Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-07-18
PLAQUEALNE. PARISH OF IBERVILLE, La. JULY l8 1857

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paralyzed with dread by the recurrence
OF the same well-known step, that now
seemed pacing the dark and tenantless
apartment. lie even fancied an irregu-
Iarity in it, betokening, as he thought,
some distress of mind, and all that he had
ever heard otspirits revisiting the scenes
of their mortal existence, to expiate some
hidden crime, entered his Imagination and
combined TO make his situation awful
and appalling. 1t was, therefore, with
great earnestness that he exclaimed: 'In
the name of God, Hamilton, is that YOU
A voice from the threshold Of the com
municating door addressed him in tones
that sank deeply into his soul: 'Gordan,
listen, but do not speak to me. In ten
days you will apply for furlough; it will
not be granted to you. You will renew
the application in three weeks and then
it will be successful. Stay no longer in
Scotland than may be necessary for the
adjustment of your affairs. Go to Lon
don. Take lodgings at o.-Jermyn
street. You will be shown into an apart
ment looking into garden. Remove
panel from above the chimney piece, and
you will there find papers which establish
the fact Of my marriage, and will give
you the address of my wife and son.
Hasten, for they are in deep distress, and
these papers will establish there rights.
Do not forget me'
Captain Gordan did not recollect how
long he remained in the posture in which
he had listened to the spirit of his depar-
ted friend; but when he arose it was broad
day. He dressed himself and went to
town; drew up statement of the affair,
and authenticated it by his oath. He had
no intention Of quitting the colony during
the year, but an arrival brought inteIIi-
gence of the death Of his father, and of
his accession to a large estate. Within
the ten days he applied for furIough, but
such had been the mortality among the
officers that the commanding officer
thought proper to refuse his request. An
other arrival having, however, brought to
the island a reinforcement for the garri>
son, he found the difficulty removed upon
a second application in three weeks. He
sailed for Scotland, arranged bis affairs,
and intended Immediately aferward to
have proceeded to London. He suffered
however, one agreeable engagement after
another to retard his departure and his
friends concerns, and the preternatural
visit that he had received from him was
no longer impressed SO wildly as at first
upon his mind. One night, however, af-
ter social party of pleasure, he awoke
without apparent cause, as he had done
on the eYentfuI night in Dominica, and to
his utter CONSERVATION, the sound of the
Majors iron-step filled his ear. He star
ted from his bed, Immediately rang up
his servant, ordered post horses, and lost
not moment upon the way, until he arN
rived at the house in Jermyn street. He
found the identical paper as he had ex-
pected. He relieved the widow and the
orphan of his unhappy friend, and esta-
blished them as such in the inheritance to
which they ware entitled by his sudden
death; and the story reaching the ears of
royalty, the young Hamilton was patron
lied by the Queen of England, and early
a commission in the army, to
which he was attached at the time this tale
was told to me. It is also known that
Captain Gordan rose very high in militia
ry career; and was throughout his life dis
.inguished as brave and honorable offs
GER, and fortunate General.
Curious Facts From History.