An experience from a long time ago

     Something brought to mind an incident that my wife and I experienced around 30 years ago. This did not take place here as we had not yet purchased this house. I had been teaching school in this area for three years and my wife and I decided to move here. We had been house hunting for some time. We wanted a big old house in the country with a little ground around it. My wife constantly scanned the local papers for property for sale. Finally, one night, an ad caught her attention. This all happened about 30 years ago, but the events, upon reccollection, seem more like just a few weeks ago. We made arrangements to see the house and got directions to it. The house was located in the middle of nowhere on a lonely but well maintained dirt road. As we drove the road, the countryside was beautiful and when we saw the house we decided then and there that it was the very thing we were looking for. A very stately New Empire brick sitting in the center of a 12 acre tract. The nearest neighbor was at lest a half mile down the road. The owners of the house warmly welcomed us and insisted on showing us the lay of the land. We were sold, I couldn't wait to make a deal. Upon entering the house it seemed we had gone back in time. The interior was very similar to those old movie sets of the old southern mansions. I couldn't believe it was in our price range. The rooms were huge, the ceilings were high and graceful doreic columns seperated the parlour and dining room. Natural wood floors still shone with almost just laid beauty. Large fireplaces, ornately decorated were found in each room. All had been closed to conserve heat in a modern heating system except the one in the Parlour which was still in use. We were totally sold. I asked the gentleman who owned the house why he was selling. He said his wife was poorly and the Doctors couldn't determine her problem. They suggested a warmer climate. My wife and the lady of the house were discussing the Library just off the Parlour and couldn't have heard our conversation. Finally the lady said, my husband will show you the upstairs, I'm rather tired. The grand stairway could have been straight out of Gone with the Wind. It curved up from the foyer in the front hall, curving both left and right as it made its way to the second floor. A huge, probably 12 foot or better, window set above the front door, it had a curved top and totally illuminated that staircase. We started up, about halfway up I got an eerie feeling, I can't to this day explain just what it was, but I shook it off as silliness and continued up the stairs. When we reached the second floor the gentleman said there are 5 bedrooms, one grand bedroom, two guest bedrooms and two for children. My wife almost ran through those rooms. I thought they were georgeous, she could wait to go back downstairs. The man suggested we go to the attic, as it was finished and had several fantastic views of the land outside. Said it was really beautiful in the fall. My wife thanked him but declined. She then asked if there was a rear staircase. Yes, he said, but it is rather narrow and just leads back down into the kitchen. She wanted to see it anyway. We went down those rather dark, narrow, stairs to the kitchen, where my wife thanked the owners for the tour and said we'd get back to them. We headed straight for the car. "What on earth is wrong?",I asked. She looked at me like I was nuts and said, You mean you didn't feel anything when you went up those stairs? "Funny you'd say that, I replied, But I thought it was just my imagination." She shuttered,"There is something extremely evil there." I wouldn't go back up those stairs if they GAVE us the place." The house is killing her you know?" I knew enough not to question it. As we drove back we stopped at a little ramshackle grocery and filling station for a cold drink. While I was in the store I mentioned the house. "The old XXXX house, yeah thats some place," Built by a local politician who hanged himself in the Foyer. A lot of people have looked at it, but as far as I know noone has even made an offer." Here is a case where my wife is far more sensitive to the paranormal than I am. But I guess women normally are. Shortly after that we bought this house, just as old but only a single acre and in a small village.