National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-02
4 TALE OF HORROR.
SUPERNATURAL MANIFESTATIONS IN
THE WEST END.

THE WEST End.
The Washington correspondent OF the Cincin-
natl Commercial has discovered a nest of horrors
in the northwestern section Of this city, and
speaks of them as follows:
Prepare to be horrihed with your hair stand
ing stify up like the quilts Of the fretful porcu
nine. If the supernatural manifestations in our
midst, of which 1 have been advised, make as
rapid progress in the future, as they have in the
past six months, we shall be under no necessity
of consulting with the SHADES, and Eddys, and
DaTenports Of spiritualism; neither shall we be
tempted to witness the marYels Of "Katie King"
or require the descendants Of the Salem witch to
call forth their Hontos and OWassos. But
truce to generalities. In the northwestern part
Of the city in the very heart Of the "West End"
stands a house now moderniEed beyond the recog-
milton Of those familiar with its rambling, IN
danny, irregular masonry Of q few years back.
For two years the genial host had dispensed
liberal hospitality within its wallis and the youth
and fashion of the city have gathered around the
WeIl.hlled table. Last winter the gentleman of
the house was suddenly and inexplfcably struck
speechless, and continued in that condition for
six months, when he as mRryelously recovered his
vocal powers. His explanation Of the latter phe-
nOmenon was, that during the night he was aWak-
ened by noises, as II gome one was about entering,
or had entered the house, and upon his endeavor-
ing to rise in order to brighten the invaders away
hls hana was seized and violently compressed, as\
IL the aggressor possessed powerful muscular de-
VelOpment. In his fright and perturbation he
called aloud for help with no more effort than If
he had been in the habit OF daily using his voice,
although, as before affirmed, for six months he
had been unable to speak above whisper. As
soon as he screamed the hand relaxed its grip,
and upon his lighting the gas and investigating
the premises, not Vestige OF the supposed rob-
bers could be found. The blinds and windows and
doors were undisturbed! OF course the affair
was considered quite mysterious, but was soon
overlooked in the rush Of gayety and business.
This summer the family left the city for the
summer, and in the interim rented their furnished
house to . family of reliable means and charac-
ter. About dusk, evening after evening Of late,
these poor, frightened mortals have seen their
transparent bodies moving busily about. An i'm
palpable object looking very much like a cork
screw in outlines only habilitated in somberest
black, glides noiselessly and villainously from
one side Of the room to the other. wonder If it
is the ghost Of departed champagne bottles la
menting their loss Of spirits
Another creature, tall and thin, is clothed in
the winding sheet and shrOud Of a buried person.
DipcSed on the cheek thai Weits have followed the
cruel pain. Hair IS pulled violently and uneX-
pectedly, and the little children cover with fear,
pulled hair. The matter has been hushed as
much as possible, but has gradually crept out, as
such things eventually will, and last night some
ladies went in about dusk and saw for themselves
the horrors Of which they had heard.
Conspicuous among all the assembled spirits
stood the mourning-draped eorkscreM, and the
knitting-needle in grave clothes. They were
slapped very impolitely on one cheek, but did not
like the operation sufficiently to follow the Bible
aQVlce oil turning the Otner also. Inc family are
packing their things preparatory to saying fare
we'll to the haunted abode, and declare that no
inducements would tempt them longer to remain
mean 10 20 up there some day, and see.if they
will attack such an unbelieVer as myself That
these manifestations are ineXplicable, 1 admit;
but that our departed friends come back to US in
the form Of cOrkscrews, or Indian mRidens, or
that they would demean themselves to knock on
floors, move tables, pinch our flesh, or pull our
hair, or appeal to our lower instincts Of fear in
any way, will not dishOnor their memories by
believing for a moment. / should think the life
lived in the hereafter extremely demoraliZing if
admitted such thought. Nevertheless, l won
der as much as any one what all these mysteries
can mean