The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-29
The EllIlsbury
Ghost
1t Appeared In Person to Mr..
Ebenezer Pollock
By cLARISSA nAcKIE
Copyright. 1903. by. American Press
By cLARISsA nAcKIE
Copyright. 1909. by American Press
Association.

II II
Going once. Going twice. Going
| three times and sold to Mr.. Ebenezer
Pollock for S1.9OO.'
Ine auctioneer's hammer fell with
resounding thud and nearly grazed
| the nose Of the purchaser.
| Didn't mean to damage a good Gus
toner" chuckled the man OF the ham,
mer as be pulled down the red dag
above the gate and climbed into his
buggy. Come down to Lawyer Fftch's
Office bimeby. Meier. and we'll close
the deal right and proper
| VERY WE'LL" said Ebenezer gruf1y.
He watched the crowd of women tip
toeing out Of the house and waited un-
I'll the last one had passed through the
gate. each with a furtive glance at the
new owner. He was aware thar they
marveled because he had bought a
ghost ridden house.
When he was alone in the shadows
or the tall oaks he looked up at the
house. dark anu forbidding in the midst
or rank grass and weeds. Whatever
had been its original color. it was now
faded TO dingy mustard hue. plotted
with the dark green of heavy wooden
shutters tightly closed
There were years and years when
the shutters had never been closed.
Those were the days before old Simon
Eimsbury's granddaughter had run
a xr-;fh -.
in consequence been disinherited BY
the old man. Simon had left the house
and land and furniture to the Foreign
Missionary society, aud DOW. five years
after his death. they had put it up at
auction. and Ebenezer had bought it
at much below ito real value.
1t was we'll known that Simon would
have opposed his granddaughter's mar
riage TO any man. he was selfish
enough to wish to keep her at his side
to wait upon him, for she was the only
relative he had.
Let us come and live with you,
grandfather" Cornelia had pleaded
with her arms around his neck You
will like Henry better when you know
him." But the obdurate old man had
angrily flung her aside. and the next
day the girl had been married to Hen
ry Stone and disappeared from Mel
Vile.
After that Simon Elmsbury closed
the main part of the house and lived
in the east wing for ten years, and
then he died without one relenting
word to Cornelia The Stones had new
er been heard from since their depar-
ture from Melville. No one knew
where they lived or even if they were
alive. Old Simon Elmsbury went to
the grave unattended by any relative
Since Simon's death gossip had it
that the house was haunted. On stormy
nights. the credulous said. the old
piano tinkled softly behind the closed
shutters. and woman's thin. sweet
voice was heard singing in low tones
Snatches of this weird music could be
heard sometimes in the lull of shrek
ing wind or dashing rain. On other
nights all was still. Some claimed
that Cornelia was dead and that hel
sweet spirit came back to sing i'll the
rooms of the old home. where she ha(
spent happy girlhood.
In spite of ghostly rumors. Ebeneze
Pollock had suddenly made up hi
mind to give up boarding in the vii
lage hotel and occupy home of hi!
own. The Elmsbury place suited him
1t was near his harness shop. and th'
. east wing was just large enough t
, serve his simple purposes. As for tn
main portion of the house. he gave
/, over to rats and mice and mold.
Now he walked up the path aud en-
tered the front door, creaking ruStil.
, on its hinges in the south breeze tina
: swept the yard On the second foo
y door banged loudly. EbeneZer start
I ed and then, with an exclamation 9
disgust, entered the house.
:. \ long. dark hall stretched ava
into inky backness. and to the RICH
. and left open doors gave glimpses int
darkened rooms family illuminate
with candles placed there by the auC
: tioneer.
EbeueZer. creaked in and out Of tn
!; rooms filed with decaying furniture
carefully blowing out the candles. u
:. stairs the candles were tiickerin
: strangely. and there was & chill
= the large north bedroom as II frol
!, an open window, but all the window
were tightly suffered and barred
> Once outside again. be turned Il
great brass kew in the front door wit
an involuntary sigh of relief The ca
wing had a separate entrance and W
shut off from the rest Of the hou:
by a sealed door A days work
black Anna would make the wing vel
u habitahle for him and his bachelor
< longincs. Ebenezer didn't want
e housekeeper-h derested women.