The Monte Vista journal., 1897-06-05

S,N\Ce.S q OF mysterious wait
ing in their old
fashioned grand
eur that II seems almost a sacrilege to
tear away the curtain Of contented ST.
lence which time has hung there and
to gaze with modern eyes half blinded
by the dust of unceasing whirl at the
bright, stately days of patch and pow
der, says correspondent OF the New
York Tribune. Nearly every house has
Its bit of history, its comedy of dances
and assemblies. or its darker tragedy
OF misfortune. death and even murder.
Among the places crowded with his
torical myths and shadows the o'd
Carlyle house stands pre-eminent, for
1t has played its part in all the w;,'-
fare Of the country and has had no less
share in the heyday OF Alexandrsas
glory. Built of stone and Holland
bricks by the early settlers. supposed
, ly in 1910, 1t was used during the
French and Indian war rs fort; and
in the old kitchen that is now falling
into decay there Is well that has
supplied the place with water through
all the varied phases Of its long exist
ence. II was in the house that rose
above the fort. which. by the way,
made a most convenient foundation,
not to mention stables and dungeons.
the governors OF Ave colonies. planned
his ill-fated campaign: here young
George Washington received his first
commission the war OF 1912 saw II
In use as a powder magazine and
prison, while in the civil war II was
used as a hospital. Around the colo
NAL period. however, when Alexan-
dria's glory was brightest. most OF the
interest centers: for. though the old
house is now comparatively unknown
and obscure. being hidden by the sur
rounding wings OF the Braddock
house. in those days its pillared porti-
CO looked down upon long terraces.
bordered with slender Lombardy pop
lars. The wide hall is flanked on eth
er side by quaint little rooms. the most
famous OF which is the blue parlor,"
unchanged since the days of Wash
ington. where the white cornice Is
carved In queer little roses and thistles
to remind them, perhaps. Of the old
English days OF Merry Carlyle" 1t
was to this room that little Sallie Fair
fax trippcd down the mahogany stairs
to dance at her first ball with Gen.
Washington and in the tiny antccham-
ber in front Gen. Braddock slept. Up
stairs the rooms are small and the
l. L.. 4
may at the cupboards. for they are
scarcely more than two feet square.
The windows which front the river or
iginally opened upon a balcony that
ovcrhung most enticing garden. but
the balcony has gone and the old gar
den. with Its circular path OF brick
its great box-troes and wlstarIa vines,
Is fast becoming n dream OF the past,
On the third floor the rooms are small
.cr and so still that but for the spotless
whitewnsh they might easily be peo-
pied with ghosts. At one end OF the
passage that runs between the rooms
there Is door leading into n corridor
OF the old hotel and down It's length
OF blackncss II is said that the walling
OF baby. long since dead. often
breaks through the stiffness OF the
night. So much for the ghosts, who.
unfortunately. do not walk In broad
daylight, but the old vaults. far down
below. are surely spooky enough. even
where the sunlight pours Its warm
hood through the doorless archway.
In one OF the partitions above the
vaults stands an old cupboard, made
by the Indians. with traces OF beading
thickiy covering the doors. The beads.
however. have all disappeared. Down
the stone stairs again. to the left. there
is supposed to be an underground way
that led to the river. which In those
days was nearer by several hundred
feet than II Is now. but the vault has
long been walled in. and Its secrets
are still unsolvcd. The Braddock
house. which surrounds this relic of
a byHonc statclincss. Ii OF much lat
er date. but a quaint, rambling enough
old place II Is. The front was original
ly built for n bank. and the rest OF the
house was added aftcrward. II, too.
has seen many changes and much de-
generation. and Its wings seems fairly
TO shake with holy horror ut the buzz.
ing OF the telegraph wires that have
their home In It's staid and proper
walls. Straight down the street from
the Braddock house Ia the old Ciagc,t
tavern tthcy were all tavcrna In thos.
days.. whose lower floor has been de-.
generated Into something that is more
like a Junk shop than anything else,
but upstairs nrc the assembly rooms,
which. It II said. George Washington
often honorcd with his presence. There
In n queer little muaicinns' gallery
looking into Il that was accessible octy
from tho lower hall by means Of . lad
der. ss the tiny door leading into II
II high up In the wall. when the
musicians had assembled the ladder
~as taken away. leaving those unsor-
tunairs no way Of escape. This room.
now divided into three. In used ~ .
club room by an orxanisation that has
done much TO preserve and care for II.
Tho carved wainscotins and moiding
are still the same. though the place has
been. of course. much modernised. On
the opposite side Of the hail II the
room occupied by the famous Female
Stranger" and II II stiil pointed out 10
all other strangers. male or female. for
wherever there In = mystery unsoived.
and . tFihe unranny. the interest ai.