The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-12-22
Observation-Disclosures
; A TRUE GHOST STORY
Observation-Disclosures

Of the other girls agreed with her en-
phatically. But Helen Duncan and
Ethel sercomb quietly shook their
heads in dissent.
1t was the second week after the
opening Of the seminary, and group
of the girls were discussing the most
striking feature In the nelghborhood-
1.-THE haunted house" This place al
ways had a fascination for the semi
nary girls. The newcomers almost In
variably ridlculed the idea that uncan-
ny spirits held sway In the deserted
mansion, but the older girls viewed 1t
differently.
At the fashionable lake resort there
were also skeptics and believers. The
people who lived there the year round
stood In awe of the haunted house"
while the summer visitors made fun Of
what they called superstition.
The subject Of so much speculation
was a fine country home Known as
"the old Walton place" II was high
on a hill overlooking the inland lake.
The house was Of dull stone and was
hidden In a grove Of lonely pines and
cedars. Although completely and mag
nlfcently furnished throughout, it had
remained unoccupled for ten years, the
only ones who visited 1t being the 81
lent old keeper and his son, who kept
watch on the premises from their little
house some distance away.
Two mysterious deaths and muir.
der which had never been explained
had occurred within its walls. With
such a record those who inherited the
house did not care to live In It, and no
one else could be induced TO occupy H.
Some Of those whose word was unques
toned I'm the neighborhoOd declared that
more than once they had heard strange
sounds issuing from the place az they
drove hurrledly by Of night on the
main highway, some distance from the
old mansion. Others were sure that
they had seen flickering and uncertain
lights through the drawn blinds Of the
windows and specter figures moving
about.
These stories had been repeated so
often TO the girls Mt the seminary that
the older ones had come to almost be-
lleye them. On stormy nights they had
imagined they had heard weird noises
from the haunted house above the
roar OF the wind and, boxing out
across the way, had seen fltful lights
I'm the windows between the flashes OF
lightning.
SO Helen Duncan and Ethel Sercomb
would not agree with Mildred Edwards
and the other new girls on their theory
as to the nonexistence Of ghosts.
"I'll tell you what" said Mildred a
few days later. Let's have big lark.
After dusk this evening the crowd Of
us will get away from the seminary
and go over TO look for ghosts at the
haunted house. know there are no
such things, and want to prove II to
some OF the superstitious ones. We
Will get some Of the boys from town to
go with US. To tell the truth, | have
arranged 1t all with them already"
Good, Mlldredl You're a brlckw
cried the others enthusiastically. 1--WE
are in for the fun, and Wen go clear
to the house."
1t required some persuasion TO get |
Helen and Ethel to accompany the par
ty, but they were told that the excur- |
sion had been arranged especially for |
their benefit The light had faded |
from the west when the party found
itself on the wide veranda Of the house
The approach through the grove had
been cautious, and several stops had |
been made, but the boys had assumed
bravado which quleted the fears of
the girls.
The windows and shades were rails
ed, and then, with an incredulous SMILE
the party peered into the gloomy rooms
for sight Of airy figures in white. As
none appeared they began to laugh at
Helen and Ethel and banter them.
A whispered alarm brought silence.
One OF the boys was certain he had
seen in one of the doorways Tapping
Of white drapery, which Immediately
vanished. All looked lntently and were
terrified to see q white robed figure
with CHASTITY features stride through
the room. From the sounds, 1t seemed
to have gone to the sideboard and to be-
eating from empty dishes. From the
other part of the house dim, yellowish
light famed up and went out. Then
another figure In white. with great
splotches Of red on its drapery, wan
dered into the room, groaning and
searching the floor intently.
The ghostly visitation had been so
sudden that the adventurous crowd
had been too frightened to move The
groans Of the second specter aroused
them. and the boys started to hurry
the girls from the place. Mildred, how
ever, had sunk to the floor In a dead
faint. The boys carried her through
the grove and over into the grounds Of
the seminary. The party was unable
10 rouse her, and she was carried to
The seminary, and the principal soon
earned the whole story. He notified
he town authorities, and a search OF
he Walton place was made. Nothing
unusual was found, and for few days
he story Of the girls was discredlted
Then 1t was learned that the keeper
md his son had heard Of the Intended
Tisit and had played the part Of ghosts.
The old place is still avoided by those
Who travel in that neighborhood after
Times-Herald.