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"A lieutenant who fought in the War of 1812 came here when he ounded, and he died soon after Another soldier on the Union side in the Civil War also died in that rooirls died there in 1890--she took poison to coo, one of you was found dead in the rooive all this inforht?" he persisted She felt acutely uncomfortable Every old house had its history Naturally soela Wilson did die in that rooht"
Todd regarded her soleus Tarleton’s desk, didn’t she?"
"Yes, Todd, she did She sat down--she must have been winded Like I said, she died there of a heart attack"
"And somebody else died in the house, too," Todd said "A couple of years ago"
She inhaled a deep breath "Yes," she ade student decided to hack into the alar for a fraternity He tried to break in and did so with the alarm, and he was electrocuted Everyone involved with the house was appalled, but--"
"And there was another guy The wouides or whatever you’re called"
"That was in 1977 He fell down the steps and broke his neck," Allison said
"Fell? Or was pushed? I bet Beast Bradley pushed hione for over two centuries He’s not hanging around here trying to kill people" Allison shook her head "The house has been here for a long tis happen"
Todd frowned at her "I think he is I think he wanted to stay in Philadelphia, and he wanted to marry Lucy Tarleton, but she hated him So he killed her, but he still didn’t want to leave the house It was supposed to be his house So he came back here when he died And now he kills people!"
There was so about the boy’s insistence that made Allison unco here She didn’t need this job; she’d gotten her degrees in history and was a college lecturer who also wrote articles and was currently doing research for a book She worked at the house because she loved the people part of history, loved understanding the realities and nuances of everyday life far rown up farther down on Chestnut Street and had admired this place all her life, and as a result she could answer questions that few others could She’d respected the house, and she’d never wanted to sensationalize it by writing ghost stories Like any historical place, it had an aura about it She felt that sa next to the Liberty Bell or when she went into Independence Hall, or any of the sites around the world where people had once lived and passionately taken part in the shaping of destiny She couldn’t believe that Todd was suddenly s happen, Todd, and they happen everywhere That’s e go through life trying to drive properly, cross the street only when the light is green and take care of our health--because huile" She smiled "I work here three days a week, and so has ever happened to me I usually close up by host"
Todd looked at her oddly "He likes you He ht now He likes wo, and she told herself he was heading back toward being a raunchy preteen, acting in a e
His mother walked up to them a moment later "I’m Todd and Jimmy’s mom, Haley Dixon," she said "I’ you As you’ve probably heard, we did the ghost tour last night There are all kinds of stories about this place, and they’re boys, and…" Her voice trailed off
"Mrs Dixon, Todd’s been asking ood listener," Allison said
Haley Dixon slad you’re curious, but we have to leave Ms Leigh alone and allow her to give everyone her information at the saood parent, slightly at a loss as to what to do with a couple of boys Her husband, viewing so, he ca an arh You do a wonderful tour Forgivein this house," Allison assured hiht, everyone, gather around and I’ll give you all the grisly details on soic occurrences here, since it see us to it"
She told them about the soldiers, then reminded them, "In the past, many women died in childbirth It was the norm to have your baby at home, so several of them died here Many fae Res are mortal and leave this world in so at Todd "Noe’re going down the rear steps to the old food preparation roos"