Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-08-27
(WEHOLE NO. 93

/
e Young gentlornan, do you wish to draw
back?'
: 4 draw bach exclaimed the student
wei, if hs Assguineas. you should
see # 1 wishes Draw BACK
Here said1. ARE foaf guineas which 1
will stake on your wager
No sooner had | made the proposition,
than the rest Of the company, attracted by
the singularity Of the affair. ca@e forward
TO lay Gown their money, and in q minute
or two the fifty guineas were subscribed
The merchant appeared so sure of winning
that he placed all The money in the STU
dents hands. and prepared for his expert
mt. We selected for tie purpose sum-
mer house in the garden. perfectly isola-
ted, and having no means Of exit but
window which We carefully fastened, after
placing the young man within. We put
writing materials on small table in the
summer-hoase, and took away the candles:
We remained outside with the peddler
among Us. In a low. solemn voice, he be-
gan to chant the following lines:
"What riseth slow from the ocean waves
And the stormy surf?
The phantom pale sets his blackened
foot
On the fresh green turf
Then raising his voice solemnly, he
said:
You ask to see your friend. Francis
Nilliers, who was drowned three years ago
off tle coast of South America; what do
you see?'
4 see,' replied the student. % white
light arising near the window; but it has
no FORM ii is like an uncertain cloud.
We, the spectators, remained profoundly
silent
Are you afraid?' asked the merchant in
4 loud voice.
Il am not replied the student firmly.
Afer momeut's silence, the peddler
stamped three times on the ground and
sang:
And the phantom white whose clay cold
face
Was once so fair,
Dries with his shroud his clinging vest
His sea-fost hairp
Once more the solemn question:
You, who would see revealed the Sc
crets of the tomb, what do you see now?'
Th" student answered in calm voice,
but ike that of a man describing things as
they passed before him:
Il see the cloud taking the form of a
phantom; lis head is covered with long
veil-it stands siil'
Are you afrald?'
Il am not
We looked at each other in horror -strick
an silence. while the merchant, lifting his
lrms above his head, chanted in a sepul-
chral voice:
And the phantom said, as he rose from the
wave,
He shall know me in sooihl
fond,
As In our first youth
What do YOU see?' said he.
4 see the phantom approach; he lifts his
veil--'lis Francis Niliers. he approaches
he table.-he writes, It's his sisnaturer
Are YOU afraid?
81 e
he student replied, but in altered voice:
Il am not
With strange and frantic gestures the
merchant then sang:
And the phantom said to the mockins seer,
come from the South;
Put thy hand ON my hand--ihy heart on
my heart
Thy mouth on my mouth
What do YOU see?'
lie comes. he approaches me--he pur-
sues me--he is ut stretching out his arms.
he will have me. Help, help. save mel
Are you afraid nor>' asked the mer.
,hant in a moching voice.
A piercing cry, and then s;ifed groau.
we're the onl y reply to this terrible. ques-
ion.
Help that rash youth, said the mer-
liant bitterly Il have, think. won the
rauer. it is sufficient for me to have given
,im a lesson. Let him keep his money.
md be wise in future
lie walked rapidly away. We opened
he door of the summer-house, and found
he student in conyulsions. A paper sign
d Francis NiIlers,' was upon the. table.
IS soon as the students senses were re-
lored he asked vehemenily where was the
lie sorcerer who had mentally subjected
I'm, to such horrible ordeal--he would
ill him. He sought him throughout the
nm in vain; then with the speed of a mad.
nan, he dashed Oft across the fields in pur-
nj, Of him--and we never saw either of
hem again That, children, is my Ghost
,toryP
r. 4