Thursday, October 22, 2009 — The other day, residents in Millsberry's Ravenwood neighborhood reported hearing a screeching sound, but they couldn't tell if it was coming from a mover's truck...or from a Ravenwood resident! All that was immediately known was that a truck had pulled up in front of the neighborhood's "haunted" house: the Red Lion Manor. And, sure enough, neighbors swiftly grabbed their binoculars and called their friends until crowds of onlookers filled every backyard and rooftop near the fabled manor, with everyone watching and waiting for the story to piece together.

It was then that a tall man dressed in a tuxedo—and a long brown cape that covered his face—suddenly emerged from the truck. That's also when the spying residents gasped in shock. And the shrieks only got louder as they observed a grand chapel organ (a type of musical instrument) come flying out of the truck's cargo doors, to follow the mysteriously caped man inside. Shortly thereafter, a figure that looked like a tall pink man emerged from the truck the same way, and was then seen carrying boxes into the home.

Unfortunately, as the sun went down it only got harder and harder to get a clear view. Still, people were able to hear things—like a deep, spooky laugh, sounds of "boo!"...and some disco music!

Once night had fallen, a number of neighbors admitted that they were uneasy. Who was moving into their neighborhood? Rumor has it that the former owners of the Red Lion Manor had moved somewhere far away—apparently escaping the spooks that refused to leave their home! They're said to have donated the Manor to the Millsberry Historical Society so it can be preserved as a landmark, and to allow it to be used by the public (for those brave enough to enter)!

The Gazette staff thought the Historical Society would be a good place to investigate this scoop, so we asked Edna Nelson, Historical Society curator and Millsberry's oldest citizen, what she knew—and if she could tell us about the Manor's new occupants. Edna however just smiled and shook her head "no." Then she said, "Maybe no one has moved in at all, and it was just your imagination getting the best of you!"

Hundreds of spying citizens couldn't all be wrong. However, it's worth noting that Halloween isn't too far away, and Millsberry is always cooking up something surprising and spooky on that day.

So stay tuned...and be on the lookout for a tall pink man, a man in a brown cape—and flying organs!