The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-25
The Legend Of Manhattan.
eThe Curse of Bellamont. BY Maud
Goodwin. In Three Parts.)
PART II.

81 must stay here-I will stay here"
So the Governor whispered with the OBJ
stinacy of feebleaess-then of a sudden
$50 Kenyon's story ram he half rose in
bed with a strength such as he had not
shown for weeks, and shaking his arm at
some fancied figure by the lower bed-post,
he cried aloud: IF my dust be stirred
from this place. my curse be on him who
disturbs it, ay, and on the spot ITSELF
that no building, though it be Of quar-
ried stone shall abide thereon"
With this, so Kenyon said, he paused,
with an awful look on his face, gasped
for breath, fell back, and never spoke a
word more.
Never had the village of New York wit
messed such a funeral as his Folk came
from far up the river, from Cummuni-
paw, and from the villages of Brooklyn
and FIatbush to attend it The church in
the fort though it measured seventy-two
feet in length and half hundred in
width, was crowded to the doors; choir
of forty boys chanted like cherubs, and
high above all sounded the bell, and for
all it was tolling it had, some thought,
a sound less sad than the common, and
one old man declared its note was joy
Gus. even buoyant, as if it celebrated a
triumph; but this man was only half-wit-
ted, and soon after was despatched to the
almshouse.
The gray boards wagged as gray boards
will when the ceremonies were over, and
some said that Lady BeIlamont was more
like one under the spell Of some evil spirit
than an ordinary grief-struck widow, for
she gave no heed wnen any spoke TO her,
neither cast a glance down upon her new
made mourning gown, but sat staring at
the coffin like one possessed.
Lord Bellamont was buried in stout
oaken coffin brought out of England
and few months later massive silver
coffin-plate setting forth the birth and
lineage of BellamOnt arrived at New York
and was affixed to the coffin lying in the
dark vault under the old church.
At last it seemed that the troubled spirit
had found rest. There for nearly a CEN
fury lay Bellamont, still and peaceful
through all the changes Of rule and all
the dissensions which ragged above his
head Kings and queens came TO the
throne and passed away. Fort William
became Fort George; but little did it mat
ter to that calm sleeper.
No tremor stirred those quiet eyesids
when an insurrection shook New York
to its center, and the mob surged through
the gates of the fort and the old church
over his head stood in ruins.
Even the Revolution, setting at def
ance the will of his majesty the King of
England, had no power to stir that heart
which had once beat high with loyalty.
Let kings and empires rise and fall, Bel
lamont was at rest, and it was enough.
At last the Revolution came to close,
some three-quarters of a century after the
death of Lord Bellamont. The country
he nd Ia
thrifty rulers of that city began to cast
disappearing eyes upon the dilapidated
old fort, sprawling like a superannuated
giant over land already promising to be
of value. It's guns had never fired a tell
ing shot through all the history Of the
fort, and where was the use of a peace
full fort? Moreover, such was the dllapi-
dation of its walls that good money must
be spent in repairing them if they were
to stand, whereas, if the walls were de-
stroyed the stone might be sold. By all
means tear it down." cried Master Love-
God and Master Forget-thePast and
Master Time-Server.
Associations have no market value, and
so Americans decline to invest in them.
There were those who stood about the old
fort on a certain spring day at the close
of the eighteenth century, and gazing on
sive wall of quarried stone overtopped on
the land side by the old linden trees, sigh
ed to think that it was to perish with
all its memories before the dwelling
march of thrifty Improvement; but such
as those were counted silly sentimental
lists and the Aldermen and City Council
voted the old fort away as easily as they
would have voted a dead horse carted
from the town road.
Van Sandt, Pintard and Janeway were
the Commissioners charged with the task
of removal. One protested a little and
said at a Commissioners meeting that
he mad been warned in a dream that no
good would come of their work; but the
others jeered at him, and babe him have
done with such childish talk, for dreams
were as dead as the power of King George
and, moreover, the whole matter was set
tied. The ground was TO be occupied by
a mansion for the American King George
Washington the Great.
When economy and enthusiasm Join
hands nothing can stand against them,
so the protest carried little weight and
the protestant himself soon forgot ii and
was as eager as the rest in the work of
destruction. Thus it came TO pass that the
stout stone walls were levelled to the
ground and pick-ake and spade dug away
the entertainments which had so long
borne the walls upon their shoulders.
Many strange trophies were brought to
light by the delivers. Here lay a heavy
sword with the Dutch coat OF arms on
the golden hilt, and close by rude In
dian arrow with head Of stone deity
bound to a wooden shaft. There in one
corner was found mans glove with
richly wrought gauntlet, whose gilt
A. 97r 10
scarcely been able to tarnish.
A few spectators stood by watching
the diggers at work on the foundations
Of the old church. whose upper works had
been destroyed at the time OF the negro
insurrection. For some time the men look
ed on in silence which no sound broke
save the striking Of pick-aXe on stone
and spade grating against earth.
At length a murmur arose from the by
ISLANDERS.
.'Ah, they've found something. See, the
Commissioner is going down into the
vault
who knows but Captain Kids buried
treasure has come to light here in the
very stronghold Of law and order?"
"Bah, It's naught but bones and cof-
fms
With this the disappointed watchers
who had hoped for q richer harvest than
the yield OF deaths sickle. drew back and
turned to the other corners of the fort.
Only the Commissioner remained with the
iiggers AS the rough pine boxes were
lifted by men who bent beneath their
weight he glanced at them with pass
ing curiosity.
Some poor devils killed perhaps in
skirmish with the natives a hundred
years since. Two buried in the same rude
coffin. doubtless, that they be so heavy.
Well. of to St Paurs churchyard with