Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-14
THE WHITE HOUSE GHOSTS.
Uncle Jerry and His Experiences With
Imaginary Occupants of the Garrett.


Imaginary Occupants Of the Garrer.
WHY THE WHITE HOUSE, FLAG WAS TEMPORARILY
AT HAkF-MAsr-How JERRY AND HOUSE KrxrER
CLEANED THE oARREr-rHE PRESIDENTIAL
PORTRAITS AND THEIR NIGHTLY MOVEMENTS.
It may be remembered that the country was
startled one Saturday night few weeks ago by
the news flashing over the wires from this city
that the flag on the White House was at half
mast but it was not. long before word was
sent out, to calm apprehension to the effect
that the incident was due to the carelessness
OF the colored servant, part Of whose duty it
is to raise and lower the flag. There had been
a concert on the lawn by the Marine band, the
flag always being raised on such occasions, and
Uncle Jerry, the servant, had let the flag fall
half way while waiting for the last note-of the
bands last piece, and there it hung just long
enough to attract attention and to give rise to
rumors. This was satisfactory to the public,
but the real reason, the true inwardness Of the
incident, is not generally known.
jerry is quite acharacter in his way-a polite,
good-humored Golored man who manages to
keep smiling exterior, although he is usually
In great physical pain from rheumatic" His
courtly manners and his low bows have gained
III,
he is sometimes addressed as my lord" or
some other fantastic title, all Of which pleases
jerry beyond nftasurs and usually starts
chuckle that lasts whole day. He is witty
and unusually original, and his appearance in
the lobby OF the mansion In almost sure tonbe
the signal for bursts Of laughter at some odd
remark that comes in >ahead of him as he
grunts his way up the stairs. He is fond Of
titles and distributes them with lavish tongue.
while his acquaintance with public men and
q thprr purGal 10 rnttl il oil
that he has been q White House fixture for
over twenty years.
HAUNTED BY PRESIDENTIAL SPIRITS.
Jerry, like majority OF his race, is extremely
superstitious. He is firm believer in ghosts
and their appurtenances, and he has fund of
stories about these uncanny things that afford
immense entertainment for those around him.
But there is idea that has grown into
Jerrys brain and Is now part OF 1t. resisting
the effects of ridicule, laughter, argument, or
explanation. He firmly believes that the
White House'is haunted by the spirits of all
the departed Presidents and furthermore, that
his Satanic majesty, fhe devil, has his abode i'll
the attic. He cannot be persuaded out OF the
notion. and at intervals he strengthens his
position by telling about some new strange
noise he has heard or some additional evidence
lie has secured.
WHY THE FLAG WAS AT HALr-NAsT.
Saturday. Uncle Jerry was aware of the fact
that by. the time Prof Sousa's baton fell on the
last beat the shadows were pretty long over
the lawn and that the way down through the
garnet into the house dark and gruesome.
His blood chilled at the prospect Of making
that journey and he shivered. To save time
he let the Tag clip down the mast, SO that when
the time came it would require but a pull to
get it clear down. and so he would save few
sApnnhl Of hlpssnd % a
did get the rope united with trembling fingers
and all made fast ne gathered the flag in
his arms. and with a call on tine enemies of
diabolism for aid and protection he fed down
the narrow stairway.
Jerry does not like to talk about this Incl
dent. He. claims that the halyards slipped and
thus let the flag down. but those acquainted
with him say that the real reason was as stated
above. He admits, however, that the garnet Is
uncanny and says with a fervid rolling Of his
eyes and lifting OF his hands: Indeed an
deed. gemmen, woulden' go into dat garnet
alone at night f you'd gimme de whole Treas
ury partment." This Is Jerry's platform, from
which nothing, not even the promise OF un-
limited wealth, could bndge him. He is con-
WINGED that the figures in the presidential por
traits step down from their frames every night
and hold high shadowy carnival in the rooms
where they once moved in bodily substance,
and, strangely enough, he attributes to them
the most belliSerent OF qualities, 80 that at one
u
bat, which he kept handy" for use in case any
OF these relics OF American history should mo-
lest him in the enforcement OF his twilight
duties.
HE BEGGED OFF.
On one oceasion' before the elevator was put
in plane thunder storm arose in tbs even
ing and it became necessary to send some one
upstairs to shut the skylight in the roof, which
had been left open. Capt Densraore told
Jerry to so, but the latter Immediately began
to beg OFT.
''Now you sho'ly woulden' make me 60 up
yander," he said, "where all dem things il,
would yo? knows or Abe and all de rest Of
dem fellers ID walking round dar, an sint
gwine to resk myself in de regions near 'em.
Yo' go an I'll stan by de do an hor de bat
soze to knock EN- ef dey tres to nab yo'."
Nothing could perkuGde him. He declared that
he would do anything on earth ,or the captain,
but to go through the garnet at that time OF
the evening was an impossibility.
THE HOUSE KEEPER AND THE 'KER BLAM."
One Of Jerrys best stories is how he and
Mrs. Mullen, the house keeper during the Grant
administration, cleaned up the garnet. 1t
seems that Mr.. Dent, Mrs. Grants father had
lot of old traps and books that had been
slowed away promiscuously in the attic, and
one day the housekeeping spirit took hard
hold upon Mrs. Mullen and she managed, after
good deal OF coaxing, to get Jerry TO help her
straighten up those things.
1T WAS powful hot up there" says Jerry,
rubbing his hands, 80 hot nothin' could live
No mice, no rats, no moths nothin, an eff yo'
wanted to save anything all yo' had ter do was
ter put 'em up in de garrett 1t 'uz so pow'ful
hot Il nigh laid Jerry out an de old oman she
KEEP on a 'workin reddin' up de books, grow
lin away and findin' fault and gettin' mo- pes
tered ev'y minnit, when ker blam! yere comes
somefn, de Lawd knows what, and she TUX an
give yell an went down e stairs a'iyin'
Gentermens, she made tracks, tell yo'," and
Jerry puts his hands on his sides and laughs
silently but visibly in remembrance of Mrs.
Mullen fleeing from the "ker blam."
Su'What was it. Jerry?" some one asked.
"What was it?" he repeated scornfully. "Yo
tell! / amt l amt sayin' no names Of any
thin. De ole oman always says 1t was de devil
and, Lawd knows! she mast er knowed, for she
run mighty quick"
''Did she leave you up there?" was the limo
cent query.
Leave who dar?" he exclaimed, raising his
eyebrows and hands simultaneously 'Sho
now, whatyo' take me for? Why, chile, led
her down." and Jerry was of in another Of his
paroxysms Of gles. Mrs. Mullen, he says, gave
him a dollar to keep quiet about the incident
but he does not scruple to tell 1t now, for the
lady has long since passed away from earthly
scares, and Jerry has come to believe that Mrs
Mullen Is now Q resident Of the garnet herself
HOW VAN BUREN, GOT MAD.
On the day the Washington monument was
dedicated, in February, 1885, large portrait
H..