Wethersfield High School - Elm Yearbook (Wethersfield, CT)

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THE GHOST OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE The Shotwell family, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Shotwellg Philip, fifteen, Carol, twelve, and Polly, ten, had decided to spend their vacation at a small summer resort, called Bayside, on the Maine coast. Of course, Pep, their dog, had to go, too, for the children would not consent to leaving him at home. One morning after the family had been at Bayside a few days, Philip went on an exploring trip. He managed somehow to escape the girls, not because he did not consider them good sports, but because he wished to discover something without their aid. The day before he had noticed a road, partly hidden by the shrubbery, which turned from the main road about half a mile from their cottagef He was curious to know where it led. , ' He followed the road up-hill for a short distance until he came to a bend. There on the left, around the bend stood a large square weather- beaten house. He knew from its unkept appearance that no one lived there. Because of its position on the hill it appeared to have three floors on the front and only two on the rear. He tried all the doors and windows on the first floor, but they were locked. Philip went back to the main road to see if he could find someone to ask about the house. He walked along the road until he came to a house. A Woman was sitting on the verandah. Philip approached her and told her who he was. Then he asked, Wl1o owns the house on the hill? It is owned by Mr. David Gray, who lives in Massachusetts nowf, answered the woman. His great-great-grandfather started it before the Revolutionary War and it has never been finished. It is haunted. I-Iaunted! exclaimed Philip. Please tell me about it. You come sit on the steps and I'll tell you the story, said the woman. As I said, Mr. Gray's great-great-grandfather, Samuel Gray, started to build this house and had almost completed it when the Revolutionary XVar broke out. The British wished the house for their headquarters because of its size and its position near the harbor. Because Samuel Gray was a rebel, the red-coats drove him from the house. Before the British came, however, he hid all the family valuables and then escaped. After the British left the Gray family returned. However, Samuel Gray, who had been seriously wounded, lived but a short time. He was the only person who knew where the valuables were hidden and when his family realized that he could not live they questioned him about the money. He tried to tell them where it was, but all they could make out was: Under stone. What stone he meant no one knows, for there were many stones near the house. Anyway, the treasure has never been found. Q, .

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There he contrived to introduce himself to Lucy Fenwick, daughter of a flour king, rated at four million. P. Galahad made sure of that. Lucy was short and fatg but it was the figure in her bank book that won P. Galahad. He worked fast. One word led to another. She invited him to visit her at her parents' apartment on Riverside Drive. Then he returned to town and the store. He was sorry he could not linger, but he explained that Wall Street needed him. Fall came. P. Galahad Hotchkiss in a snappy suit, set forth to conquer. He took Miss Fenwick to the theater. He dropped hints about deals in oil and- sugar, about directors' meetingsg he expressed regret that his town car and roadster were both out of commission. V Toward midnightihe and Miss Fenwick returned to the lofty apart- ment house where dwelt her parents. 'Tm sure we met beforef' she was saying, there,s something so familiar about your facef' Perhaps we met at some party at the Ritz or Sherry's. Or maybe it was at Newport or Monte Carlo. Or perhaps you saw me playing polo. , I wonder where it was, she repeated, puzzled. They had stepped into the private elevator and she pressed the button. Softly the car stole up. It stopped. On the door P. Galahad Hotchkiss saw painted the figure 7 . Swiftly, mechanically, he called out: Seventh floor! Ladies' and misses' cloaks, evening gowns, toilet goods and Corsets. Going up! Step to the rear of the car, please! And then she knew. -Marion Rolcrson, '29. SUNSHINE Brighter days are coming. How sweet it is to know, That o'er the nights dark shadows The moon is sure to glow. How sweet to think that when our day, On earth's turbulent seas has set, Afar upon the distant hills The sun is shining yet. -Harold A. Iope, '27.

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Every year at midnight on the thirteenth of July, Samuel Gray's ghost is said to return to tell where the treasure is hidden. I-Ie is said to carry a light in his hand and to wander all over the house looking for someone to tell about the treasure. The present owner has left a key with me so that anyone interested in the house may see it. That is about all I know about the haunted house, the woman finished. Thank you for telling me. I think I had better hurry home to dinner, said Philip. As soon as the family had assembled at the table that noon, Philip told the story that he had heard. If When he had finished Carol exclaimed, Why, today is the thirteenth. and it is tonight that the ghost returns. Let's go and stay in the house tonight and see if the ghosts comef, Pm going, too, said Polly. Well, if Mother and Father say you may go, we will take you,,' responded Philip. At first Mr. and Mrs. Shotwell refused to allow them to go, but finally gave their consent. That afternoon the Shotwell family went to the woman with whom Philip had talked. Mr. Shotwell told her about the plans and asked her if she would show them the house. She was very glad to do so. She told them that some people came every year to spend a few weeks there. For this reason the second floor was furnished and the young people could stay in that part of the house. It seemed to Philip, Carol, and Polly as though night would never come, but it finally did. Just before dark they chained Pep up because they were afraid that he would frighten the ghost if he came, took their blankets and a flashlight, and started for the haunted house. The three climbed the stairs to the second floor, entered one of the rooms and shut the door after them. They spread their blankets on the floor and lay down, planning to get a few winks before twelve o'clock, when the ghost was to appear. Toward midnight Carol thought she heard a noise like a door squeak- ing on its hinges. She clutched Philip, who was almost asleep and whispered, What was that? I didn't hear anything, replied Philip, sleepily. You are just nervous and think you heard somethingf, But I did, Phil. Someone opened a door.