The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-08-14

falling to pieces, stones covering The
door, many Of them Just hanging.
clinyng desperately 10 the mother
fireplace. but destined nevertheless 70
fall very soon
Today these hall floors covered with
piled up plaster. dirt and refuse, old
bureaus with their drawers gone, wash
stands, old tables. chair backs, and
even a safe Closed shutters let in
Just enough ligh, 10 give a weird, for.
saSen aspect 20 everything. one
looks furtycly about for ghosts. The
wind signs softly as &c comes gently
in. sadly and reminiscently. Tattered
blinds lie here and there. buried in
moldy oobwebs Some SIN cling BY
one eni 70 windows
Until very recently the mail parti-
,ioDs and hotel KEYS IN the office re.
NAMED undisurbed For years. in
the dining room, the tables STAYED set
with cloth and linen, silver and glass
Flowers stood IN bowls till they dried
and tell ~
In the kitchen pots and pans stood
till they ustCd. All the various equip.
ment there remained intact, until Pill.
lerers carried {; away.
Winding upstairs 20 the floor above
one found everything just as guests
and owner left &c. Towels hung moldv
and covered with Oobwebs Bed lin.
en- was a Ereenish color Chairs and
floor covering was eaten by rats
Nice occupied mattress and pillows.
We found brushes and combs and
few clothes left behind. We picked
We found dimes and quarters IN bu.
We found dimes and no ,rt,rs In bu.
rclu drawer or tucked ~ corners
We even found a sewing bar with q
family OF mice inside and such a
sQucaliHg as We removed 10 from the
mack OF a chair. All this was many
years ego Vow nothing remains but
beds tumbiiE- % pieces. bcsNs2 chairs,
bureau drawers. stands. h1v'- old
moth eaten rugs broken dishes brok
en- windows debris OF all kinds, right
and let The safe stll remains. the
dining tables are turned upside down
and mnumerable possessions lie brok
en- and ruined.
Silence stretches everywhere about
These hundred rooms stand waiting
for the" know not what Over them
the roof has crumbled and rain pOurs
in through the cracks and creyices.
Though the windows and doors are
barred. the soul Of the weary house
looks out in agonized pleading Will
NE one never come 10 bring bach
hope and laughter once again
Il is a beautiful. an exquisite picture
for an artist The patient worried
eyes gaze mournfully out over the
fields and woods. The big trees speak
cOnenhngly and lament among them
selves over the tragedy II is to them
like having a d.sccrated grave open
continually beior" their eyes: the
grave Of the by-gone years once so
full Of rcstfulneSs and comfort and
quiet hapnnesS
cared unst for a mad whirl OF excite.
ment Both married and engaged Low.
ers came here and many sweet faced,
white haired older couples and often
just grandmother alone with her gen
tie ways and calm spirit and pleasant
cour, asy.
The children came and strange TO
cav didn't tear the place down around
them. but became content to sit I'M.
der the trees asleep or awake, in the
midst OF fairy tales or adventure The
songs in the tree tops held them
charmed They tumbled on the lawns
then smooth as velvet, now tall and
overgro once young and fresh. now
old and bent and brown and content
10 rest sleeply among ferns and wild
flowers and huckleberries and noun.
tain tea. the quaint name for winter
green leaves.