Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-11-15
From late Foreign Magazine, and Journals.
from CruiksAanE's Omnibus. ]
4 HOST STORY

We remember TWO Of Papa's fenGs who were
regular Story teUers.n MT O'B:ien mad d store OF
lusn legends Mr. 7. Smith had n variety OF ghos
STORIES OF one OF these a haunted house was th,
scene-a whole family of ghosts the drimat!s pet
some. We must premise, lClt at the time referred
TO, u was the fashion - wear "pig tails" and Mi
Smith, who had eschewed "pIg tan" and paironzed
shortcut Or crop, used TO say when asked what n.
had done with his pig tail, that Thereby hangs a
tale, which joke he retaIled u every opportunity
We may also ultimate that good ghost story was
IN those DAYS a valuable Little property. MIR Smith
seldom dlned at home and always passed MS eve
nnss At other peoples fresItes In truth, tor more
than three paris Of the year, his ghost story pro-
cured him bed, board aud lodging gratis including
coal and candles. Now, then, let the reader ina.
sine small family party seated round the ire on
winters evening, and let MIR Smith le.. his own
story IN his own way:
was staying The began) some years back a,
Squire Cars, al DanglewItch Han, near Nantvlcb
"a Cheshire; my friend OBrIen here was a so a yIs
| tor. C'Sure | was" says MIR OBrlen with a grin
! he was merry fellow that OBJ One evening
the conversation turned upon Clay Hail, an o.0
deserted mansion, that reported to be haunted
Strange sights, strange sounds, and strange stories
hted tie neIgGbgrhooj with alarm; and what sur-
prIsed me at mat time wls that the Dang ewtch
people seemed firmly 10 believe IN them. Being
little e.cvateJ UanisreC the fem. Y upon their n
CIcuous iears-I have since learned TO pay more
attention 10 other peoples opIEious-and 50 earagec
The squire, that ne offered " bet E'y guineas to
one that would no. dare 20 sleep IN the house for
one night. No sooner said Than Done cried /,
aud proposed 10 20 Immediately. The squire ~
SAMMY ordered tue servant 20 get the key from the
Oh Oman at Clay park iOIge, 10 Iigh, FIRE m the
OIue-rooni, and ~ plOvIlc besides a pipe and 10
/ oacco, good bottle OF brandy. The whole party,
| IN merry nooI, sailed forth 10 conduct me 10 my
quarters Soon ai'e' wished Them all good night
and listened the door. had a brace OF 1tstos and
a good sword stick | drew nv sword and gent
over the house ~ once, 10 zee that the fastening,
were Secure-iOr though no, afraid OF ghosts / OU.
llee,ed 10 being surprised 10y rOJuo,s.
! Everything was IN dIltpIuated slate but as
cerIaIned that the locks ond bolts although rusty
we're sufficiently slTOng 10 resist IN intrldef, was
also on the hfsi floor a. the back OF the house /
slowly assembled The large staircase. The sound Of
my footsteps echoed through the emmy r,,nsIon
As approached the l1ndIng was startled by a sud.
den noise, like the sammIng Of q door, and recon-.
ltcisd that one Of the upper ROOMS was wItho.r a
fastening. AL vas silent agan. could hear nv.
self breathe then hello up the light, and cooked
hrst up, and then down, the well staircase and he
gan TO feel that mad done rather foolish tb,ng-
tnero might be after oil secret inlet might TO
robbed, murdered. But Il was too ne 10 Teced,,
and the Tear OF becoming laughed at oyercdme every
, other fear.
now entered my chamber ana secured the door
c The bright fire and the candles gave cheering oys
= % q room Otherwise drClrY enough, for IL was O.
d .agre dimensions, and rs colour WIS deep dIn,t
c blue. Al one end Stood huge four post Jsrstead
Q hung with dirk-blUe taLttrCd damlsk curtains ed,
T. ed with black, the head o, each Dos, was ornament
), cd with ragged plume OF dark Uue feathers vbct
u gave 10 RraIher funeral appearance. examine,
Is every port, and beneath the UeJ perceived nr,,
10 chest which found to be firmly locked. Pushing
= aside, proceeded 70 explore tbC two closets Ina
j. hinked the hre-pIace. Amongst a quantity o
y loose lumber, wiz bOEcs, hat boxes, and odd aim
D ptrs, discovered an old black letter volume I.
j. good deal niOuod) out, A. SIR Walter Scot saws
"ofth its weight m gOIdiO- lil thaL"H was "Cio1
J, Revenge against Murlher" lust gaye n b,ng ,,,
n on the table to knock out the dust The blow, u,o
p duccd most Tremendous noise that nearly stunnee
10 me- and vas echoed apparently from every Corner
e OF the bUiddg, followed by the rafting Of f,Iiop
IS mortar behind The wainscOt, and a sc8mpenng us H
% yen thousand rats we're flying IN all directions Tn,
j. cloud Of dust almost suasd me; but not quite over
~ come, applied myself 70 my brandy ard 6IIsd nny
% pipe, sucd the hte, snulisd the sandlss opened ms
IN cook and began 10 read. read on In silence b,o
j. Ken only by the regular puing Of smoke, the tick
w o. my watch, and the singing or rather signing
i' Of TIE kettle. The book absorbed nv whole al
e' ieniion was lnsensIbly moved by Ils revelation,
- was 80 worked upon by II that sil kind Of Ift
VI ing oi me chair beneath me, and peepipp shadow
appeared eycrmoro between the candle and the psgs
!. ouoaeny, alta most exciting point heard a gsntI
Z. rushing OF he bcd-cuuains On looking round-
o. hoIrori never to be forgotten -
'e ununcuy saw tall figure envelopod in a lon
~ nEhs utess, which touched the ground. II va
y, s'aIulns Sideways towards me- 50 that tho face wa
= nu1on ~ 'argc feminine cap, which, however,
removed and threw upon tho bed, discovering mo,
D. fearful and ghasty profile Il yent through m
W. operation OF making its toilet before a small gias
ie then looked towards the trunk and then TO the be,
Ai!ef moments hesitation, the trunk was opene,
= quo u P,0Gee1eo 10 PuI On on Old fashioned brocad
dress. The figure then after suryovio, i,seIC IN Nh
% mirror, slowly turned round and moved toward
0. me. felt my blood curdie, ny flesh crawl.
passed the foot Of the bed, and advanced ,o,v,,d
u the door. The eyes were cast down; the nan
% was upon the iss'snings AZ Ins instant tho VII