Tuesday, October 6, 2015

The Removal of Black Aggie, Part ll



In Part l of this post here, several legends are shared that resulted in the Black Aggie statue being removed from the Druid Ridge Cemetery. 

Large numbers of people entering this Cemetery in Pikesville, Maryland, at night illegally, plus ongoing vandalism spurred its removal.

The Agnus Family donated it to the Smithsonian in the 1960s. They are related to the general whose grave displayed the Black Aggie statue.

Black Aggie statue.

The following is just one of the many scary legends that were told about this statue—which spurred its removal.

Three teens were sitting on a slope overlooking Druid Ridge Cemetery in the 1950s. They were there because they had heard rumors about one marble grave marker dubbed—Black Aggie.

One boy in the group, Nathan had heard the stories from his mother, so he was regaling the other two with what he knew.

“At first glance, Black Aggie looks harmless-- but her angelic face is deceiving for she has a demonic nature. They say it’s her eyes-- during the day they are pale and blank, but at night they turn fiercely red and glowing.”

The other male in the group, a boy by the name Josh laughed. “So she is a statue that gives you an evil eye. Come on you don’t actually believe that?”

Nathan placed on the defensive stated, “It is not just an evil eye, witnesses state when you look directly into Aggie’s eyes, you go blind.”

They say she is a particular threat to males. She hates them because of the way she died.”

Josh’s girlfriend asked, “How did she die?”

Nathan relishing his role continued, “My mother told me she was left at the altar. She then died of a broken heart.”

Josh laughed again. “This is all hogwash. Has anyone witnessed her red eyes or evil nature?”

Nathan worried he was losing face, got up off the grass. “It’s getting cold, time to leave.”

Josh ran down the hill. “Not until we visit Black Aggie.”

Nathan reluctantly showed the other two the way to the statue. It was located in the oldest part of the cemetery—Black Aggie sat with her arms stretched out and a shroud draped over her—in the shadow of an ancient oak.

Josh moved in close, “So this is Evil Aggie?”

As a chill ran down Nathan’s back, he glanced around and nodded yes. “It is cold and late, let’s go.”

Josh reached out and poked the statue. He quipped, “So many men to blind and so little time.”

Nathan now nervous but not wanting to show it, feigned boredom. “Hey, you’ve seen her—now let’s go.”

Josh ignored Nathan and stepped up onto the base of the statue, he then jumped into her lap. “You go, I want to visit with Aggie for awhile.”

He leaned back against one of the statue’s arms and dangled his legs over the other. His date looked up at him, “You shouldn’t do that, it is disrespectful.”

A cold chill slammed into the center of Nathan’s gut. Frightened now, he said, “this isn’t funny.” When Josh once more ignored him, he shouted, “Get down, let’s go, I mean it.”

Josh looked over at the other two teens. “You are chickens. You should go, I don’t feel like hanging out anymore.”

Nathan grabbed Josh's girlfriend by the hand and escorted her out of the cemetery.

The next morning she called Nathan. “Josh’s mom called me this morning—she is in a panic because he didn’t come home last night.”

Nathan blew it off, “He is just trying to freak everyone out.” But several hours later when Josh still had not made an appearance, the two teens met back at the entrance to the cemetery.

When they came within sight of Black Aggie Josh’s girlfriend sighed in relief, “There he is, still in her lap.”

Nathan shouted Josh’s name, but he did not respond. As the two drew near, they found it odd he didn’t acknowledge their presence. Nathan then reached out and touched Josh’s arm.

Josh moved slightly, “Is that you guys?”

Nathan said, “It’s us, why didn’t you go home last night?”

Josh turned to them, and they drew back in horror as they looked upon his face. His eyes were coated white—he was blind.

“I couldn’t find my way . . . and she wouldn’t let me go.” He held up one of his arms, and there the other two teens saw dark purple and blue marks, in the shape of Black Aggie’s five stone fingers.

More legends are shared in Part l The Removal of Black Aggie, here.

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