The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-21
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sioii III eIo ulOSt arlStOCraC1C nelBhDOr-
hood of the aristocratic city of WASH
mgton, and inasmuch as it was offered
rent FREQ for one year to any one who
would agrco to occupy 1t for that time
did not hesitate long in making up
my mind to tako it. Upon inquiring tho
reason why the place was offered for
rent on such easy terms the agent in
formed me that it had tho name of be-
ing haunted. and that the owner had
been so unfortunate rs to procure in
succession number of tenants, all Of
whom We're superstitious and all of
whom straightway moved out
was pleased with tho frankness Of the
agent until / afterward learned that
tho owner had como to the Same conclu-
sion dozen years before, and that the
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 CO.
cupancy. The police had been told to 20
there and look for him by the servant,
who had fed from the house when tho
ghost first put i'll its appearance. Tho
coroner S verdict was, "Died from heart
failure" l am not superstitious. nor
few days before 1 moved into tho haunt
ed house, but i'll that time had nearly
lost Nose, my old oolored servant and
standby, who had boon the one thing
left me after the settling up of my ia
Tiers 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 a higher bidder from
Alexandria. After tho war she went to
live i'll Washington with Mrs. Leo Mel
son, whom she called one of her
"chil 'un. " Mrs. Lee Nelson lived at
1903, directly across the street from nv
free mansion, and thus Nose learned all
about the 'ha'nts over to yondah house
whar you sc gwino to live at
Poor Nose! After all he had heard of
tho ghosts that had been seen there
can scarcely blame him for his unwill-
ingneSs to 1.-Two with me in my FREQ
quarters, and l do not wonder that
found him hard to persuade and finally
rcaSsurc, as l eventually did.
The day after the furniture had been
put i'll Nose and were hanging pic
lures, unpacking the library and at the
Same time investigating things, looking
to sec where this door went to and that
noise came from. Most of all we wero
curious about the great red stain OH tho
floor i'll front of the mantel in the front
drawing room. 1t was during this time
that Nose was telling me what Lilly
dun tolc' him.
"Mahsa, Lilly she say dat we uns
gwlne be skecred so bad dat our teef
gwino shake outen our head Lilly sho
say dat she reckuns she knows all bout
dis yer house, Gus she llnow'd de Young
gen man what commit dc 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
northc'n man, but must marry quality
people, and dat's how dc trouble hit all
como erbout.
Prince Cholly, dat's what dcy all
ust to call him, Gus he war so sprit'ly
Ill his mammals, he ust TO lib yer long
bcfo' de wah, and he ust to como down
to Alexandry to cot Miss Charlitt all
de time. And Lilly she say she cain.
hope but think dat he was quality, oven
eff he war northc'nah. Lilly say he
Charlitt cert MY sot II heap of sto' by
him. Dc pres'dant what war dc pres
dant bcfo' 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 i'll de spring. Lilly She
say daS wintah he como pow'fu clost to
libbin down to Alexandry, and Miss
Charlitt she jest us smilin as a basket
of chips on a frosty mo'nin
"Whcn all dc chairry trees and ev-
erythin was bloss 'min Prince Cholly
he tells Miss Charlitt he got to 90 TO
England and join his pappy and nanny
TO- de summah, and he AK Miss Charlitt
CT she won't get married to him then.
'sted of wait'n nutha yeah He want
her to go long with him OH honey
moon and s'prizo his folks Miss Char.
lit she mighty glad to do this Gus her
NANNY dun tryin all dc time to get her
to marry Alistah Moncure. Lilly say
her nanny jest put her feet down
p'intidly and fused to let Miss Charlitt
get married den, Gus she ain ole huff,
and findly Prince Cholly no have to go
way by hisself, and Lilly say she dun
had dc mizry i'll 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
pccpin, and dey could see Prince Cholly
and Miss Charlitt in dc moonlight bv
do lilac hedge, and den bymby Prince
Cholly he let go his holt of her and
mahch Oft down dostreet, Miss Charlitt
she standin lookin aftah him tell he ont