Night Stalks The Mansion: A True Story Of One Family's Ghostly Adventure

BOOK: Night Stalks The Mansion: A True Story Of One Family's Ghostly Adventure
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A True Story of One Family's
Ghostly Adventure

Constance Westbie and Harold Cameron

 
Contents

PREFACE
10

Chapter 1
THE GIFT HORSE
11

Chapter 2
INITIATION
30

Chapter 3
THE PACT
46

Chapter 4
THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT
56

Chapter 5
THE PASSING PARADE
75

Chapter 6
ENOCH
87

Chapter 7
THE CRYPT ON THE HILL
96

Chapter 8
BITS AND PIECES
108

Chapter 9
THE SECRET ROOM
120

Chapter 10
DRAMA IN THE NIGHT
131

Chapter 11
ENOCH'S DISCLOSURES
144

Chapter 12
ENOCH DISAPPEARS
157

Chapter 13
MOVING DAY
167

EPILOGUE
175

ENDNOTE
179

 
Preface

This book results from a collaboration between two people:
Harold Cameron and Constance Westbie. Harold and the rest
of the Cameron Family lived the story; Constance Westbie
pieced it together from interviews and notes kept by Harold
and from affidavits given by the children, relatives, and visitors
to the Mansion.

Because of Harold Cameron's insistence that the story be
presented truthfully, as fact and not fiction, and because the
bizarre events and ghostly manifestations in the old house on
Plum Tree Lane could well prove incredible to a sober-minded
reader, the publisher offers the following testimony of l larold
Cameron, verbatim:

It is significant, I think, that we never gave her a name.
There was no inclination to bestow upon her a derisive or
derogatory label ... Perhaps we were secretly a little afraid
to do so because we speedily learned that she had a temper. Then, too, we came to hold her in esteem and
respect. Judging from our impressions, she must have
been a great lady in her day.

As for the other one-I admit we confused the two for
a time. Yet his heavy footsteps on the graveled drive and
the front porch of the old mansion were distinctive and
not like hers at all. We soon realized, to our consternation, that we had not one, but two disembodied visitors
who shared our residence and grounds on Plum Tree
Lane for nearly two years.

As far as we know, they may still be there.

-The Publisher

 
Chapter 1

For Laasa: Country Manor estate. House dating back to
Revolutionary Days. Seventeen rooms. Completely furnished Antiques Grounds beautifully landscaped. Convenient location. Rich In historical background and atmosphere. A home for gracious entertaining. Reasonable terms
for right tenant

I put down the newspaper and looked around the crowded
motel room: two double beds, three cots, open suitcases,
packing boxes. This had been home for the Cameron clanfive children, myself, and my wife-for weeks since we left
the West Coast. I had been transferred by my company at
the end of World War II and had been sent to Philadelphia
to start up an office and warehouse for our post-war
operations.

We clearly had to move-and very soon! Dorothy, my
wife, usually a model of competency and efficiency, was
fed up with togetherness! Hal and Bob, our two college-age
sons; Carrol, our ten-year-old; Janet, four years old and
our only daughter; and Michael, our six-month-old infant,
all desperately needed more living room.

Growing more and more excited, I read the ad to
Dorothy.

"Seventeen rooms?" Dorothy echoed. "But we don't need
seventeen rooms."

"Neither does anyone else. That's why we'll probably get
it," I grinned. "Seventeen is better than none at all. You
know how we've combed the country around Philadelphia.
Housing is at a premium and there hasn't been anything to
rent or lease. I've got to get located or get fired. We can't
go on like this!" I indicated the disorder with a wave of my
hand. "I'll check with the realtor on my way to the office.
Better phone them that I'll be a few minutes late."

I tore the page out of the paper and stuffed it into my
coat pocket, kissed Dorothy hastily on the cheek, and drove
quickly to the real estate agency.

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