Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-02-17
FEBRUARY IA. 1860. NIMI

up her hands and cxelaiming to Miss
s., "Oh, my dear, I've walked through
Mrs. Childrcu!''
This was the only time during her resi-
deuce in the old manor house that Mrs.
R witnessed the apparition OF these
figures.
And it is to be remembered that her
bed-chamber at the time was lighted not
only by candles but by a cheerful fire, and
that there WAS lighted lamp in the eorri-
der which communicated thence to the
dining-room.
This repetition of the word "Chil-
dren" caused the ladies to make inquiries
among the servants and in the neighbor-
hood, whether any family bearing that
name had ever occupied the manOr-hOuse.
Among those whom they thought likely to
know something about it was a Mrs.
Sophy O., a nurse in the family, who
had spent her life in that vicinity. But all
inquiries were fruitless; every one to whom
they put the question. the nurse included,
declaring that they had never heard of
such a name. So they gave up all hopes
of being able to unravel the mystery.
1t so happened, however, that about four
months nfterward, this nurse, going home
for holiday to her family at Riverhead,
about a mile from Seven Oakes, and recol-
Iecting that one of her sistcr-in-law's, who
lived near her, an old woman of seventy,
had fifty years before been housemaid in
family then residing at Ramhurst, inquired
of her if She had ever heard any of Il FAM
iIy named Children. The sister-in-law re-
piled that no such family occupied the
manor-houSe when she WAS there; but she
recollectcd to have seen an old man who
told her that in his boyhood he had as
sisted to keep tho hounds of the Children.
. RgVV
hurst. This information the nurse COM
municated to Mrs. R on her return;
and thus it was that that lady was first
informed that family named Children had
once occupied the manOr-house.
All these particulars | received in De-
cembcr, 1865, directly from the ladies
themselves, both being together at the
time.
Even up to this point the case, ms pre-
sentcd itself, was certainly very remar-
kable one. But ! resolved, if possible, to
obtain further confirmation in the matter.
inquired of Miss S. whether the
appnritiou had communicated to her any
additional particulars connected with the
family. She replied that she recOllected
one which she had then received from
them, namely, that her husbands name
was Richurd. At a subsequent period,
likewise, she had Obtained the date Of
Richard ChiIdreu's death, which, as CONF
municated to her. was 1853. She remem-
bered. also, that on one occasion third
spirit appeared with them, which they sta
ted was her son; but she did not get his
name. To my further inquiries as to the
costumes in which the tallegedl spirits
appeared, Miss s. replied, "That they
were of the period of Queen Anne or one
of the early Georges, she could not be
sure Which, as the fashions in both were
similar
she nor Mrs. K, however, had obtained
any information tending either to verify OF
to refute these particulars.
Having an invitation from some friends
residing near Seven Oaks, in Kent. to spend
with them the Christmas week of 1853, l
had good opportunity of prosecuting my
inquiries in the way of verifcation.
called with friend, Mr.. r, on the
nures, Mrs. Sophy o.. Without allmd-
ing to the disturbances, simply asked her
| if she knew anything of an old family OF
the name of Children. She said she knew
very little except what she had heard from
| her sistcr-in-law, namely, that they used
| in former days to live at Il "anOr-hOuse
called Ramhurst. asked her if she had
ever been there. "Yes," sho said, ''HbOUt
a year ago, as nurse TO Mrs. R. "Did
| Mrs. R." asked, '.kuow anything
about the Children f,miIy?" She replied
| that her mistress had once made inquiries
of her about them, wishing to know if they
had ever occupied the mHn0r-hOUse, but at
that time she (Mrs. Sophy) had never heard
of such a family; so she could give the
lady no satisfaction.
"How did it happen" asked, "thHt Mrs.
R supposed such family might once
have occupied the house?"
well, sir" she replied, "thNt is more
than know, unless, indeed. land here she
| hesitated and lowered her voice,) it was
with mistress. Did you ever hear, sir, y
she added, looking around her in mys-
terious way, 'of what they call spirit
rappers?'
| / intimated that had heard the name.
aim not afraid of such things" she pur-
sued: 81 never thought they would harm
me, and I'm not one of your believers in
ghosts; but then, to be sure, we did have
such time in that old house"
"AhI what sort of a tiule?"
"With knockiugs, sir, and tho noise of
footsteps, and people talking of nights
Many time I've heard the voices when
was going along the passage at two or three
o'clock in the morning, carrying the baby
to my mistress. ] don't believe in ghosts;
hut you may be sure, sir, it WAS something
serious when mistress's brother got up in
the middle of the night and came to his
sisters room with his loaded gun in his
hand. And then there was another brO-
ther; he got ont of his bed one night and
declared there were robbers in the house"
''Did you see anything?"
''No, sir, never"
stNor any of the other servants"
81 think not sir; but cook was so fright
cncd!"
"What happened to herr"
DWELL, sir, no harm happcned to heT,
exactly; only she was kneeling down MAJ
king her fire one morning. when nn she