The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-11-04
A CHARMING FAMILY.


Pleasant scenes In . Haunted House
st Washington.
A letter from Washington to the
Cincinnati Gazette closes as follows
Like an epicure, have boarded the
choicest morsel for the last. Prepare
to be horrifed, with your hair stand
ing stif1y up, like the quills Of the
fretlul porcupine. If the supernatu-
raj 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 no necessity of consulting
with he SHADES and Eddys, and Da
venpol:s Of spiritualism; neither shall
We be tempted to witness the marvels
of Katie King or require the de-
scendants of the Salem witch 10 call
forth their Honton and Owassos. But
truce to generalizations. In the
northwestern part of the city, in the
very heart of the sWest End, stands
house now modernized beyond the
tyecognition of those familiar with ita
rambling, uncAnny. irregular masonry
Of few years back. For two years
the genial host had dispensed 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 condition for Elk months, when
he marveloualy recovered his vocal
powers. His explanation of the latter
phenomenon was. that during the
night he was awakened by noises. as
| If some one was about entering, or had
entered the house, and upon his en-
deavoring to rise, in order to frighten
the invaders away, his hand was seiz-
ed, and violently compressed. as if the
aggressor possessed powerful muscu.
lar development. In his fright and
perturbation he called for help, with
no more effect than if he had been in
the habit of daily using his voice, al
though 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 in .
vestigating the premises, not vestige
of the suspected robbers could be
found. The blinds, and windows, and
doors were undisturbed! OF course
the affair was considered quite mys-
terious, but was soon overlooked in
the rush Of gaiety and business. This
summer the family left the city for
the summer, and in the interim rented
their furnished home to a family of
reliable means and character. About
dusk, evening after evening of late,
these poor, frightened mortals have
seen their easiest chairs occupied by
wierd forms and semi 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. [won-
der if it is the ghost of departed cham
payne bottles lamenting their loss of
spirits!
| Another creature, tall and thin, is
clothed in the winding sheet and
shroud of buried person. One of
the young ladies has been so severely
pinched on the cheek that welts have
followed the cruel pain. Hair is pull
ed violently and Unexpectedly, and
the little children COVER with fear,
and scream as if in sudden 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 themselves the horrors OF
which they had heard. Conspicuous
among all the assembled spirits stood
the mourning draped corkscrew, and
the knitting needle in grave clothes
They were slapped very impolitely on
one cheek, but did not like the opera
ton sufficiently to follow the Bible
advice Of turning the other also. The
family are packing their things pre-
paratory to saying farewell to the
! haunted abode, and declare that nc
inducements would tempt them tc
longer remain. Imean to go up there
some day, and see if they will attack
such an unbeliever as myself. That
these manifestations are sinexplicable
l admit; but that our departed friends
come back to us in the form of a cork.
screw, or Indian maidens, or tha,
they would demean themselves t.
knock on floors, move tables, pinch
our flesh, or pull our hair, appeal te
: our lower instincts of fear in any way
| will not dishonor their memories BY
believing for a moment. l should
think the life lived in the hereafter
extremely demoralizing If [ admitted
such thought. Nevertheless, won
der as much as any one what all thes,
J mysteries can mean.