Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-06
A HAUNTED HOUSE
True Story Told BY One Who
Lived There.
LOCK OF WOMAN'S HAIR
WHEN FOUND GAVE SUBSTANCE
TO A STRANGE TALE.
Days of Slavery Recalled and a Dread
full Crime Unfold
ed

leSSly out or the WlndOWS, absorbed III
thought. until she heard her own name
mentioned. with many exclamations of obs.
abs and who would have thought it?'
Soon she discovered that it was not really
personal, but a rehash of foolish stories. in
which she and her family, ruined fortunes
and former social prominence were the
topics. but when she heard wonderment
expressed that the old haunted house was
now her abode. she sat- listened and was
anxious. One said: IF she knew the house
has the wickedest history in town, and no
one ever stays there beyond month or
twoi An apparition always appears with
mute, but pitious appeals, as though ask
ing for release"
The lady, we will call her Mrs. Kendall,
felt the grave insult that was cast upon
her when she heard them quote: "Oh,
yes, it Is d big house but Mrs. Kendall gets
1t cheap, because a disreputable woman
had positively got located there. remain
ing with their iniquities d long fortnight,
until they were evfctedi'
An avalanche of trouble had swept over
Mrs. Kendall. Money had melted away!
But 1t was necessary TO keep up a SEM
blance of a home. An invalid in her fam
lily had to be cared for, kept in retirement
and protected. 1t required whole floor
of the house to insure this. She had, al
ready, spent good portion of the money
that had been scraped together by the sale
of bric-a-brac and cherished objects She
could not move again. She must stay in
that odous old place. An agent had rented
1t to her, and when she hurried to his office
he laughed at the rehearsal OF the gossip
chatter, spoke of the wonderful history of
the house, and offered to make any repairs
but the lease must stand Too poor to move,
the place became to her like the evil pres
ence of ar outlaw. How she hated it,
There were many rooms, large and COM
Portable, plenty of lght-not a place for
ghost to walk In yet strange noises and
low means were heard 1t might have
been the wind whistIing down some half
concealed speaking tubes. The house was
In a lonely deserted part of Washington
very near Georgetown.
No negro servants would ever sleep there
nights. for a tradition was rife that
slave robber had once owned the place,
and that there was secret walled passage
that led to the river For, as Mrs Ken
dali remembered, up and down the Poto-
mac negroes were stolen, drugged, heavily
manacled and on dark nights brought In
boats to the water gate, and hurried up
the Shiny secret passage, to lie In the hid
den room of this big house until they could
with safety be started in well-covered wag-
CONS on their long journey to the cotton
fields of the south. there to be sold, at
large profits. 1t was easy to label them
runaway slaves and easy to take an unfre-
quented route; there were neither tele-
graph lines nor telephones. In the few
newspapers that circulated there were
quaint advertisements from their angry
masters OUerinS large rewards IOr poor
slaves, found either dead or alive. 1t was
all laid to the door of those cursed abo-
lshionists." Mrs Kendall did not believe
all these tales. nor did she wholly discredit
them. She ventured down into the many
vauted old cellar, saw no uncanny door.
though she did hear those strange means
and signs. The entire subject was forbid
den. and in the family there was never any
discussion about it
The old house had assumed a cheerful
look; there were no darkened windows, and
on every broad window sill beautiful flow
ers nodded and blcomed all day. The mys-
terry was over. moral health had returned
and a speculative builder was negotiating
for the house. with all its outlying land,
thinking he would build apartment ten
ement with park of its own Mrs. Ken
dali was well pleased, feeling her deliver
ance from that unacCountable horror had
come. Strange things came about instead.
You will say so, too, If you will but finish
this true story.
1t was in April, the weather as beautiful
as dream of paradise. Mrs. Kendall
walked slowly home to the old house, not
feeling altogether well. Looking up at the
back wall she saw how much the crack
had widened. and thought frequent rains
had wrought injury.
All around some faithful gnarled old ap-
pie trees were filled with blushing pink
flowers. and the air redolent with their per
fume. Entering the house she mounted the
stairs, only pausing to look up at the low
ceiling over the landing, as she had often
wondered how the space was occupied, and
why there was no opening. no door, to the
space that must be there. She entered her
own room and closed the door. Sitting at
the writing desk was a dark. thin young
woman with great melancholy eyes, who
rose and silently pointed 10 the ceiling, and
then held out her emaciated hands as II in
duplication. Mrs Kendall stepped forward
not in the least frightened-never associat-
Ing the incident with anything supernatural
and said. in gracious way, My poor
girl, | help your" The two women
smiled. and then, for the first time, Mrs.
Kendall noticed the splendid long black
hair. and then the manacles on the delicate
wrists. The room was damp and dark In a
moment.
Mrs Kendall had become unconscious
II was late in the afternoon before any
return TO life was apparent. She was In
bed: strange doctor, a strange nurse
standing either side. The nurse said.
softly: 1T Is a case OF double pneumonia"
heart complications" Through days of
WEAKNESS and suffering through all the
different stages of that fell disease were
passed. Conscious, calm. without fear;
patient. willingly waiting for the dread 4
messenger. yet never even remembering
the apparition on that April day. Devoted
and dearly beloved daughters were near.
Nothing ever seemed 10 give warmth she
was like one cold and already dead. Friends
OF old brought rare. sweet flowers.
The days OF the crisis had come;
strange Soiennnity reigned IN the SICK room
and In the house. Mrs. Kendall appeared
waiting for the final end. Suddenly sac
said in whisper: 81 would like to see
Father M" who had just called to make
sympathetic inquiry. When he came
again Mrs. Kendall astoEished every one by
saying that she wished TO join the Catholic
Church. Doctor and nurse were consulted.
Things were quickly prepared and a faith
fol Catholic friend knelt beside the bedside
Of the dying. lighted candles in hand: ex-
treme junction. the last sad rite OF the
church administered; the solemn
words Of the credo were repeated and Mrs
Kendall seemed to pass over and beyond
this life. But she sank into that deep
slumber sweet. clear voice, like that OF a
thrush sang a low and tender song. And
the seemingly dying woman saw again that
poor sad-faced ghost, but with her man
acles gone she wore look Of peace. Of
happiness. The vision lasted but q second.
Then others. dear. and loved In youth APP
pesred-eveu the mother superior Of girl
hood days.
Mrs. Kendall felt instinctively that, IN
stead of dying. she was called back to this
life. Suddenly the visions changed: large
Imposing figure appeared, stern Of counter
tance yet with something sanity about him,
as II by magic the epoch was the ante
tbellum days: all was action: droves of
, slaves went by quickly; evil-faced men
came: gold was lying around: through the
room was carried a youn girl with long.
floating black hair-a door seemed to open