The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-26
The Legend of Manhattan.
CThe Curse of Bellamont. BY Maud
Goodwin. In Three Parts.)
PART Ill

| IL is solemn lfllDS DIT any lliIlS "
open coffin. 1t seems a rude anticipation
of the judgment day, a divorce before its
time of the flesh from it's resting place,
and now this torn-up earth, this scat
| folding and crude environment of bald
daylight, gave a ghastliness which mid
night and storm would have been power
| less to increase.
It was like setting at naught of memo
ries and sacred associations-material-
ism and the present triumphing over the
things of the spirit and the past.
The pine boards torn away revealed
coffin Of polished oak, black with age,
and near the head a great plate of silver
bearing the escutcheon. of the Bellamonts
beneath the date of birth of the Governor
of the colony and Of his death at the fort
in the year 1701
An awe fell upon the laborers, but the
Commissioner was a practical man. He
rubbed his chin. ''Ahi'' said he las a
representative of the board I will take
charge of this plate-yes, and Of this also"
he added, as the work of the men laid
bare another coffin. Now, on with your
work, men, and let all the collins be car
ried up to the trenches in st. PauPs
church-yard.'
But what if there be no room for all?'
asked the head laborer.
''Why, then" quoth practical Master
Vansandt, throw away the collins 0here
are six in all. 1 Think and bury all the
bones together, or by good luck you may
find some open grave where part may be
dumped and none be the wiser"
With this he turned away, deciphering
the inscription as he walked-an inscrip-
ton which prayed the finder to let the
bones within rest in peace. Vansandt was
something Of a relic-hunter for all his
practical nature, and straightway resolv-
ed that the matter should be so arranged
that this plate might fall to him and
pass in his family as an heirloom.
Was it fancy, or did shivering fit come
over him as he clambered over the ram
parts and thrust the heavy piece of plate
into his pocket? Whether the curse had
already begun its work, or whether the
overturning of all the fresh earth stirred
the germs of fever sleeping in the soil, it
is certain\ that from this good, or bad,
hour VanSandt was never a sound man.
Nor was Fate kinder to his wishes than
he had shown himself to Lord Bellamont,
for shortly after death swept him off
and the coffin-plate was laid by in a gar
rett and forgotten, till years after it was
taken to the assay office, where it was
smelted into silver spoons. which in their
turn fell victim to a night thief, so that
in the length and breadth of the land no
record survives of the Bellamonts save
such as tradition has handed down in
plying whispers.
Yet there are those in our own matter
of-fact time who believe that Lord Bella
monts curse was actually pronounced
yes, and that to this day it has not ceased
its dire work, and if the clear-sighted
al
point to the history of the spot.
They tell Of the noble mansion reared
for Washington, with its white pillared
portico, firm as the hills, standing just
over the spot where the Bellamont coffin
had lain. Did he for whom it was built
ever occupy it?" they ask. No. for before
it was completed the tickle government
had changed its capital to the Quaker
City. Nor did it fare better as a Cover
nor's mansion, for though one or two
Governors inhabited it for a short time,
it was never popular. Queer stories were
told by servants of sights and sounds
within its walls. One reported being kept
awake at night by the tolling of a bell
of strange and unearthly sweetness. An
other told how, looking out of the win
dow by moonlight, he had seen a woman
sitting on the rocks in the shadows. So
sobhing, and fearing she sought to take
her own life by drowning. he had rushed
out into the night; but when he reached
the spot there was nothing there, neither
woman, nor cloak nor floating corpse.
OF course, such rumors, once started,
grew in size and numbers; and though
no one of intelligence paid any attention
to them, still they did take a certain hold
upon the ignorant, and made it more and
more difficult to secure servants. except
negro slaves, who were so terrified that
they ceased to be of any use.
The end ofthe century brought an end,
too. to the Governors residence for the
state followed the example of the ma
ton, and removed its headquarters from
the spot where it had stood so long to
that little Dutch city on the Hudson,
which in the good old days New York
would never have deigned to look upon
as a rival.
A few more years the unlucky mansion
stood solitary. changing by degrees from
a place of residence to a place Of trade.
never successful, till at last it was de-
clared that. since such II luck had at
tended it from the beginning, il was best
to tear it down. Down it came, according
ly, in the year 1915. and in its place rose
block of those fine, dignified houses,
bountiful in breadth as in hospitality,
which marked the early part of our CEN
fury.
Then, for a while, fashion opened wide
its doors, and the finest folk of the CITY
danced and Toasted and laughed and firt-
ed as gayly as though no tragedy had
ever been acted there. The Battery
stretched its gay promenade at one side;
the Bowling Green spread its green circle
in front; the most beautiful bay in the
world sparkled in full view of their win
dows. Surely, at last, TIE destiny of tie
region was fixed; but, no; the denizens
of the houses for some reason began TO
find themselves i'll at ease, even In this
paradise. One by one they took flight,
and their places were taken by foreigners
None stayed long. Then came the mighty
arm of trade, and swept fashion before it,
like butterfly before wind-storm.
So, one by one. each Of the houses has
been distenanted, and the cosy rooms be-
come cherries Offices. Where once shiny
brass knockers and white-handled bells
decorated the doorways. now stand signs
representing ships tossing on the Allan
tic, and giving in every tongue the rates
of emigrant passage TO and from the
world beyond the sea.
Bright. busting, in and OF the world,
the block stands today with only a bronze
tablet on the centre house to tell that
here the Old fort once stood. Firm as the
honest brick and mortar OF that early
day can make it is that stout block Of
buildings. Yet it may be, as some wills
per, that the last word has not yet been
said, that the block. firm as il stands,
shall ere long yield its place TO the foun-
dations Of some sky-scrsping tower erect
ed 10 Mammun-
But let those who build beware, lest a
wind mightier than that which shook the
roofs and spires Of the western towns. 4