Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-08-31
FOR RENT FREE.


hood of the aristocratic city of WASH
lngton, and inasmuch as it was offered
rent free for one year to any one who
would agree to occupy it for that time
did not hesitate long in making up
my mind to take it. Upon inquiring the
reason why the place was offered for
rent on such easy terms the agent in
formed me that it had the name OF be-
ing haunted, and that the owner had
been SO unfortunate as to procure in
succession number Of tenants, all of
whom We're superstitious and all of
whom straightway moved out.
Twas pleased with the frankness Of the
agent until I 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 ON the drawing room floor
the morning after the first nights oc-
cupancy. The police had been told to go
there and look for him by the servant,
who had fled from the house when the
ghost first put in its appearance. The
coroner S verdict was, "Died from heart
failure" I am not superstitious, nor
am even nervous and SO it was but
few days before moved into the haunt
ed house, but in that time had nearly
lost Nose, my old colored servant and
standby, who had been the one thing
left me after the settling up of my IA
theirs estate Ny 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 a higher bidder from
Alexandria After the war she went to
live in Washington with Mrs. Lee Mel
son, whom she called one of her
schil'u n." Mrs. Lee Nelson lived at
1905, directly across the street from my
free mansion, and thus Nose learned all
about the cha 'nts over to yondah house
whar you gwine to live at -
Poor Nose! After all he had heard of
the ghosts that had been seen there /
can scarcely blame him for his unwill-
ingness to live with me in my free
quarters, and I do not wonder that I
found him hard to persuade and finally
reassure, as eventually did
The day after the furniture had been
put in Nose and 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 on the
floor in front Of the mantel in the front
drawing room. 1t was during this time
that Nose was telling me what Lilly
dun tole' him.
"Mahsa, Lilly she say dat we uns
gwine be skeered so bad dat our teef
gwine shake outen our head. Lilly she
say dat she reckuns she knows all bout
dis yer house, Gus she know'd de young
gen man what commit de sooside yer,
Gu he war engaged to her young Mistus
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 de trouble hit all
come erbout
prince Cholly, OATS what dey all
ust to call him, Gus he war so spirit ly
in his mammals, he ust to lib yer long
befo' de wah, and he ust to come down
to Alexandry to cot Miss Charlitt all
de time And Lilly she say she CANT
hope but think dat he was quality, even
eff he war a northe'nah. Lilly say he
war pow ful pretty man, and dat Miss
Charlitt cert My sot a heap Of sto' by
him. De pres dant what war de pres
dant befo Mistah 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 in de spring Lilly she
say dat wintah he come pow'ful clost to
libbin down to Alexandry, and Miss
Charlitt she jest as smilin as basket
Of chips Oh frosty mo'nin.
"When all de chairry trees and ev-
erythin was bloss min. Prince Cholly
he tells Miss Charlitt he got to go to
England and join his pappy and NANNY
TO- de summah, and he Ak Miss Charlitt
eff she won't get married to him then,
sted Of wait'n nutha yeah. He want
her to go long with him on a honey
moon and prize his folks. Miss Char
lit she mighty glad to do this, Gus her
nanny dun tryin all de 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 she aim ole huff,
and findly Prince Cholly he have to go
way by hisself, and Lilly say she dun
had de mizry i'll her side TO- a week, Gus
he look so moanful when he say goodby
to Miss Charlitt in de gyrden. Lilly say
dat she and all the house niggahs was
peepin, and dey could see Prince Cholly
and Miss Charlitt in de moonlight by
de lilac hedge, and den bymby Prince
Cholly he let go his holt of her and
mahch off down de street. Miss Charlitt
she standin lookin aftah him tell he out
Of sight.
Lilly she say she cain't remembah
ever seem Miss Charlitt smile gain
aftah dat day. All de trouble came den.
TO- de next mo'nin yer come Mistah
Moncure, and he try right way to make
Miss Charlitt marry him, and Miss
Charlitt's nanny she hope him all she
know'd how. Miss Charlitt she
wouldn't low him to cot her at all,
doh, and she tell him eff he don't &c
way she'd s'pize him. Mistah Moncure
he stay right thar, doh, all de time. and
de Lawd only knows how dey do hit,
but in August he and Miss Charlitt's
nanny dun make her marry him. Miss
Charlitt she declare all de time she jest
hate him, and Lilly say she know she
did, too, Gus she seed hit i'll Miss Char
lifts face, she look SO contemptu 'slike
Den dey move way, down to Fredericks-
burg, and aim hardly mo- dan gone
when yer come Prince Cholly home
again, and he find de lettah what Miss
Charlitt dun write to him de mo'nin
she git married. Lilly say dat de ebi-
dence dun show dat aftah he read de
lettah he drap hit on de flo in front of
de mantel in fIn front pa'la and go up
stayahs and fling hisself on de bed, an
he must been pretty near 'stracted, too,
Gus de sheets was tored all to pieces.
Den he must gone into de sittin room
up stayalls and shot hisself, Gus dat's
Whar de blood commenced and hit war