The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-11-30

not because his lamp needed trimming
his fire replenishins or his system s,im
aiant; but because he wanted to do some
thing to break the silence-tep time,
more Intense since the last sound of the
clock died away.
Fat pat, pat pat, pat pat'-past bis
door, up the hall, toward the s,ars-nak
ed feet or thin slippers, a light feminine
step-Just AS plain AS could bel. No pos
sibility for illusion about that he could
have sworn to the reality of those foot.
steps in any court Of law
Very cautiously he opened bis door
and looked anxiously up the ball. Some.
thing dark and shadowy showed against
the window above the staircase for a mo
ment, and then disappeared, as the steps
went pat pat down stairs.
Delighted at the mystery and romance
OF the situation, yet little nervous wi,hal
the Young musician followed on tip toe,
in his stockings, shading his lamp with
his hand.
The supernatural steps preceded him
a few yards, and pausing at the front par
lor, opened the door and entered. Wik.
Inson followed hesitatingly, bu. stopped
when he gained the doorway for the
ghost was apparently about to play the
piano!
The instrument had been left open, and
upon the stool the appall,ion had seated
itself, with its back toward him. 7, was
evidently woman, and in night dress.
Payne was afraid TO let the full liz Int OF
his lamp fall upon it; but its dim beams,
struggling between his fingers; showed
INN that the phantom's hair was arrauc
ed exactly rs Lucy Freye generally ar.
ranged hers. AS he advanced into the
room, the ghost held up one hand and
he saw on the little finger peculiar
seal ring, with dark blue some, that
Lucy Freye always wore.
Quite taken back at this discovery, he
was about 20 retreat, when The ghos,
murmured something very softly.
% Payne ! it said-'dedr Payne why
will you not speak, in words, the love tba,
makes all your music so eloquent?
With these words, which set the plan.
lists heart 10 beating audibly, the ghost
let It's head slowly sink down upon its
arms, which rested on tie front OF the
piano, and its slow, even breath WAS ex.
actIy like that of s,umber.
Wilkinson regained his room as noise
,essIy as lie had left ii; but he found M
/ repose there. The only explanation he
could think Of for thi, strange scene WAS
self evident one. Lucy Freye was uu
, douOtcdly sumuumhulist, and said aIaEl
in her dreams, the thing, she onty though
when awake
! The next morning, we all inquired
very anxiouSlv. whether WiIkerson hac
watched, and what he had seen. He
. bIuahed like n girl but stoully declared
that he had seen nothIng--heard moth
ing and that he had concluded the
footsteps to be imagination alone
Unfortunately Tor our opinion of his
vcraci,y, Paul Ryder an had watched
the whole scene from the folding doors
between the parlors, and the S,apIetons
had also witnessed it from their chamber
door, which opened into the front parIor
As Tor SalIie Creamer and Madge Hol
ton, SalIie had mel ped Madge to dress for
the part, braided her hair like Lacy
| Freyes and stole the lat,er's ring from
her toilet table, after she had gone to
sIeep-taking care, however, to return it
before morning. Therefore. when WiIk
inson made this extraordinary denial
we all had hard work to keep from
laughing outright. The footsteps that he
had heard were those Of Saiie Creamer
herself, and the whole story about tie
ghos. was q part Of the plot fabricated
by John Legion.
That afternoon We all managed &c
leave Payne AMI Lucy together ia the
rear paror for an hour and not long af
terward, it was announced that they were
engaged. To this day, Lucy imagin.
/ that she was afflicted with a sudden anG
b'iei fit Of somnambulsm payne told al
this about the ghost, at his wedding
party y and she once naiyely acknowI
edged to Madge lIoton, that she OTTER
dreamed Of saying very similar things to
those the phantom uttered. To which
Madge replied
Il thOuOnt sn then nv lear II