Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-01-16
IIaeol. sspsr.,iiisn..

In finding whitewashers, inasOn's he pr
and other workmen to repair the historic
mansions with which the city teens.
IIaesia sspsrstitisn..
The gentleman who recently took po--
session % the old house on Tenth street
IN which Abraham Lincoln dici was sur
pri.ed when servant after servant em.
plOyed by him left the same day she
came. A long as daylight continued
there was peace Ia the domestic estab-
li.hment. but when the shades 81 dark.
nss fell sthwart the city th. colorrd
cook departed for = habitation more io
her liking. II l. one 81 tn traditions ~
Washington that the ghost % Mr. Lin.
coin returns four times a week 10 the
house in which his spirit breathcl IT,
last the day after his shooting 10y Wilkes
Booth In the theatsr across the street.
One ~ N. most famous ~ all the
haunted houses In Washington j. the
Winter house. which stands near the
navy yard. In quarter ~ the city now
inhabited principally by poor people. but
which was once the aristocrstic section
u the young capital. That was IN the
days when the great whit. statehouse on
th. Roman hill was In process IL cree.
tion and Washington was a mere vii.
lage. struggling out over several farms
~ mud and undcrbrush. The only AZ
proaches to th. city at that time were 10y
water anil stagecoach. The railway was
unlreamei Of. AMI therefore the specu.
lator and investor naturally argued that
the water approaches would become val
uable before any other part of the town
Hence u was that many rows ~ man.
.ion-. fine and costly In their day. were
erected near the navy yar'l.
Aw.II kno~r Trsdlils..
One ~ the. was the Winter house. 90.
cupied by family which grew rich out
of the appreciation II the value of
Washington real estate early In the prs
snt century. \ picturesque old place
IL l.. AMI to this day capable % bsing
turned into tine residence. but u has
not been occupied for about - years
and never will b. again. It, reputation
n a haunted house l. ~ we'll estab.
lishe,l that the colorel people who live
in the nsighbOrhOoi are afraid to pas, Il
alone at night. ami n compelled Ia go
that way they hurry by. with many a
furtiy. look over their shoulders.
The tradition II that every night may
be heard the sound ~ coach rolling M
to the door. when the wheels stop and
the old fashioned step with which the
coaches Of our grandfathers were pro
yide,l il let down with bang and rattle.
and some one alights from the yeh Gle.
In few seconds the step !. heard clang.
ing together. and then the wheels rumble
away. and the sound Of th. horses ho0fs
II heard dying away In the distance
Every other colored man and woman
you meet In that part Of the city aver
with all seriousness that be- or she has
heard this coach roll up 90 the winter
mansion q hundred time, IAN Il allus
makes my blOOd frceIe Ia my boly. bDss. y"
Some of the descendants IL th. Winter
family still live In Washington. but for
some reason they do not care to improve
and live In their property. A few year
ago they made an effort 10 induce some
Of the colorci families Of the neighbor.
hood 10 occupy the mansion and offered
the place rent free for year But No
one would take IL even ON thess terms.
The v.a S... M.s.ioa.
tn. most famous of all the histOlic
houses u Washington Is said 10 be haunt
"a. That's the Van Ness mansion. which
stands about quarter of a mile south
west 81 the White House and In plain
view from Mr.. Cleyeland's windows
and also frOm the Offices of the secretary
u state and secretary of the irea'
ury. Within the inclosure which sur,
rounds this old house u the iirst hOuse
built Ia Washington. the cottage wher'
livel crus,y Dsvy Burns. who had th,
nerve 10 Sass" George Washington. with
his pretty daughter. who aftsrwari b.
came the heiress and society belle. wife
u General Van Ness, . high born an1
very swell congressman from New YORK.
The stosy Of the Davy Burns cottage AMI
Van Ness mansion. which was built aft
n the marriage % the heiress and Tor
10 or IS years was the leading social
house Of the capital. has been told hun.
dr-,i times. but ~ not generally known
that crisp. new go note from the gov
ernment money mill over there 10y IN,
monument across the common would
not induce q Washington colored msu
10 enter this old house after sunset,
Tha, II l. n haunted house every colorcd
lnan of the neighborhood knows just ~
well as he knows that he Is alive.
When the Association For Preservation
of Historic Houses visited the first hous'
built In Washington and its more pre-
tentious but now sadly decaye'l neigh
Dor few days ago with a view 10 erect
ing upon the mansion atablet indicative
Of its historic importance. they were sur
prised by the warning given them by
friendly colored man. Don't yous'
stay around here after nightfall less 20
want the life scared outen yo.' said he
and when pressed for an explanation N
declared that every night the spirit o.
beautiful Marcia Burns, In her night
robs and carrying In her long arms
tiny baby. was seen roaming about tn
rpoms and halls and even out into tb'
yari under the trees. Marcia Burn
died In ths cottage while yet . youn,
| SIfs and n much youussr mother. ans