The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-09
A "REMINISCENCES.

| somewhat We1Ty, naVlnB ftTaVeleQ all
| day a-foot on one of the Maryland pixies
running through towns in a region rich in
agricultural resources and fascinating in
natural beauty, the stranger, Just as the
autumn sun was sinking behind one of
| the ranges of the Blue Ridge. approached
| n farm house and asked for supper and
! shelter
| The woman of the house was quite
young. of not more than twenty-five years,
and was alone except that her child. a
bright faced boy of two years, played upon
the veranda; the house was somewhat
| distant from the other farm dwellings and
| under these circumstances one might sup
pose the chances not specially favorable
to stranger receiving its Inequalities.
But her reply was another evidence of the
| real existence today of the historical
Southern hospitality. She said:
I'VE never turn anyone away You are
welcome to the humble accommodations
we-ean give you.''
The house is an old-fashioned. two
story, Imprinted structure with broad We
rancas and not only shows the ravages of
time but that of another element Of de-
struction. Some of the rafters of it's roof
and posts of its verandas are spiced. hav-
Ing been once broken by cannon balls. 1t
is situated on the battlefield of Antietam
Once. few rods distant was situated a
line of Federal batteries and not ten rods
away is the spot known in history as the
Bloody Cornfeld.'' where the Union
troops charged upon the Confederates in
the cornfeld of the farmer who then lived
in this house.
The young farmer who now lives there
mad broken his cultiyator in that once
fold trhi l.;
the day the traveller came and taking it
to the blacksmith shop did not return I'M
I'll 10 o'clock at night. Meanwhile his little
chubby two-year-ol boy climbed into the
strangers lap, played with his watchchain,
and the young wife went about her house
work as complacently as though she mad
known the stranger for years. To the
traveller ii seemed that children born upon
this battlefield are impeTvious to fear, that
where fell so many of the brave. the air
they breathe is surcharged with some
mysterious courage giving elixir
The house, after the battle was used as
a hospital, and when the young farmer
showed the stranger up to his ROOM look
ing upon the bare floor where the wound
ed and dying had lain, the traveller OBJ
served
Il suppose my slumbers will not be dis
turbed by spirits?"
municative, saying:
No; this house is not haunted now, at
least. we have not been troubled since we
lived here. but 1t was for many years aft
er the war. | rent this farm and many
renters have lived here before me- My
father lives not far away and before was
married I used to come here to see a
young lady. Sometimes in the small hours
OF the night the doors and windows of the
room in which We sat would fly open and
strange noises be heard
The traveller suggested that some one
might have been playing a Joke upon
them.
$50 we thought at first but several
times, after searching investigation, we
could find no one. and came to the con-
clusion that the house was haunted At
any rate, the spirits broke up the court
ship. and 1 afterward married another
girl-my wife down stairs. We have been
happy here; no ghosts have troubled U.s.
l sometimes think the spirits appeared as
warning that l should not marry the
other girl. Anyway. 1 am glad married
this one
The next day the rrr sked some af
the older people he story Of he
haunted house, to .i-h the -epiy Sos -
substance:
"Oh, yes; that d K. aIslsr mousse t.ue
house is known in historr as inc U E
Miller house. as \ NH.r lived 'h-.a
at the time of tn 1--te) alwa-4 has
been haunted since .no uar.
They seemed to think that it is still
haunted, but the writer can say that he
slept sweetly there
This old historic house stands on a
beautiful site about a third of mile from
the Maryland Monument, and but few
rods distant from the new Massachusetts
Nopumant NDt Wit hgtandiup ga ruaps
of war and the gossip of the dead visiting
the living here, on this spot the stars
shine as brightly, the birds sing as
sweetly, and children prattie as innocent
ly as upon any spot perpetually blessed
by the Angel of Peace. E. N BRANN