The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-11-30
Selrrtea 5turq.
From the New York Mercury.
THE GHOST.
BY GEORGE ARNOLD.

My friend, John Legion, Esq, is the
happy possessor of nice little property,
in this State {; not hundred miles from
the line Of the Erie railroad. When he
inherited this estate, and moderate bank
account with it, instead of selling out,
and trying to die worth hundred thou.
sand dollars, in five years" he very wise
iy removed from the city TO his farm; had
the old house rel ejuvenated, by the aid Of
few fancy porticoes, cornlces, aud Ital.
ian chlmneSs INTO modern cOttdqe Ornee
comely to look upon, aud roomy within
named the place "kosemere," from ihe
countless will roses that grew upon it
and settled down peacefully with his
charming little wife aud her Two Charm
ing little children, to enjoy existence sen
s'bly, without caring copper to anass a
fortune.
Here, every summer, he rides over bis
acres, habIted in coll white linen and sha-
dy straw hat, overseeing his half dozen
laborers; and here, every winter, he gath
ers n few city friends about him, to spend
the holidays, and 10 enliven the monoto.
ny OF winter in the county. have
the honor To be one Of John Leoion's
friends and manv are the pleasant davs
and jolly nights have passed a, Rose
mere, shooting sleighng, OF skating, in
the Notwithstanding writing, or talk
ing (Jolin and are immense at meta.
physics) in the afternoon and eating,
drinking, dancing, flirting, singh z, play
,ha l..I
namely in the evenings. John Legion al.
ways chose his company well, ladies aud
gentlemen so that everybody can follow
his or her attractions, and find sympathy
and companionship with somebody else.
Not very many winters ago, went, as
usual, to Rosemere, for "A week, and found
smal! party assembled there Ned Sta.
pleton and his wifs-old friends of mine:
Paul Ryder dramatic critic Of the Week.
iy Pairhdn); little Miss Sally Creamer
Madge Holton-with whom I have fiir,.
ed any time these five years John lie.
gion's cousin, Lucy Freye: and the plan.
ist, Payne Wilkinson.
These two last named personages are
TO be my hero and heroine.
knew the pianist tolerably well in the
city. lie was a quiet, reserved, shy sort
Of feliow-given to blushing, and verv
much devoted to music. When Johns
cousin Lucy passed the winter with the
Stapleton's, Payne had given her lessons
on the piano, just for the fun Of it-so
they were pretty we'll acquainted; and
Mrs. s., like a woman rs she was. had
determined that they ought to make a
match. myself thought they might
do worse A; but hardly expected il, be.
cause they were Doth SO difiident. IL si
ther had made the least advance, it would
no doubt, have been well received, but
Payne would never forget his extrsm.
delicacy enough to evinee the faintest sign
Of pariiality for Lucy before others, nor
would she risk the appearance Of for.
wardness-that terrible bugbear to sens
tive girls-erough to allow him private
opportunities for expressing any affections
te nigh. have felt.
The consequence was, that although
everybody. e., Mrs. Stspleton and /
thought they would make an excellent
pair, they seemed to avoid all chances for
such an arrangement most studiously.
On the occasion OF this visit, we were
all unusually good humored for some rea.
son or another, and had a most glorious
time. We instituted variety OF new
games-some Of them concocted in NV
own fertile brain, and most hstteringIy
received, and the tableauz vivants. etc,
arranged with wonderful dramatic skill
by Paul Ryder, were boyond all descrip
ton. observed, as curious psycho.
logical phenomenon. that he always con.
triyej to give Sally Creamer q soubre,te
part, (Which she enacted most bewitcb.
ingly), and took character himself tba,
required quarrel with her, subsequent
reconciliation, and Of course kiss. At
rehearsel, he insisted on having everything
real on the stage, SO far as was possible
especially the kiss Payne Wilkinson
was too ciitident for tho drama -and In
cy Freye was too useful. The former pre-
ferred to execute appropriate music be
tween the pieces and during the fa5leaux
and the latter occupied her consumate
taste in the arrangement Of dresses, ma.
king up OF faces, etc,