Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-10-22
A CHARMING FAMILY.
Pleasant Scenes I'm Haunted
House at Washington.
Il. wHITMORE,
Publisher and Proprietor

A letter from Washington to the Gin
cinnati Gazett closes as follows: Like
an epicure, | have boarded the choicest
morsel for last. Prepare TO be Mortified
with your hair standing stif1y up, like
the quills of the fretful porcupine. If
the supernatural manifestations in our
midst, of which | have been advised
make as rapid progress in the future, as
they have in the past six months, we
shall be under DO necessity of consult
ing with the SHADES and Eddys, and Dav-
exports of Spiritualism neither shall we
be tempted to witness the marvels Of
Katie King, or require the descen-
dants OF the Salem witch to call forth
their Hontos and Owassos. But a truce
to generalities. In the northwestern
part of the city, in the very heart of the
West End stands house now mod
ernized beyond the recognition OF those
familiar with its rambling, uneanny, ir-
regular masonary of few years back
For two years the genial host had dis
peneed liberal hospitality within its walls
and the youth and fashion of the city
have gathered around the well filled table.
Last winter the gentleman of the house
was suddenly and inexplicably struck
speechless, and continued in that condi-
ton for six months, when he as marvel
ously recovered his vocal powers. His
explanation Of the latter phenomenon
was, that during the night he was ava
kened by noises, as if some one was about
entering or had entered the house, and
upon his endeavoring to rise, in order to
/ frlghten the invaders away, his hand was
seized and violently compressed, as if
the agressor possessed powerful muscu-
lar development. In his fright and per-
tubation he called for help, with no more
effort thaa If be had been in the habit of
daily using his voice, although as | be-
fore affirmed for six months he had been
unable to speak above a whisper. As
soon as he screamed the hand relaxed
its grip. and upon his lighting the gas
and investigating the premises not a yes
tige of the suspected robbers gould be
found. The blinds and windows, and
doors we're undistHrbed. OF course, the
affair was considered quite mysterious,
but was soon overlooked in the rush of
payety 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
character About dusk, evening after
evening of late, these poor, frightened
mortals have seen their easiest chairs
occupied by weird forms and semi trans
parent bodies moving busily about. An
impalpable object, looking very much
like G corkscrew in outlines, only habill'
tatnd in segberest black, glides noise.
lessly and yillainolsly from one side Of
the room to the other. / gopder if it is
the ghost Of departed champagne bottles
lamenting their loss of spiritsl
Another creature, tall and thin, is
clothed in the winding sheet and sbroud
of a buried person. One of the young
ladies had been so severely pinched on
the cheek that welts have followed the
cruel pain. Hair Is pulled violently and
unexpectedly, and the little children
COVER with fear and scream as IL IN sud-
den pain from pinches and 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 themselyes the horrors OF
which they had heard Conspicuous
among all the assembled spirits stood
the mourning-draped ccrkscrew, and the
knitting-needle ia graveclothes. They
we're slapped very impolitely on one
cheek, but did not like the operation suf-
ieiently to follow the bible advice OF
turning the other also. The family are
packing their things preparatory to say,
ing farewell to the haunted abode, and
declare that no inducements would tempt
them to longer remain. mean 10 60
IN there some day and see if they will
attack such an unbeliever as myself
That these manifestations areinexplica-
Bile L admit but that our departed
friends come back to us in the shape OF
corkscrews or Indian maideus or that
thev would demean themselves to knock
on floors. move tables, pinch our flesh or
pull our hair, or appeal to cur lower IN
stincts Of fear IN any way, l W III not DIS
honor their memory by believing Tor 9
moment. ! should think the lite lived
in the hereafter extremely dem erallzinl
if / admitted such a thought Never
theless | wonder as mnch as any one
what these mysteries can mean,