Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-14

- ~ SlSep On Inc second HOOP
"Ihe transfer was made, and the next
June we went up to pass the summer at
our new place. AS witnesses and vouch-
eEs Tor the truth of the strange events that
ioiloWed permit me to introduce the mem
oers OF my household at that tine-mv
we, New England lady, far removed
from creduhty or superstition; my son
ana daughter, aged twenty-f0ur and
twenty, both having hnd all the adj
vantages that the best schools could
a10rd, and Frank, at least, much more
skeptical than his mother or could wish.
me chambermaid, Hattie, q rosy French
canadian, bold as Caesar, and Tom, the
Durly goodman, also shared in our
strange experiences.
My daughters room, and the room
occupied by my wife and me, were in
'front.', on the left OF the ball; OF the small
rooms IN the rear one was empty, the
other was occupied by Hattie, the maid.
On the left OF the hall was Franks room,
which was opposite ours. Tom, the
coachman, slept in the third rear room,
at the end Of the hall. The first signs OF
anything unusual appeared in Hattie's
room. About week after getting fairly
settled, her mistress observed that she
ala not sing about her work as usual, and
was growing pale and nervous. why.
hattle,' said she, what's the matter?
You don't look well. Are you - NO.
see replied, pm not i'll, but haven't slept
We'll Tor two or three nights My wife
owned that she was startled by something
in the girls look and actions. What is il,
HattleE she said, kindly. The girl was 10th
to tell; at last she said with an effort: I
know it won't hurt me, madam, but there's
a lady walking about my room at night.
| can't see her, but l hear the rustic OF her
silk dress. She goes up to the window and
L hear her tearing paper, as if it
might be a letter, to pieces. Then
she goes to the stand and pOurs
water into the basin, and washes her
hands. Next l hear the closet door open
and she disappears. l know il can't hurt
me, but 1t keeps me awake and makes me
SICK This girl, you mustremember, had
not heard that the house was haunted,
and probably had never had thought Of
ghosts in her simple mind. Well said
my wife, you shall change and take the
room next me, then you won't feel nerv-
Ous.' She did go, and next morning de-
clared she had rested uudisturbed.
"a few days passed, and Tom, the
coachman, was assaulted. One July morn
ing, after a long search, found Tom sit
ting on bench by the cOach-hOuse door
in a nursing attitude. TOM said /,
what's the matter? Nothing, sir said
he. But there Is, said /, you look pale
and frightened.' '0h,' said he, i don't
like to tell We; yen laugh ut me- 1 in
sisted. on said he, 'PVe had such a
night; my heart thumps yet You know,
sir, hadn't taken drop last night when
went to bed. Wen, in the middle of the
night | nearly fell dead with fear; my bed
rose up and tipped me out. Bein' a clear,
moonlight night, hoped to the window
and looked out, thinkn' some of the boys
mad PLAYED "A trick on me, but sure, moth
in' could ! see. Then l thought ] must
have been dreamin', and leaped back to
bed again, but the next mint the bed rose
up higher'n before, and threw me, COW
erin and all, flat on the floor. Oh, was
scared; my heart beat, an l thought |
should faint but | seized my blanket in
stead and ran out here for the rest Of the
night We went TO Toms room, but
found only the heap of clothes on the
noor. AS for Tom. nothing would induce
him to pass another night in the house;
he had his bea made in the cOach-hOuse
and slept there while we remained at
RhInelands,
"My son occupied a room across the
hall. The disturbances seemed to prevail
only in the two small rooms in the rear.
asked il he l1ad seen or heard anything
Hesaid no, and laughed!heart-
lily at Toms predicaments when related
TO him. But that same night he had the
strangest experience OF any Of us. 1t was
so singular that | asked him to write and
sign plain statement OF the phenomena,
which he did, as follows:
'''It was well ON to midnight. l was
sitting up in bed reading and smoking.
lamp burned on little table by the bed
side. Dash, the pointer, who slept some
a. NJ arsan In
was cured up on a rug near the door.
Suddenly, without premonitiOn, Dash got
up, gazed tiXedly at the door, and began
slowly TetreHting from it, covering,
shrinking in terror, his eyes liked on
something that seemed 10 be advancing
into the room. l saw nothing, but l sol
EMMY afIirm-aId / was wide awake and
i'm full possession Of all my faculties-that
distinctly heard the rustic Of woman's
dress trailing over the floor. The dog IN
his retreat reached the bed, sprang upon
1t, and with cry Of distress nestled down
against my body. At the same moment
the fame of the lamp was blown out as
by human lips. With this the manifesto
tiops ceased, though others, not 50 mark
ed, were afterward observed in the room
which | continued TO occupy
IL confess these things startled me
somewhat although as yet neither !, my
wife, or my daughter, had personally been
and ] made some private in
quiries in the neighbOrhOOd as TO what
Others had seen. Cunning, who had been
In charge under Van, told me the place
had an evil reputation all through the
mountains. Summer visitors often drove
out from the village, he said, TO see the
haunted house. His family were never
moested on the first floor, but nothing
would have induced them to pass the night
above. Noises were heard there, loot
steps, cries and grOans, the crack oil
whip. and, what was worse, there was an
indefnable Presence, whose existence
one was conscious of, though IL never as
stunned tangible shape. The mountaineers
are naturally reticent, and they seemed
to have supersJitiOus fear Of talking on
the subject, especially the French Cana
dams. Of whom there were many. Lou is
the most intelligent. and he is easily chief
of All. / therefore went 10 him and said;
sNow. Lou, lye heard queer stories aoOut
this house. Have youY He said: 'Ot
course: tried Il there one night, aud
wouldn't sleep there again VI you'd give
mo the whole property what do you
mean ,, / asked. j mean what say he
replied. ~ wouldn't sleep in one Of those
chambers for the whole house., NOW,
/ on. YOU'RE a courageous man. Tell me
why. WHAT was IL? 81 ran out and
STAYED Ia the woods that night what
did Won hearp III there "a ben coach
AM four runnin' over the floor, up garrett
there couldn't have been more noise.
sDid Won see anythingY NO; but heard
~ - ,,othi an Garth xyould hiring