the most authentic form
of the story places it at Tien-Tsin. 1t
happened fifteen or maybe twenty years
ago. for. though the naval actors in II
are still lieutenants they are no longer
i'm the first bloom of youth.
Twenty years ago, then, let us say
there came TO Tien-Tsin an English
man and his son. The father was re-
tired army officer of some means, and
they were travelling for pleasure. They
took a fancy to Tien-Tsin and decided
TO settle there for a while. Looking
about for house, they were much at
tracted by one Just outside of the city,
which stood near the waters edge and
commanded a beautiful view OF the
barbor. Their friends, and more es-
pecially their Chinese servants, cried
out aghast: They must not think OF
such a thing. The house was haunted.
No one had lived in it for years. II
was as much as ones life was worth
even 10 pass il after nightfall. The
Englishmen. however, were not to be
frightened off by any such silly stories.
They rented the house and moved IN.
For several months all went well.
Roth father and son were delighted
with the place, and finally decided TO
buy it. One evening the son, who had
been dining in town, came home quite
late. AS he opened the front door he
heard what seemed to be a scuftle in his
fathers room. Before he could reach
the ton of the stairs soul-piercing
shrek arose high above the confused
din Then all was silent Rushing in
TO his fathers room the young man
found him lying on the floor IN a pool
of blood. There was no one else IN the
room nor was there any apparent way
for any one to have left it without pass
inc him i'm the hall. A knife was stick
ing i'm the breast of the wounded man,
wicked looking Malay knife, with a
curiouslv carved handle. The young
man stepped into the hall to call the
servants to his fathers assistance.
When he stepped back into the room a
moment later, the knife had disap-
peared.
The wounded man never rallied. He
lived several hours. but was not able 10
speak. His face was distorted by an
expression of unutterable terror, and he
died with the look still in his eyes.
The associations of the place were too
Daipful for the son to remain there
longer. He offered large reward for
the discovery of his fathers murderer
and left a minute description of the
knife that had SO mysteriously disap-
peared. Then he packed up his be
Iongings and returned TO England. The
house stood vacant of course, more
dreaded than ever.
Months passed. perhaps years; / 90
not know. But after a certain lapse Of
time. one of our men-of-war visited the
horbor of Tien-Tsin. Several of the
officers were ashore one night dining
with a party of foreign residents at the
club. some one told the story of the
haunted house and the murdered Eng
lishman. adding that the natives said
that the murder was Te-enacted every
night at the same hour. Our officers
expressed a lively interest in the mar
rative.
Lets visit the house some night,