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

for eight years lived in Italy or IN the
cities along the Mediterranean, stay
| ing sometimes several months in one
place. On arriving at Dresden he
sought for pleasant house to rent and
found one on hill in the suburbs,
large, massive, rock-built mansion of
the olden 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
cornice about four feet below the cell
ing. On this cornice and just over
the mantel was portrait Of man.
It was an old oil painting and the mas
sive frame was fastened to hook in
the ceiling. There was piano in the
front room and set of fine old-fash-
ioned furniture. The landlady was a
sad featured old woman. The first,
night of their domicile 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 cornice to the corner
Of the room and then came down with
crash. Why gravity dident make it
fall down by the mantel Was nys-
terry. Next morning aservant 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. It sounded like every
thing had been violently broken by
blows from heavy bludgeons and the
blows were several times repeated and
with crushing force. For some min
utes Mr.. 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 he ventured to open it
and found every string and every key
in order. The next night about mid
night there was pitiful wall of q
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
on the cornice and then out in the hall
and away of, but its cry was distress
ing, as though in great anguish. The
landlady was rung for and came and
when asked about the child said there
was no child in the house, nor did her
neighbor have any children. "Ma-
dam, did you ever hear the crying of a
child in this room before ?" 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 were all murdered for har-
boring some traitors. The man whose
portrait fell and his wife and son aud
little child. She thought that
maybe the haunts had left the house
by this time or she would not have
rented it.
"Nov,' said my friend, "this all
happened just as I tell you and ray
little wife will say to you that have
not exaggerated it." We looked at
| the little woman and she said cit was
just that way" Of course they NOV
the next day.
Do I believe it? Yes, I believe
Mr.. and Mrs. Mckay; more than that
my mind is not satisfied.
BILL ARP.