The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-11
ain was tho boat or men seen IN those

again was tho boat or men seen In those
parts.
For five years the place stood unds-
tnrbed Thcn It was aold for taxes. y
DID not 80 very high III the market and
was purchased by young lrishinan
lnitred McAllister, who had recently came
into the community with his young wife.
They moved into the Crage mansion, but
there was never any rest; all night doors
were samining, windows. were crtaktns
and II stcalthy step was heard up stairs
and down, indoors and out, even the sill
yct aspen tree that stood In the yard was
never quiet and shivered and shuddered
IN the stllest night.
No ono doubted but that II WIS Cragcs
ghost that freduerted the premises Nc
Allistcr tried to scoff Mt the idea of the
to acknowledge that there was some.
lis Young wife, that was con
sspicliously robust, In appearance, grew
scarcely more than shadow, and In self
defence he had to vacatc. For several
years the house remained unoccupicd, but
homes were growing In demand az tho
had an opportunity to sell to stranger
Mr.. McLanish. who had recently arrived.
lie was warned and admonished not TO
purchase the place, as II was haunted, but
he scornfiilly Informed his advisers that
he. did not believe in ghosts.
The house by now was In considerable
disrepalr. with dlfficulty he employed
two carpenters to assist him in the work.
They consented to toll while the sun
shone, hut no amount of money could
induce them 10 stay on the premises after
dark
McT,anisi booted at their superstition,
and said he never slept sweeter in his
life than In Crage's house. One morn
ing about three days after the work COM
nlcnccd the two work1nen arrived to go
TO work. All was quiet. the doors were
fastened and there was nothing to be seen
Of Mechanism. They called several times
and then heard a loud rapping in the
room where they knew Mechanism slept.
This alarmed them at first. but. 1t being
broad daylight. they took courage. and
pricing the door open found Mechanism
lying on his bed cold and rigid and un-
able. to utter word or rise. He was
quickly removed to u friends house. and
after gone hours recovered sufficiently
10 relate what had occurred. He said
after partaking of his supper that night
he retired and fell asleep Immediately
About tho middle of the night he was
aroused by sofne one taking him by the
hand and leading him toward the door.
He resisted and demonstrated. but the
grasp of the invisible hand was irresistl-
bio. Up stairs and into one of the rooms
he went. tho hand still holding him
tightly. and to a closet under the caves OF
the house. Here a. door opened and he
saw distinctly the skeleton Of a woman
He had no other recollection until he
heard his name called He could not rise
or speak. but witt, an axe that stood
near his bed he struck on the floor.
+ Nothing could even persuade Mechanism
to go near the house again. and hence
forward the Crage mansion was left to lts
original owner. The house decaycd and
fell to pieces: the chmneys toppled to
the earth and the foundation cr,imbled
to the dust and has almost entirely dis
appeared.
A few bits Of brick is all that remains
Crage's Hill Is Stunned and travellers who
know It's story grow serious and speed
up their team In passing the place par
ticularly II the shadow OF night is on
the earth.