The Cairo bulletin., 1904-04-12

llOtl EVERY lOlu OF tue on tdSliOncd
cloak lie wore, he started again for the
door.
But my curiosity was by this time
reused to fever heat knew more
about this house than he gave me cred
ii for. No one who had read the pa
pers Of late, much less a man connect.
cd with the police. could help being
we'll informed in all the details of its
remarkable history. What ! had fail
cd to know was his close relationship
to the family whose name for the last
two weeks had been in every mouth.
wait" | called out "You say that
you live opposite the Moore house.
"Iou can then tell me-
But he had no mind to stop for any
gossip.
1T was all in the papers" he called
back. Read them. But first be sure
to find out who has struck light in
the house that We all know has not
even Il caretakcr in it,"
1t was good advice. My duty and
my curiosity both led me to follow it.
Perhaps you have heard of the dis
tinguishing feature of this house. If
so, You do not need my explanations
But if, for any reason, YOU are ignorant
Of the facts. which within a very short
time have SET 4 final seal Of horror up
on this old historic dwelling, then you
will he glad 10 read what has made
and will continue to make the Moore
house in Washington one 10 be pointed
at in daylight and Stunned after dark.
not only by Superstitious colorcd folk,
but by all who are susceptible to the
most ordinary emotions Of fear and
dread.
1t was standing when Washington
was a village 1t antedutes the capitol
and the White House. Built by a man
Of wealth, it bears to this day the i'm
press Of the large ideas and quiet ele-
gancc Of colonial times; but the shad-
ow which speedily fell across it made
it marked place even in those early
days While it has always escaped
the hackncycd epithct Of haunted
families that have moved in have as
quickly moye1 out giving rs their OK
cuse that Ii0 happiness was TO be found
there AMI that sleep was impossible
under its roof That there was some
reason for This lack Of rest within
walls which We're not without their
tragic "reminiscences all must acknowl-
edge. Death had often occurred there.
and while this fact can be stated in
regard to most old housos it is not
often that one can say, MS in this ease,
that it was Invariably sudden and in
variably Of one character.
\ lifeless man, lying outstretchcd on
a certain hcarthstonc, might be found
once in house ana awaken no special
comment, but when this same discoy
cry has been made twice. ii not thrice,
during the history of q single dwelling,
one might surely be pardoned dis
trust of its seemingly homclikc APP
pontmcnts ana discern in its slowly
darkcning walls the presence of an
evil which Il left to itself might perish
in the natural decay of the place, but
which. II met and challenged, might
strike again and make another blot Oh
its thrice crims0ncd hoarthstonc.
But these are old fables which
should hardly presume TO mention
had it not been for the recent occur
renee which has recalled them TO all
mems minds and given to this long
empty and slowly crumblng building
an Importance which has spread its
fame from one end Of the country to
the other. | refer TO the tragedy at
tending the wedding lately celebrated
there.
Veronica Moore, rich, pretty and will
full, had long cherished a strange liking
for this frowning old home Of her an
cestors and, at the most critical tiulc
In her life, conceived the idea of prov
ing 10 herself and to society mt large
that no real ban lay upon it save in
the imagination Of the supcrstitious
SO. being about TO marry the choice OF
her young heart. she caused this house
TO be opened for the wedding ccrc