Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-03-06
COMMUNICATED.
The Ghost Story of Albemarie

Reminds me of similar occurrence OF which
I was witness some years slnce-and perhaps
when the Albemarle mystery is cleared up, 1t
will be found to have been produced BY SINH
lar agency to that Of The one shall narrate.
Nv brother occupied house situated on the
skirt Of wood, some few miles from Baltimore
and somewhat isolated from other dwellings
which CAUSED the female portion of the fam
iv to be uneasy when lett alone at night One
eveninc as he was about starting to the neigh
boring village, his wife, as usual, expressed lear
at being left with no one but females in the
house, and hoped he would soon return, ne
had not been long absent before rap was heard
at the door, when the servant girl (about 10
wears Of age) went into the sitting room and
expressed her fear at having to open the door
when one of ladies accompanied her--out no
one was found at the door or in sight. Ihls
created some alarm, and after short time the
window Of the dining room was broken, anu
the girl ran out expressing great tear-saylnS
she had been struck by the stone thrown through
the window. All became very much alarmed,
and awaited anxiously my brothers return,
which soon occurred, and there was no further
moIestation that night;-but the next evening,
lust after dark, stone was thrown against the
front door, and found on the porch ; not long
after another came through the dining room
window, striking the girl, with some plates ID
her hands, which she let fall to the floor, and
ran into the next room, where the family were
My brother became very much exasperated,
and determined to place guard near the house
the next night, which was done, but no repetl-
ton Of the offence until the guard were invited
into the house to partake Of some refreshments
when Immediately stone was thrown through
the dining room window, which struck the girl,
causing her to run into the other room scream
Ing with pain from the wound inflicted on her
side. The stone was found on the floor with
the fragments of glass from the window. All
rushed out and secured the adjacent wood, but
no one was found.
It was then determined that part of the guard
should approach the next night from different
directions, and form an outside picket, SO as to
be on the lookout when the inner guard were
invited into the house This was done several
nights, but no repetition Of the outrage was
made while any Of the guard were out; but as
soon as the last one entered the house.. stones
were thrown at the doors and through the din
ing room windows-knocks at the doors were
distinctly heard; but no one found outside when
opened.
Thus matters went on for some TWO weeks or
morc-the family much alarmed and the guard
greatly cxcited-thcy sometimes seeing some
thing creeping through the bushcs-whch,
when fired at, proved 10 be a hog or 4 dog
and in one Instance the COW received i load OF
shot, having been taken for the ghost by one
of the guard.
My brother became very nervous, and Was
very near shooting u German who lie en-
ployed He came to The house one night, alter
The guard had left, and raped at the front
door, which not being promptly opened, he
went ronnd toward The back doOr-when my
brother having gone to The front door, and find
ing no one, snatched up his gun, ran out the
back door, and discovering Gas he supposedly L
man sneaking round the house, leveIed and
cooked his gun, and called out 'Spcak or you
are 4 dead man. The poor German was so
much frightened as to prevent him from speak
ing but Il word, which, fortunately, WIS in
German, and the voice recognized by my broth
cr, who Tell back spccchicss himself from the
reaction produced by the discovery Of how near
he was TO killing the German.
1t was al last decided upon to remove from
the house, as tha family were in constant cX
element and dread but Just before this was
done, one OF the guard suspected the pcrpctra-
tor, and determined 10 keep watch independent
of the others. When they had gone into the
honse, he quietly remained, and soon heard the
dining room window raised, and 4 stone thrown
against the door--hc reached up and caught
the stretched out arm Of the Gh0L, which
proved to be the girl who had been hit so often,
and scared so badly by the stones thrown through
The dining room window!
The girl acknowledged that the fears express
I II. 1 1n,, az I1a 1nl,f
my brother was about going to the village,
caused her to try and alarm them by throwing
stones and to knock on the doors, which sue,
ccedcd so we'll as to induce her to try some
through the windows--shc throwing one out
and dropping another on the tloor-somctimcs
with dishes in her hand, which were dropped
as If she was struck.
Expressing great alarm at being lett alone,
the girl was permitted to be in the room with
the family, when not occupied with her duties;
thus she had an opportunity Of knowing who
we're on guard, and when all were called in or
had left the premises. So she was careful not
10 attempt her trick while any were watching
outside.
But for the suspicion, and silent means taken
by the gentleman who discovered her, the fam
lily would have left the house, aud perhaps to
this day it would have been Stunned as haunt
cd. These arc facts of which [ was witness
having been on guard several nights, and re-
member the occurrence as distinctly as if but
last week and l believe that some such agency
is producing the Albemare Ghost Story W.
HENRY WARD BEEcHER AND GENERAL LEE
The speech Of Henry Ward Beechcr, at
Cooper Institute on Monday night, in behalf Of
Washington College, Virginia, was a pro-
duction remarkable as much for its kindly
spirit as for lis novelty, at time when the
party of which the speaker is supposed to be
shining light, is dealing in stupidity, malice
and all unchartablcness at Washington. The
first resolution introduced by Mr.. Beecher, for
example, reads that lit is at once the duty
and the privilege of those who maintained the
unity Of this nation by war to be foremost in