The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-10-20

Tor eight year, lived III Italy or IN the
cities along the Mediterranean, stay
Ing sometimes several months IN one
piac,. On arriving a; Dresden llc
sought for :, pleasant house to rent and
found one on Il hill in The suburbs Il
large. lnn- size, rock -bnilt man,ion ni
tho oldcn time. He and his wife and
DAUGHTER were pleased with the place
+ and rented two rooms. The rooms
were high and large and had heavy
cornicc about four feet below the cell
ing. On this cornicc and lust ovcr
the mAntcl wa IL portrait Of man.
1t was an old oil painting and the mas
svc frame was fastened to a hook in
the ceiling. There was IL piano in the
front room and set Of fine old fash
ioncd furniture. The landlady was n
sad featured old woman. The first
night of their domicilc Mr.. Mckay
and his wife and daughter sat up quite
late and the piano was tried and found
to be in perfect order. When they
retired the lamp was shaded and left
dimly burning. About midnight
there was a racket up about that por-
trait and it was seen to break loose
from the ceiling and turn over edge
ways along the cornicc to the corner
Of the room and then came down with
u crash. Why gravity didcnt make it
fall down by the mantcl was mys-
terry. Next morning servant came and
removed the portrait. Next night after
they had retired heavy screen that
was between the bed and the window
galloped around to the foot Of the bed
and fell with crash. The landlady
came in the morning and removed it
and said but little in explanation.
She seemed troubled. The next
night, Miss Mckay, who was gifted in
music, played till quite late and after
she had closed the piano and joined in
the conversation with her parents
there was an awful crash in the piano
behind them. 1t sounded like every
thing had been violently broken by
blows from heavy bludgcons and the
blows were several times repeated and
with crushing force For some min
utes MIR. Mckay and his wife and
daughter looked and wondered and
said nothing. Then he got up and
approached the piano and inspected it
closely. Then lie yenturod to open it
and found every string and every key
in order. The next night about mid
night there was a nitiful wall OF a
child crying in the room. The lamp
was turned up and search for the
child was made. Sometimes it was in
one corner, then in another, then up
or the cornice end then cut il the hall
and away of, but its cry was distress
ing, rs though in great anguish. The
landlady was rurg for and came and
when asked about the child said there
Was no child ~ tAe house, nor did her
neighbor have any children. "NIa-
dam, did you ever hear the crying of q
child in this room before p She said
she had, but it was long time ago,
, and he learned from her that during
the war with Napoleon the inmates Of
the house @ere ali murdered for mar
boring some traitors. The man whose
portrait fell and his wife and son and
q little child. She thought that
maybe the haunts had left the house
by this time or she would not have
rented it.
"Now," said my friend, "this all
happened just ss tell you and my
little wife will say to you that I have
not exaggerated it," We looked at
tha little woman and she said sit was
just that way OF course they NOV
the next day.
Do / believe it? Yes, I believe
Mr.. and Mrs. Mckay; more than that
my mind is not satisfied.
BILL ARP.