Your
True Tales
April 2006 – Page
33
Dolley
Madison's Ghost
by David Larson
I live in Maryland, only about 30 miles from Washington, D.C. and frequently enjoy visiting the many historic sites of the nation's capital. A few years ago, I stopped by the Octagon House, a very old residence not far from the White House that dates back to the Revolutionary era. The house itself has a very colorful history and has been the residence of a number of prominent people in the nation's capital over the years. Today, it is open to the public and you can tour the home and see all its historic features.
That is what I did one lovely November afternoon a few years ago. I joined a small group, led by a guide, and was shown around the lovely old home and I had a chance to see all its unusual features and fine old furnishings. On the tour, I learned that during the War of 1812, President James Madison and his famous wife, Dolley, lived in the house for a number of years after the British burned the White House and much of Washington. Apparently, Dolley was quite fond of the home and hosted many festive parties there.
As I finished the tour and prepared to leave the group and say goodbye to the guides at the home's welcome desk, I suddenly smelled an extremely strong fragrance in the air. Although quite heavy and powerful, it was a very pleasant scent and I couldn't imagine where such a smell might be coming from. Likewise, I couldn't quite place just what floral scent it was. I said to the guides as I was getting ready to leave, "What is that very nice smell? Do you have some fresh cut flowers somewhere or is there an air freshener around somewhere?"
Curiously, the guides and none of the other visitors near me could smell the scent. "How could you not smell that?" I asked with surprise. "There's no smell," everyone reported. That was when one of the guides told me, "You know, sometimes people will come here and report smelling a very strong, pleasant odor just like you are describing now. Often though, no one else around them can smell it." "Well, what could it be from?" I asked. She casually replied, "Oh, it's probably Mrs. Madison! She always wore a heavy lilac-scented perfume in her lifetime and sometimes people will report that they can smell that odor when they visit the house."
"That's it," I thought. "Lilac. That's the scent." And the guide added, "Usually, if you smell that, it means Mrs. Madison is around. It's her lilac perfume, that she always loved in her lifetime. You may not be able to see her and even though she's been dead over 150 years, with her lilac perfume, she's just saying hello to you and letting you know she's still very much here!" I was quite taken aback by it all and a little bit shocked. I've never met a First Lady in all my life. But then again, maybe I did have the honor of actually meeting Mrs. Dolley Madison. The only thing was, I couldn't see her. I could only smell her lovely lilac perfume!
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