Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1896-01-10
A DESERTED HOUSE.

Out in the vicinity of one Of Chioagos
handsome little parks an old frame house
stands in big, grass tangled yard. There
are big gaps in the upper windows, which
look out on the drear grounds, the lower
ones are boarded up with heavy lumber,
and the big heads of the heavy nails hold
ing the boards in place give evidence that
they were put there for no fleeting vaca-
ton season.
Time agone the neighbors used to spec
ulate about the old house, but now its
lonely presence is taken as matter Of
course, except occasionally a newcomer in
the neighborhood attempts to satisfy his
curiosity and finds that he has had his
trouble for his pains. Nobody in tho
ncighborhood can tell him anything def
mite about the deserted mansion, its former
occupants or its present owners.
That the old house has a story connected
with it, and that there is no common roa-
son for its being kept closed and being
permitted TO fall into decay, everybody
who knows Of its existence believes, and
rightly, although he does not know of the
correctness Of his belief.
1t was many years ago. the writer by
chance discovered, but once the now
weather beaten sides of tho old house
cleaned bright with paint Of spotless
white the green of the blinds of the win
dows We'd in hue with the leaves of the
trees and the grass of the carefully kept
grounds bright hued flowers lined tho
walks, in summer fountain played in tho
sunlight and merry laughter was fire.
quently heard issuing from the opened
Ind L.. 4.
nestling amid evergreens and vines.
a gallant young man, a pretty, happy
faced girl and a stately old gentleman
were the occupants, with half dozen rosy
checked maids and several manservants,
ruled by a gray haired, smooth shaven
butler, to keep the household affairs NOV
ing smoothly.
A happy though unpretentious life they
led, it was easy to see. A drive in dog
cart or carriage in the day-and then all
three were togethcr-or tho young people
RallOped away on horseback, and at night
almost every one-the theater, opera or
other public amusement claimed the at
tention of the trio.
For two, mayhap three, years the Joyous
though solitary existence Of the little
household in the big whito house saw no
change. Then one day half drawn cur
tains and the presence Of a physicians
buggy at the gateway told Of the fact that
sickness had come to one of the three, and
when within the week, hearse and two
closed carriages stood along the curbiug
and coffin appeared from the doorway,
borne by undertaker's men and followed
by sad looking young man and sobbing
young lady, it was known that tho kind
faced old gentleman had been called to his
reward.
Then camo strange happening. The
young man no longer made his home in
the white house. although every day no
was visitor there. The neighbors won
dered, and wondering began to take an
even greater interest in the affairs Of the
household. Gradually questions that had
before found no answers in the neighbor-
hood began to elicit replies, and it camo
to be known-nobody exactly knew how
that 1t was the young mans father who
had died, and that the young woman was
the latter's adopted daughter the child Of
an old friend.
Following close on the heels of this
came story Of curious will. All tho
property was left to the young man, but
he must marry the young lady, or, failing
TO do this, he was to have but q small
yearly allowance from the goodly estate,
the adopted daughter was to have half Of
all, and the balance was to 60 TO found
library In an ancient town in England,
where the stately old man first saw the
light and where his boyhood days had
been passed.
Matters in the big white house went
along without further change until tho
days had run into weeks, and it was very
apparent that, whatever might have been
in tho mind Of the old gentleman when he
made his last will and testament, tho
young folks had no thought Of a parting
until the angel Of death should call on one
or tho other to cross tho dark river.
Preparations for a wedding began; tho
handsome young man and the gracious
Uann1 woman went about with the -lGht