Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1899-12-28
HOUSE WITHIN A HOUSE.
How wealthy Woman win Evade a
Witch's HoOdOo.

witch's HoodOo.
Washington Star: A palace built
literally around a superstition is Wass-
iaston's newest marvel and one m.y
s.ialy say that nothing to match it hss
ever been seen anywhere. Baronial
castIes, as well as edihccs of Other
l.Lds. often gain resident spooks OF
cuire curses as incidents of their
I, -ory. but it has not been the fashion
I-.aarto to provide in the architects
-.e-s against such troubles. and the
notion of embodying a hoodoo killer IN
,he very fabric of a mansion is wholly
novel. The owner of this remarkable
house. which as yet is not quite half
finished, is Mrs. R. H. Townsend Of
philadelphia Before her marriage
she was Mary Scott, a daughter of the
late Col. Tom" Scott, Of Pennsylvania
railroad fame. Her wealth runs into
he millions, and the mansion atore-
said will cost her about 100000. II
viii be nearly twice the size OF the
famous Letter house, on Dupont circle,
being 125 feet in width and 123 feet In
depth. Mrs. Townsend is building II,
she says, for her youngest daughter
now II years of age, and almost READY
to enter society. 1t will be the scene
doubtless, of some of the most goT-
geous entertainments ever given at the
national capital. Now, once upon
time-a very proper way to begin such
a story as this-Mrs. Townsend inter-
viewed a witch. It was a remarkably
clever witch, and, in revealing ths
future to her lady patron, she predicteo
a number OF events since realized WIZ
astonishing accuracy in Mrs. Town
sends life. 1t was a very bright anc
cheerful picture she drew, on the whole
one may command a good deal a.
brightness and cheerfulness II one pos
sesses millions of dollars-bUt there
was one unpleasant prognosticauon-
This was that if Mrs. Townsend eve
occupied a dwelling which had neF-
been lived in before she would die wiss-
in six months after moving in. TS%
prophecy struck Mrs. Townsend ~
grewsome, to say the least. and up -
now she has carefully avoided all rlsk
of mourning the penalty suggested.
Though anxious for some time past 10
move her residence to Washington
and build a home here, she has been
restrained from the accomplishment OF
this desire by the witch's ominous vat
icination. She had thought of buying
a house, but could find none that was
large enough or adequate in other re-
spects for her purposes. AT length,
however, she hit upon an ingenious
method Of evading the hoodoo and get
ting what she wanted at the same time.
She decided to purchase the old Hill
yer mansion on Massachusetts, avenue,
and to construct a palace around 1t.
This she is doing in such a manner that
while occupying the new mansion, she
will actually live in the old Hillyer
house. the skeleton of which is re-
tanned as a middle portion Of the 70
vamped structure. Her bedroom, he:
dressingroom and bathroom and her
boudoir will be in the ancient dwelling.
the original floor joists and framework,
as well as the roof. being kept intact.
Thus the hoodoo will be defeated, in
asmuch as the construction on which
the builders are now engaged comes
under the head of alterations" tech
nically speaking, and Mrs. Townsend
may consider herself safe against the
fulfllment of the conditional threat re-
corded against her in the book Of fate.