Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-03-29
EV VENING STAR,
RCHKN NOLL.
A New Ghost Story of Old Virginia.
TCONCLUDED.l

contemporary, the tall bureau, with the state
ly and measured grace of the days when Vir
| ginia was the Old Dominion. An etagere, a
| modern toilet table, and two or three light
chairs-all parvenues and innevatlons-ca-
pered round the dOwager furniture, like fris-
ky new people, uncertain of their position.
| Strange as my mirth may appear, L could not
| avoid laughing out at the scene, and forth
| with, to rebuke my levity, the bed under
meath me began to ascend, and went as near
| the ceiling as the posts would permit, coming
| down with an audible bounce and 4 sensible
jar. The water in the ever poured itself into
the bowl, and the towels wiped invisible
| hands. Everything was in a state of most
| unexplainable topsy-turvity. l can't &C
| count for it, and don't pretend to. The
| breakfast bell sounded, and forgetting my
| threatened nap, L astOnished Aunt Susannah
| and all the rest Of the servants by answering
| the first summons. 1 look inquringly round
the room. Angeline had disappeared in the
| tumult, but the chairs and tables all were
:lere, and all in their places, and rebuked
| ae for my folly. But the towels Uers wet, and
| the pitcher was empty.
"Where did you dress?" 1 asked Angeline
| at the breakfast table.
"1n my own room"
"And how did you rest %
"Sweetlyn' That was her answer. Iwon-
| der if she did not !ie-ttcice? Edward look
| ed haggard and weary. L strongly suspected
| that be had passed as troubled night as N.Y.
| self, but L asked no questions, for 1 was de-
| termined not to add to the mystifcation. But
| what could have introduced such vagaries in
to quiet old mansion, which was never be
| fore suspected of anything contrary to estat-
| lished rule and precedent? Our family have
always lived here Marriages, births, and
deaths have followed each other in due Sc
quence; and there is not line of romance.
that ever heard of, coupled with my name
in all our generations.
But now, of a certainty Birchknoll is losing
its good character.
Spiritualism still continued to be the theme
| of conversation. Angeline now would relate
a case with due circumstantial minuteness,
and now laugh at the whole subject Aunt
SuSannah caught a word here and there as
| she moved about the premises, but the brief
and only remark she made the reader is al
ready acquainted with. The younger fry,
always under foot, would stop and listen till
their sable faces shOne and their eyes protru-
ded. About dusk they would cluster up to
us like brood of black chickens, and there
was no making them move without louder
threats than had ever before been heard at
Bir1 hknoll Aunt Susanpah declared the
place was bewitched, and that was all about
it L think Edward began to think so, or if
he did not, he gave the strongest evidence of
riding, sitting or standing, eating or drinking,
he was sure to be with Angeline. 1 be-
gan to be jealous. Mother looked thought
full. Father asked me a great many ques
tions in quiet, and he thought q very un
concerned way, about Angeline's family. OF
course, L could give him only the very best
account, since all L knew was from Angeline
herself; and if boarding school girls are tho
representatives OF our population, We are GER
tainly most exalted people. They never
fail, at school, to honor father and mother in
their accounts of home. Aunt Susannah only
said, " "Eh-eh-em-emn ~
All visits must come to a close. Angeline
left US. 1t was dull at BirchknOll How de
lightful, in a quiet country place, to have
somebody come out to you full of what is GO
ing on in the great world. The stock which
is thrown into the common fund of amuSe-
ment is not to be found in the newspapers, or
even in your correspondence. Time flies
And when the guest goes time lags. You Try
to chat over again what you have been talk
ing about. But it is pecking at the debris of
a feast 1t is slipping stale champagne, and
nibbIing the frosting of departed cakes. The
freshness is gone; the esprit is fed. You
can't get up the interest over again. We were
dull, very dull.
Edward proposed a week in the city No
matter what city. / don't care to open, or
cause to be opened, a newspaper correspond
ence, and the events L am to tell are too re-
cent to permit me to give precise date. and
localities. 1t is pleasant to go to town, if y0u
70 right. Take possession Of paid quarters,
and verify the old proverb that there is TO
welcome like that Of an inn. Denilens Of
cities are hospitable in their way. They like
to dine you and sup you; they are delighted
at call they are pleased if you can spend
q night. But never, if you wish 10 be vel
come, drive to the door with trunks and
boxes, and surprise your city friends with a
deliberate invasion. FOTtify yourself in a
public house, and thence make agreeable sor
ties On your relations and friends in rotation
We had been installed in our quarters an
hOur-perhaps two. Edward rang for a SER
want, and directed our boy to be sent up-the
factotum, boy of forty, Aunt Susannah's
youngest. He is a coachman, footman, valet,
and all; a useful fellow, but spoiled. He
was not to be found Edward stormed, and L
laughed at him. Reserving his wrath until
Sam should return-that wrath, of course, to
be entirely forgotten when the object Of it
should make his appearance-my brother took
up his hat and went himself for what he had
intended to send-some little toilet article or
other.
He returned with half his errand unat-
tended to; saw him coming round the cor
ner in such a state Of blind abstraction that
he could see nobody. 1 saw Sam, too, cum
ming valet escape without falling under his
masters eye, for the rogue had heard from me
of my brothers anger. Edward threw him
self on the sofa without a word. was glad
that Sam had escaped, for L hate scenes; ard
ever since this spiritualism had found its way
to Birchknoll nay brother had been peevish
and impatient. waited his sullen worship's
pleasure.
"Caroline, it's deuced queer, but the city
is haunted, too, or bewitched, as Susannah
says. 1 was Impressed to come here, you
know"
Nonsense, Edward! You were weary at
home, and came here to be amused. D"
swell, we'll, }" he said, impatiently, have
that your own way. But what think you or
Mts? Nobody knows we are here. We have
not met an acquaintance. L have not even
registered our names in the office But just
now, as 1 turned the corner in going out,
stranger met me. Edward -" said he,
/" the spirit which sent you to this city will
meet you this evening at O'Clock, at 40
R street Come alone Shall 90 ?"
Here was question put to young woman
of weak nerves parried it. "I thought