Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-07-09
0Qmrester 4ailp Spp.
From Sharpc's London Magazine.
MY GHOST

about the marriage. This was woman's con-
stancy. Not three years, and she was married,
and to Lowther, too, who, from "reminiscences
OF old days, must constantly remind me of her.
| confessed now that | still loved her-confess-
ed it as penance to myself, pressed it down
on his sore heart like a cauterizing iron, and
writhing under the pain of my own seIf-con-
tempt Still from week to week | was not
sure that the marriage had taken place. | al
ways hoped that it was not yet cOnsummated
Not to-day let it be tomorrow. Some six
months after left home, there was sentence
in one of my mothers letters which settled the
matter.
"Your friend, Sir Hercules" she wrote,
twas married last week. l have seen the an
nouncement in this mornings newspaper.' y
Certainty is better than uncertainty the fall
OF Damocles' sword is more bearable than its
suspension.
My mother died before [ reached England
again. Never more could that sad quarrel be
renewed.
settled down to my profession and worked
hard. My miseries passed away, and the
acuteness of my feelings became numbed I'M
der the influence of close study. Ambition
awoke within me. The more succeeded the
mo. wished to succeed; the further | adj
yanced on the road, the longer grew the road
before me. Aided by favorable circumstances,
my progress was faster than usual at the bar.
AT the age Of thirty-fve, my practice was
large.
About this time | determined to marry. /
was rich, had many friends, but | had no
home; | felt the lack of those domestic COM
forts, and that social position which only mar.
rage can give.
So began to look round for a wife. NY
friends soon learned that | was a marrying
man, and recommendations came to my ears
fNf g and 70 ,Is4 ,o,,1
ter. Mammas smiled on me with increased
favor, and melted their lovely offspring to dis
play for me their virtues and accomplishments
Very opposite was this marriage project to
the foolish engagement of fifteen years ago
Then, an insane fancy for the child like my
self had nearly hurried me into matrimonial
condition for which both of us were vet un-
ripe. We were untitled for each other. 1t
would have been a sacrifice Oh both sides
How unsatisfactory would Daisy have filled
the office l now looked for in my wife The
woman Of my search was the very antipodes
to her
had professional business in the North of
England and arranged to stay for night,
on my way, at the seat of friend in one of
the midland counties. OF course this friend
had daughter. | went to see his daughter,
as | should have gone to look at the points of
horse which thought might suit me if l had
wanted a horse, | had seen Miss Dalton in
London during the last season. She had all
the requisite advantages which ! have men,
toned above and to this favored person |,
the grand Seigneur, felt inclined at length to
throw the handkerchief l would see her at
home, and then make up my mind in the at
firmative or the negative.
On the railway platform | met an old friend
no other than Lowther. He was in deep
mourning, and his black dress, together with
the change which time had worked on him,
made me at first uncertain Of hissidentity.
However, in momeWe"e recognized each
other, shook hand, and took our seats in the
same carriage. My heart gave one throb and
slept again. | had not seen Lowther since his
marriage. He had broadened into a portly
zsodntry gentleman, and his sstJlid countenance
had gained a gravity which looked not unlike
wisdom. His deep voice had a majestic roll
in it, and his slow speech a deliberation sug-
gestive of well weighed words. | was amused
at the form into which his juvenile stolidity
had ripened. / learned from his conversation
that his wife was not long dead. Again the
throb at my heart, and long, quivering trem-
or, ere it subsidized into rest. Poor Daisy
Her girlish figure rose before me wildly for a
moment, and then gradually faded. l noted
on Lowther's finger memorial ring of brown
hair and round it imprinted Margaret"
Lowther was bound for an estate of his III the
north, not far from my ultimate destination.
He made me promise to come to him for day
before / returned to London A meeting with
an old coegian is always pleasant; the social
ity Of those early days retains its hold upon
us through life. Lowther and l, for this
and for other causes, were glad to see each
other, and shook hands heartily and warmly
when we separated.
NV reception by the Daltons was kindly,
and had that domestic charm about (which is
wondrously agreeable to the bachelor. 1t is
something to be received en- tdnile when one
has not home of ones own. L liked Amy
Dalton better in the old fashioned country
house than in the London ball rooms. l liked
her kindness to the children when they came
down after dinner. Children cannot be bribed
or scolded into acting love where they do not
feel love- liked the hints which l heard of
her household hardness, and of homely duties
diligently performed by her. liked her sto-
ries about the village folks, showing, not in the
way of public exhibition, how she visited their
cottages and read to them Above all, | liked
her because she did hot try to captivate me,
did not parade her accomplishments and her
virtues before me. | had seen too much of
that lately. All these little favorable traits
were so much thrown i'll over and above the
essentials in the bargain which meditated.
AT night | retired to the library. l had
writing to do, which must be done for to-mor-
rows post. Iwrote my letters, and then threw
myself into an easy chair by the dying fire.
Instead of Amy, thoughts OF Daisy rose within
me-thoughts long st1ed and dead. Those
summer days came back, the wanderings in
the landship the sketches, her childish petu-
lance, her wild spirits, her melancholy, her
foolish dreams and speculations. remember
ed how she used to disappear in the hazel
thicket; how her little head had lain upon my
knees how at that parting she had thrown
herself into my arms and passlonately kissed
me- Now that she was dead, 1T seemed as II
her marriage with Lowther was wiped away
she was mine once more. The old feelings
rushed back in torrent. tried to stem them,
hut in vain. NV heart awoke from its sleep,
and proclaimed its omnipotence; and my frigld
reason shrunk away before its fiery sceptre.
There was a sound. The handle of the door
turned. the door creaked and opened. Good
God was mad
There in the doorway stood Daisy--a little
figure dressed in black, the same thin face, the
same heavy hair. The same treble voice ut
tered my Iiame A moment and she was gone.
i rushed forward, and there was nothing.
amentable weakness this. My head was
affected. My will came into action and beat
down the struggling of my heart and strung
my nerves with its iron fingers and brought
my wild thoughts under control. This, inn
pressed on my mind, has been a phantom of
my imagination. am tired and feverish af-
ter my journey, and l have suffered old
thoughts to get the better of me. will never
let such absurditics conquer my reason again.
have been fool.
lighted my candle and went to bed. Not
withstanding will and reason, there was a
ceaseless whisper within, saying ut was no
trick of imagination. You have seen little