The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-14
IN A HAUNTED HOUSE.
H'osina Vokcs' Story of Her FamiIy'I Isoia-
ton In Crowded London.

1Aosiha Sokes' Story of Her Famlly'j Isoia-
tion In Crowded London.
In everyday talk Rosina Vokos was
altogether and bewitchingly the Rosina
we knew across tho footlights-the samo
nlg' honest eyes tho same drolly STAG
cato speech, tho same tossing of that
puify mano of shining hair, and tho mat
eer OF hor speech was quite rs flavorsome
as any lines her playwrights ever set
down for her speaking. 1t is pity she
never told across tho footlights for all
tho world to hear the story sho once told
to favored few Tho Vokes family, she
SAID, had returned to London from
provincial tour, and intending to remain
Tor the season decided to hire q house in
preference to taking lodgings. They
iooketi upon it as miraculous luck to find
a house i'll an cminently agreeable neigh
Dorhood ut phenomenally low rent.
They soon found out the reason A par
ticularly shocking murder. had been
committed i'll the house fow years be-
fore. and since then it had stood unten-
antcd, its evil reputation intensifyiug
with every night its dark windows
gloomcd upon tho else cheerful street
But it was II lovely, comfortable
house., said Rosina, land we didn't
mind Its story q bit-in fact we thought
1T rather distinguished than otherwise,
and, us for spoolls, we'd all played 'cm
too often in Christmas pantomimcs to
hold 'em in any especial awe. Besides
We never saw any-nothing, l give you
my word, more fcarsomc than "a blacl,
beetle ever crossed our paths in that ma
. lnf oil
uncomfortable three months our happy
go lucky family never spent. The neigh
( bors gave tho house q bad name and
( hanged it. They took the attitude that
. any one willing to 1.-Two in murder
. stained house was simply al accessory
|. after the fact My dcars, mover shall l
| forget the first morning called on the
| local butcher with a plea for chops
\ Send thrm to 343 - street, piped |
\ chcorily. The butcher turned duskily
\ pale. He edged behind his block. He
4 glowcrcd ut me over it, Three forty
three, you said, mum?' he gaspcd. Man
alive ycSH said l. We live there and
We're not ghosts or we shouldn't need
chops'
'Wcll, the long and short of it was
we could get nothing sent that wasn't
ordered at high noon and then the
butchers boy had IL way of firing up the
I things from the bottom of the stops
didn't want To come within grabbing dis
tancc OF the door apparently. That was
hard on the provisions, especially the
! egt2i No milknan would deliver milk
! III the gray Of the morning, not he! We
/ had subsequently To bring it home in Il
can. When the wator pipes burst, we had
to sop en- up with our stockings while
( the boys scoUrcd London for plumber
!. rash enough 10 cross our fatcd threshold
I We lived like Robinson Crusocs on Il
denScly populated island. II was borne
In upon Us at last that it was IL pity so
much wholesome terror should 20 to
waste So the last few days of our stay
/ there we tool: To burning blue lights
! at midnight in the area window and
|. emitting hollow groans from the front
cellar. | fancy our landlord rcapcd the
results of this light minded conduct We
never inquired "-Boston Transcript