The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-06-24

Correspondence
LETTERS FROM VIRGINIA.
Tine Haunted BRll-ROOm.
No. 30.

ME8sRS EDITORS "A number of wears
ago l think it was in, 1S40--the quiet and
orderly people of our town and vicinity
were startled and bewldered by strange
ana unaccountabe noises in a large frame
building in the centre of the place, occu-
pied as a whiskey-shop and for other dis
reputable and obscene purposes. 1t was a
place at which the lowest white people of
both sexes, negroes and lcwd characters,
nightly congregated to carry on their BAG
chanaian reyels and other immoral and
vicious pastimes. 1t was Just such build
ing rs ghosts are supposed to love to in
habit, when the nights are dark and drear,
and the storm-ficnds are wandering abroad.
1t was a very large one story bniding,
built expressly for ball room, but at tile
time of the occurrences | am about to re-
late, the one large room had a bar portioned
off in one corner, and small bedroom in
another, the whole ceied inside with plank
instead of laths and plaster. There was no
access to the garnet save through two stove
pipe holes, and these were too small for
even child to pass through.
One dark and stormy night in midsum-
mcr after all honest people had retired to
rest, the noises of the village were still, and
the negroes and their more degraded
white companions were sweltering and
snoring on the floor of the old ballroom,
not only the inmates, but the seepers in
adjacent buildings, were reused from their
slumbcrs by strange and startling sounds.
Whist from one part of the large dark
room came deep and suppressed tones of
agony, from another came the clank of
chains and from a third such groans as
might be uttered by a strangling giant
not all at once, but alternating-an to
lend horror to the unearthly intonations,
an occasional shrek tloatcd out upon the
murky night air Men in wonder gathered
in groups, each asking the other for an
explanation, whilst others, in larger COM
panies, searched the premises inside and
out for a solution of the mysterious clamor.
1t is said if you will touch tree upon
which a katydid is singing its nocturnal
ditty, its voice will be hushed in an instant.
So with the invisible occupants of the ball
room. While search was being made in
side, the room was as silent as q charnel-
house, but the moment the searchers left it,
the hdeous uproar recommended.
This didn't last for night, or week,
but for months, until rumors, many of them
greatly exaggerated, had gone abroad all
over the country, and distant journals spec
ulated upon the mysterious manifestations
in the haunted ballroom at Abingdon
Night after night, not alone but in compaay
oiM alters, have stood on the outside of
the door of that demon infested room, and
seen strong-ncryed men turn pale and trem-
BILE az the internal racket rolled on.
At length the distu bance became insult.
ferablc, and Il number of persons pledged
themselves to unravel the riddle, if within
the power of mortal men to do it. But, as
it was pretty well understood that the
ghosts Qor there seemed to be legions of
them) were not communicative to multi
tudes, u number of citizens divided off in
pairs, and arranged to try it two at time,
occupying the small bedroom portion
ed off in one corner, which was furnished
with bed, table, chairs, &c. According
ly the first adventure fell upon two men
with whom | was well acquainted, one of
whom, by the way, was brother of the noted
Senator Brownlow, and the other very
sedatc but superstitious man, who had
served in apprenticeship in building in
front of the ball-room, to which the latter
formed an L. They repaired to the room
soon after nightfall, each armed with re-
volver and provided with pack of cards
and n bottle of mountain bug juice" and
after playing game or two Of poker, and
whistling jigs to keep. their courage up,
they retired to rest, persuadinga themselves
80.