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


The hrst word, that Payne WAS only wait
ing to be sure that she would listen to it
lhe thousand and one little sings Of at
iec!lon that lovers unconsciously betrav
had escaped him on every occasion that
had brought them together and we,
who soherly talked the platter over,
agreed that if anything could occur to
expose their feelings mutually, it would
be god send to both.
am perfectly we'll aware that 1t was
none of our business. | know that we
mad no right TO meutlon their feelings, or
to suggest any different course than the
one they pursued. acknowledge that
we were very culpable in this, as well as
IN our subsequent behavior-indeed, AS
entirely am convinced that we acted
wrongly, that | do not intend to make
the slightest apology or excuse only
invite the utmost condemnation Of the
reader, and sum up my reply into eight
simple words
What are you going TO do about i:r
We all sat at breakfast, a few morn
lngs after the play. and Wilkinson de.
scrI3ed singular noise he had heard du,
rEg the night
1T was the ghost, without doubt said
John Legion I used to hear il verv often
walking about up stairs. Don't you re
coIIec, George, the night when we heard
it together !?
nodded assent.
The story goes continued Legion,
that the first owner of the house was a
woman, whose husband i'll treated her un
I'll she died. She died, they sav, in the
west chamber, where Paul sleeos"-Paul
made gesture of alarm-'and is fond Of
taklug posthumouS walks through the
whole OF The second story. My wife here
believes the house TO be really haunted
but then, you know, ghost makes a
house respectable, and these women are
great site kIers for respectsbiIity.'
w hy, never heard Of any ghost here
said Lucy Freye.
No; YOU are so ,imid, my dear, tha,
have never mentioned it before to vou.'
But seriously said Payne, Il did ac.
tuaIly hear steps in my room and in the
hall steps like bare feet, apparently and
! distinct enough to wake me up
i have often heard steps in the hall
above, sand |; but wooden houses are
apt To he full Of odd noises
/ Vas this ghost ever been seen = asked
some one.
i don't know about that. | think Mrs.
Stape,om once saw something white IN
there didn't you, Mrs - said Mrs. Lee
zion.
YES | thought did,
The story SAYS that the ghost can be
seen at any time when it is beard con
tnued Legion and if | were superstitious
l'might confess to having seen something
little strange here myself
why, how roman,icr exclaimed pavne.
Il did not expect the luxury in a haunted
house, when came here | must fathom
this mystery
The night following this conversation
we retired somewhat early but the house
was alarmed little after midnight, bv
the pianist, who knocked a, all the doors,
aud desired us to assist him in securing
the ghost. He had been awakened by
footsteps, and had imagined that he dis.
tinguIshed white figure going up the
/ hall when lie looked out Of his door
Nobody else had heard any noise what
ever, and all search was truitlcss. Much
discussion ensucd, OF breakfast. as to the
possibility Of such phenomena, and mauy
| grave theories were advanced in explana-
ton OF the mystery. II was settled, be.
| yond doabt, that all the doors and win.
/ dOws Of the lower floor were fastened: hat
tie servants had all gone to tel, and
slept soundly; that nobody but Pavne
/ had heard or seen anything, and that he
had certainly heard dislint Footsteps
lie was not perfectly sure that he had
seen the ghost. As he looked out of his
/ door, he fancied that white figure re
treated up the ball. 1t might have been
imagination, he said, although the steps
took that direction, but when he liz bis
lamp there WAS nothing to be seen
The next night, Wilkinson persuaded
several Of us to watch with him; but we
gave it up at three o'clock, having dis
covered nothing whatever. II was post.
posed that we should continue our vigis;
but we laughed at the ghost as a myth
"a creation Of the pianist's mind-and
refused to lose so much sleep for nothing.
Payne evidently felt himself to be in the
position Of teller Of large stories, and
determined 10 convince himself, at least.
Of the truth or fslsehood Of his own state.
ments.'
You had best not watch alone said
Legion, in half bantering way. They
say there is a man in the insane ASYLUM
up here, who was driven crazy by what
he saw in this house one night, while
watching for the ghost =
This did not alarm Wilkinson, however.
As We went to bed, we saw a light burn
ing IN his room, and heard him walking
up and down, singing family to himself.
The house became gradually SILENT
The muffiHd sounds Of undressing--the
drowsy conversation Of those who roomed
together-these noises fell off, little by lit.
tie until ALI waS still and ,ha ua,oloz