The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-04
FOR RENT FREE.


ington, and inasmuch as it was offered
n rent Tree for one year to any ono who
\ would agroo to occupy it for that time
did not hesitate long in making up
|! my mind to take it. Upon inquiring tho
i reason why tho place was offered for
4 rehC on such easy terms the agent in
formed me that it had the namo of bo-
ing haunted, and that the owner had
been SO unfortunate as to procure in
succession number of tenants, oil Of
whom were superstitious and all of
Whom straightway moved out.
L was pleased with the franlness Of tho
agent until | afterward learned that
the owner had come to the same conclu-
sion dozen years before, and that the
I only tenant he had secured since then,
young bachelor like myself, had been
found dead Oh the drawing room floor
the morning after the first nights Co.
cupancy.. The police had been told to 90
there and look for him by tho servant,
who had fled from tho house when tho
ghost first put In its appearance. Tho
coroner 8 verdict was, "Died from heart
failure" l am not superstitious, nor
nm even nervous, and so it was but q
low days before 1 moved into the haunt
ed house, but in that time had nearly
lost Nose. my old oolored servant and
standby, who had been tho one thing
left me after the settling up of my ia
theirs estate My father had bought
him years before up at Fairfax Court.
house, and he tried to buy his sister,
Gala Lilly, who was equally black, but
She was sold to higher bidder from
RI ftn,, -.
live i'll Washington with Mrs Leo Mel
son, whom she called one of her
"chil'un" Mrs. Leo Nelson lived at
100, directly across the street from my
free mansion, and thus Moso learned all
about tho "ha'nts over to yondah house
whar you'se gwine to 1.-Two at
Poor Nose! After all he had heard Of
the ghosts that had been seen thoro I
can scarcely blame him for his unwill,
ingncss to live with mo i'll my FREQ
quarters, and l do not wonder that 1
found him hard to persuade and finally
reassurc, as l eventually did.
The day after the furniture had been
put i'll Nose and 1 were hanging pic
lures, unpacking the library and at the
same time investigating things, looking
to see where this door went to and that
noise came from. Most of all we were
curious about the great red stain OH the
floor Ill front of the mantel i'll the front
drawing room. 1t was during this time
that Nose was telling me what Lilly
dun tole" him
"Nlahsa, Lilly she say dat we uns
gwlne be skeercd SO bad dat our teof
gwine shake outcn our head. Lilly she
say dat she reckuns she knows all bout
dis yer house. Gus she llnow'd do young
gen man what commit de soosido yer
Gu he wal engaged to her young NIistus
Charlitt, what married her cousin
Richa'd Moncure. Miss Charlitt's
nanny she insists she doan marry no
northern man, but must marry quality
people, and OATS how dc trouble hit all
come erbout.
Prince Cholly, OATS what dcy all
ust to call him, Gus he war so sprit'ly
i'll his mammals, he ust to lib yer long
befo' de wah, and he ust to come down
to Alexandry to cot Miss Charltt all
de time And Lilly sho say sho cair'A
hope but think dat nc was quality, even
eff he war u northo nah Lilly say ho
war pow full pretty man, and dat Miss
Charlitt cert My sot a heap Of sto' by
him. DE pres dant what war dc pres'.
dant bcfo' Alistah Lincoln war de pres
dant he dun sent Prince Cholly's pappy
away to England to be minstah, and
he take Prince Cholly's NANNY along
with him. Prince Cholly, he tell his
pappy he come i'll dc spring Lilly she
say d.5 wintah he come pow full clost to
libbin down to Alexandry, and Miss
Charlitt she jest as smilin as basket
of chips on n frosty mo'nin.
when all dc chairry trees and ev-
erythin was bloss' min, Prince Cholle
he tells Miss Charlitt he got to go to
England and join his pappy and NANNY
TO- de sumnah, and he AK Miss Charlitt
eft She wont get married to him then,
'sted of wait'n nutha yeah. lie want
her to go long with him OH honey
moon and s'prizc his folks Miss Char
lit she mighty glad to do this, Gus her
nanny dun tryin all dc time to get her
to marry Mistah Moncure. Lilly say
her nanny jest put her feet down
p'intidly and fused to let Miss Charlitt
get married den, Gus sho aim ole huff,
and findly Prince Cholly he have to GO
way by hissclf, and Lilly say she dun
had de miZry in her side fo' week, Gus
he look so moanful when he say goodby
to Miss Charlitt i'll dc gyrden. Lilly say
dat she and all the house niggahs was
poepin, and dey could see Prince Cholly
and Miss Charlitt in dc moonlight by
do lilac hedge, and den bymby Prince
Cholly he let go his holt of her and
mahch off down do street, Miss Charlitt
she standin loollin aftah him tell he out
of sight