Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-05-28
ca0gcg l.lTgRATuag.
I'll OW / COUR TED L UL u.
r TABLEAUX V.
THE PARTNERS IN THE n1NuET.
TcoNcLUDED.

ss. L 1
THE PARTNERS IN THE MINUET.
The conversation I have just related oc-
Cured on Wednesday night. The follow :
ing evening was dedicated to the minuet
and tabeaux
{ Toward noon, levies of young ladies', ac-
frs,ss4fz.;ad racsed from sound sleep to the u
had been walked by some sound--wnaT, !
knew not.
turned my head slightly toward the bed,
and was about TO rise and seek that much
more rational couch, when described by the
last fash of fame, the figure of Fitzarthur,
raised up half from the bed, and motionless
as stone. Fitzarthur presented SO coml-
cal spectacle, with his flower decorated
night cap and rigid features, that was
near laughing; but the thought suddenly
flashed upon me, that, doubtless, there was
some cause other than nightmare or dreams
for this attitude in the sleeper.
A second glance proved to me that Fit
zarthur's eyes were fixed with a horriied
depression upon some object which, from
my position, [ could not see.
| did not rise-I only turned my head
and I saw what made my blood run
cold.
It was white figure gliding toward the
led noiselessly and as i: seemed to me,
with great white wings issa.ns from It's
shoulders.
followed the movements Of the figure
with gaze of the protoundest horror and
the recollection of aunt Louisa's superstl-
ton suddenly flashed upon me, and chilled
tho xaru hlOnd Of my heart
The figure paused at the foot or the bed,
and the wings all at once descended. saw
that they were only human arms, from
which dropped the full white drapery of the
figure. | had scarcely time to make this
mental reflection, when the white thing
!, turned toward the table-and seemed to ST
and write for moment and then rose
again, and once more approached the bed
When saw it write, was more thar
: ever convinced that was in the prcsenc
of a spirit and, with the hair standing VI
upon my head. scanned the figure. L
was moving image, over whose person
{ even over its head-a snowy veil seeme
l. to have been thrown. But silkcn tral
II which issued from the veil, proved that th
spirit had other vestments beside.
es sa.laIalu-
q horror to yastonishmentEfrom the grav
Y seemed to enter life again. The traI
i, Of the fgure was of blue sattn-sudden
ne I heard il rustle-at the same moment
u heard litter without the door.
IN I don't know how 1t was, but l knew
en- once. you see, the whole affair. sprui
ad FROM nv scat wita loud laugh-the hgu
ie- half screamed, and Eetreated quickly to
9p- loor-and in an istant, with single bou
he, had reached the side of the ghost, and
lor circled her with my arms
OF The white veil was torn off, IN the pr
ut ence of dozen young ladies en- desho6'
the who retreated, screaming, TO their apd
ar ments. and [ found that [ had IN my ar
the no less person than Miss Lulu, IN
DIS, minuet costume, and with a face full
her bushes and laughter.
Ugh But the laughter suddenly disappear
the and, with an angry pout, the young
NC cried:
rom "Take away your arms, sir how
men you hold me?' >,
iron "Take away your veil, madam p
oud nlied. laughing, chow dare you enter
''A0' apartment !! -,
anu to extricate herself from my embrace.
be "It's only joke" I replied, trying
outh am sorry and ashamed to say-tryin
lei"l kiss Lulu.
next Il will raise the house, sir y
7ania 70 The house is already up
lead ec;rr,
'nsti- {" mean those charming young git
epen- oil dressed in white, who scampered
now like dozen white rabbits.
ma, a Lulu's head dropped, and she
its, struggling, murmuring: =.
'rated "Tom II shall-cry !-ifyou hol
ho as sirw
This was more than | could endure
-. mnrmur went straight to my heart,
lpolh' unlocked my arms. No sooner had
ho"e SO, than Lulu disappeared like sii
into her apartment, the door OF WINE
our OF locked and balted, loughing at her tri'
I returned quietly to my chamber
.tenip' went to bed. Fitzarthur gave no
,o;d Glis - having been even for a moment ava
lala IN the next day too, no allusion even be
aple, any knowledge, upon his part, OF the
'rt "e Of the night. | have but one more
record concerning the elegant and g
shown mored Fitz. In forty-eight hours
a@ister, parted from Belleair, and never retu