Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-16

A young mulatto came into the of1ce OF
the Engineer Commissioner few days ago
and applied for job as driver. He was
told there were no vacancies. but that Ii ne
would write out an application. stating
what experience he had had In driving ne
would be considered when any appointment
was to be made. He asked for pen ana
piece of paper. and laboriousiy wrote the
foIlowing WANTED by colored youth
years experience, place as oriVer' reier-
ences EXCHANGED
4 X < \
One of the interesting scenes of Decora-
ton day that was unnoticed by spec'a'
comment at the time was enacted at Rock
Creek cemetery. During the time commit
tees of the Grand Army were strewing
flowers on the graves OF soldiers. six young
men entered the grounds and, marching
two nv two. proceeded to grave that up
TO that time had not received attention al
the hands of the floral committees one ne, y,
them carried a large box. winch was niie ,
with flowers. Stopping at the grave ."hicn
was their destination, the box was opened.
and the flowers being arranged, were ueu
with buzz and blue ribbons, the colors VI
George Washington University.
Carefully the tribute of the college ira
,ernity was laid upon the grave, and the
six Young men, with hands on shoulders.
stood about the last resting place OF their
dead comrade. There was moment %
silence, and a prayer was onered py one y, VI
the number. Then the little company broke
into song, and college songs appropriate "
the occasion were rendered .
The grave was but two years oio anu
was that of a student of the university.
The service was one that Is likely 10 De
repeated over the grave for some years u
come.
This is true gnost story. and even though
ft,n tyyo wears there
are stu few OF the Oldest inhabitants OF
the neishborhood concerned who remember
the narrowly averted tragedy which ex-
posed the human agency behind the al
legged "hants." =,
The scene of the story is laid In an oid
house which still stands on one OF the nils
not far from Alexandria, Va AT the out
break OF the civil war this house was near
ing completion, and when the Union forces
occupied the country south OF the capitai,
this house became picket headquarters Ior
one of the Massachusetts regiments ouo
sequently, upon an outbreak of smallpox
which spread through the camps ana couh-
tryside whereabouts, the structure was con-
verified into a smallpox hospital many
deaths occurred there during the epldeinic
and n was IN accounts of the disembodied
spirits OF these disease victims that the
ghost stories originated.
After the war the house was leased time
and again but the tenants rarely stayed
more Than a day or two. each of them
vacatng in hurry after telling stories
about being awakened In the night by nor.
rible groanings, whisperings, rafting OF
chains, end of hearing other weird SOUNDS
usually attributed to spooks. To the own
er of the premises the situation grew grad
ually more serious. until the time nnaiiy
came when ne could not secure tenant
for the house at any price.
In the emergency. sense or the riuicu-
ious appealed to the strenuous young son
of one of the neighbors. and he announced
his desire to see a real ghost Of such
thing existed), to talk to 1t and TO learn
about its habits. and he stated his deter
mination to sleep in the house until his wish
was gratfied.
On the night appointed at about the mid
night hour. he started on his mission. car
rying a double-bar gun in anticipation
of a possible physical encounter with the
supernatural inhabitants OF the dwelling.
Scarcely had he entered the door when
subdued clanking. as of chains. greeted MS
ears. but he bravey pushed ahead toward
the sounds, calling as he went, Who are
you, and what do you want?" Apparently
the sounds eminated from the attic, but as
the ghost hunter drew nearer the souna
grew faint and il trailed off as though
a chain was being dragged down the back
stairs. A series Of hair-raising shrleks
halted the pursuer for moment at the
next landing. but he pressed onward as
softly hurrying footballs indicated the near
ness of his quarry. and SO the chase con-
tinued until the supposed ghost vanished
down the cellar steps Only one other
entrance TO the basement was available
for either man or a spook, and to win
dow commanding this the young man hur-
ried. He was Just in time to see a shadowy
form jump into the open and head for q
clump of bushes. and he leveied his gun
and emptied both barrels. but the spirit
kept on running and vanished in the dark
ness
Fortunately for all concerned. the heavy
charges OF shot blew away nothing more
f.t 10, 81 A. AF riraAN O.
ing for II It had found its intended mark
the ghost hunter would have killed his own
brother. The latter confessed next day
that he and one or two close friends had
been playing pranks in the old house OF
nights for several months, and II was their
antics that materialized in the ghost sto-
ries. To this day, however. the supersti-
tious point to the old house with varied
expressions of awe and with bated breath
tell tales OF the spirits of the departed who
come back to earth to lnger round the
place where their deaths occurred. Even
one or two families. recent occupants of the
house, have declared that on several oc-
casions plainly audible footsteps passed
them in the halls, but they would reach out
TO touch nothing but the air, and no one
would reply TO their questions as to who
was there.
Secretary Root and family will have
luxurious quarters the new frst-class
cruiser Charleston their cruise around
the continent Of South America this sum-
mer In connection with the Secretary
visit to Rio de Janeiro during the sessions
OF the Pan-American congress in July. The
vessel Is being specially fitted up for the
purpose. SiXty-four feet forward from the
stern on the gun deck and the entire wild tn
of the ship will be given up TO the accom-
mediation OF the Secretary OF State and his
family.
The vessel was designed as a flagship.