The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-01-28

three women--two gosslps, EVIDENT
ly cronies, and lady. The latter
looked listlessly out of the win
dows, absorbed in thought, until she
heard her own name mentioned, with
many exclamations Of obs, abs and
"who would have thought it?" Soon
she discovered that 1t was not really
personal, but q rehash of foolish sto-
ries, In which she and her family,
ruined fortunes and former social
prominence were the topics, but when
she heard wondermcnt expressed that
the old haunted house was now her
abode, she sat. listened and was anx-
ious. One said: "If she knew the house
has the wickedcst history in town, and
no one ever stays there beyond n
month or two! An apparitlon always
appears with mute, but piteous ap-
peals, as though asking for release"
The lady, We will call her Mrs. Ken
dall, felt the grave insult that was cast
upon her when she heard them quote:
"Oh, yes, 1t Ia big house. but Mrs.
Kendall gets it cheap, because n dis
reputable woman had positively got To-
Gated there. remaining with their inl-
quities long fortnight, until they
were evictedv'
An avalanche OF trouble had swept
over Mrs. Kendall. Money had melted
away! But 1t was necessary to keep
up n semblance of home. An invalid
in her family had to be cared for. kept
in retirement and protected. 1t re-
quired whole floor Of the house to In
sure this. She had, already, spent q
good portion of the money that had
been scraped together by the sale of
bric-a -brac and cherished objects. She
could not move again. She must stay
In that odious old place. An agent
had rented 1t to her. and when she
hurried to his office he laughed at the
rehearsal of the gossip's chatter, spoke
of the wonderful history OF the house
and offered to make any repairs, but
the lease must stand. Too poor to
move, the place became to her like the
evil presence Of an outlaw. How she
hated It!
There were many rooms. large and
comfortable, plenty Of light-not n
place for a ghost to walk in; yet
strange noises and low means were
heard. 1t might have been the wind
whistling down some half concealed
speaking tubes. The house was in q
lonely deserted part Of Washington
very near Georgetown.
No negro servants would ever sleer
there nights, for a tradition was rife
that slave robber had once owned tho
place, and that there was secret
walled passage that led to the river
For, as Mrs. Kendall remembered, uT
and down the Potomac negroes were
stolen, drugged, heavily manacled ant
on dark nights brought in boats tc
the water gate, and hurried up the
Shiny secret passage, to lie in the hid
den room of this big house until they
could with safety be started in wei
covered wagons on their long Journey
to the cotton fields of the South. there
to be sold, at large profits. 1t was easy
to label them runaway slaves and easy
to take an unfrequented route; there
were neither telegraph lines nor tele
phones. In the few newspapers tha
circulated there were quaint advertise
ments from their angry masters offer
ing largL rewards for poor slaves
found either dead or alive. 1t was nj
laid to the door of those "cursed abo
llshionists." Mrs. Kendall did not he
lIeve all these tales, nor did she wholly
discredit them. She ventured dowr
into the many-vaulted old cellar, saw
no uncanny door, though she did heal
those strange moans and sighs. TIL,
entire subject Has forbidden. and IL
the family there was never any discus
sion about It.
The old house had assumed a cheer
ful look; there were no darkened win
dows. and on every broad window sill
beautiful flowers nodded and bloomet
all day The mystery was over, mora
health had returned and a speculativ,
builder was negotiating for the house
with all its outlying land, thinking h,
would build an apartment tenement
with par!; Of its own. Mrs. kendall
was well pleased, feeling her deliver
ance from that unaccountable horro
had come. Strange things came abou
instead. You will say so, too, IL 20,
will but finish this true story.
1t was In April. the weather as beau
tiful as dream of paradise. Mrs
Kendall walked slowly home to tn,
old house. not feeling altogether well
Looking nip at the back wall she saw
how much the crack had widened. ant
thought frequent rains had wrought in
Jury.
J All around some faithful gnarled olt
apple trees were filed with blushinI
pink flowers. and the air redolent will
their perfume. Entering the house sh
mounted the stairs, only pausing t,
look up at the low ceiling, over tn,
landing, as she had often wondered
how the space was occupied, and VIII.
there was no opening. no door. to til,
space that must be there. She entere,
her own room and closed the door. Sit
ting at the writing desk was a dark
thin young woman, with great melan
choly eyes. who rose and SILENT.