Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-10-11

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Entered at the Postofce Alexandria, Virgin
il. as second class matter.
Seen in We'll.
There is something new under the
sun. At al events that's how it strikes
most people who have seen it. 1t has
been discovered at Kildare, Hand
some's Station, southampton county,
Va, where, according to the proverb,
truth is sometimes found at the bottom
ola well. Third party politics and Col.
J. Deyers well are close competitors
for public attention in southampton
county just now. Perhaps should put
Col. Deyer's we'll first, for after the
election is over the well will be the
only thing talked about as it was before
the conventions were held. 1t is good
evidence of the remarkable nature of
the well that it should divide interest
with politics, for Virginia is one OF the
doubtful States and feels its response
bility.
Last 1Iay-to be precise, May 2-the
wonderful properties OF the well were
discovered. and its fame has been grow
inc ever since. A few days ago up
ward Of 5000 people visited the well
and saw all manner of uncanny things
in it. They all swear they did, at any
rate, and what is more, believe what
they say. | heard of the well in Nor
folk, some 50 miles away, and was as
sured by eX-Congressman George Bow
den that he had seen the face of his
father reflected in the water ofthe well
in broad daylight Mr.. Kcnton Muir
ray. of Norfolk, who occupies the posi-
ton of secretary to Governor Mckin-
ney, told me that he had met and talk
ed with number of people who had
visited Col. Deycr's farm and had seen
in the waters OF the well the faces of re-
latives who were dead, collins and 9TH
er things not pleasant to contemplate.
Mr.. s. s. Nottingham, the publisher of
the Norfolk Landmark, confirmed the
statements made by Mr.. Murray and
Col Bowden.
a few days afterward met Colonel
Deyer, who after a while reluctantly
told me how the peculiar properties OF
his well were discovered and, evident
ly nettled at my look of incredullty,
said: II shall be pleased to have the
representative of the Herald come out
to Kildare and investigate the matter
thoroughly"
As Colonel Deyer's story Of his we'll
* the host one I reppat il rs he told it
in the presence of Mr. Murray, Mr..
Balm and Mr. Nottingham.
The first of last May" said Colonel
Deyer, ''our hou1e servant, Susan, said
to my daughter, Miss Lizzie. You
know, Miss Lizzie, if you takes q look
ing glass on the first of May and goes
to the we'll and holds the mirror over
the well, back down, the face of your
future husband will appear on the sur
face of the water
THAT is an old superstition in Vir-
ginia, you know. Mrs. Deyer and Miss
Lizzie laughed at the notion and dis
missed it from their minds. The fol-
lowing day, Monday, however, Susan
started to the well to draw Il pail CT
water Mt noon, when Miss Lizzie picked
up mirror and followed her. Laugh
ing all the time at what she regarded
rs the absurdity of the thing, she held
the mirror in the position indicated,
and Susan looked into the depths of the
we'll nj the same time. In an instant,
she and her mother declare, they saw
hand wearing a diamond ring steal
across the patch of shadow thrown on
the surface Of the water by the face of
the mirror, and in alarm Miss Lizzie
dropped the glass into the well. They
fshed the mirror out and spent that af-
ternoon holding the mirror over the
well and saw number Of tlings-faces
of people, flowers and a beautiful white
casket.
Il was away from home at the time
in Richmond and when | returned q
few days later my wife and daughter
,old me Of the occurrence. ! laughed
at the story exactly Il e same as you
gentlemen are doing now, but did not
laugh when that afternoon my daugh-
Ter took the mirror and proceeded to
the well. held it in the position described
and bade me look. In a minute or so a
shadowy something appeared on the
surface ofthe water, apparently rising
from the bottom of the well, and | dis
tinctlv recognized the face ofa neigh
Dor who had been dead for two years.
| locked around TO see if my wife
and daughter were playing tricks on
me. but saw they were just rs much
startled rs myself. All that afternoon
| spent looking in the we'll and saw a
number of objects am not super
stitious and do not believe in spirits,
so tried TO find natural explanation
of the things | saw in the well. Every
theory | advanced was in turn eXplod-
ed, and am just as much in the dark
to-day as | was six months ago.
1.-The negroes about the place spread
the story in the neighborhood and the
neighbors began to come and see the
well, and from them the news of the
queer sights to be seel got carried all
about. over into North Carolina, for
instance, until lately people drive from
miles around, some coming distance
of fifty miles Just to see the faces and
things in the well. All this is a great
source of annoyance to me, for the we'll
is the one situated the nearest the
house, and we have not lived in COM
fort since the fact about the well got
OUT
Colonel Deyer told the story in a
way that strongly impressed one with
his entire truthfulness and sincerity.
/ II I hn eNId