New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-10-15
A PRACTICAL JOKE.
fRrnp, thu Knirlrerhnclser. i

ternoon to the neighborhood of the beautiful
and far-famed Richmond Hill, to Bellevue, the
| residence of very estimable family, whose guest
/ was.
1t was exceedingly pleasant to see how affection
ately disposed the members of the family were to
each other. 1t was, therefore, with some surprise
| and, must own, little distrust, that | one day
saw Mr.. Morton, our host, chastise his son, mere
| lad, with what struck me as being uncalled for
severity, as his only fault had been playing trick
/ upon one of the servants. As the cane descended,
| poor Bobs voice assembled but above all could be
heard the father, as stern for once in his life, he
| said 81 have punished you before for practising
/ jokes, and am determined that they shall cease
| After some more admonitlon oil such kind he
i rested from his labor of love.
1 The family physician, who was spending the
/ afternoon with the Mortons, also witnessed the
| Gaming, and, no doubt, seeing establishment de-
picted upon my face, referred to the subject day
| or two afterward as we were driving to town to-
i gether, assuring me that would net wonder at
4 Mr.. Morton's horror of practical jokes if knew
the great family aliction which was brought about
! by one in the very house in which they were then
/ living.
Although it is sad story said he, g will re-
4 late the circumstances if you would like to hear
i them.n As / confessed my interest, and hoped
| that the narration would not be too painful, he
i began:
been shown through the rest of the house, there is
/ one room which is kept carefully locked. and no
i direct reference is made to it 1t is said that ut
|
4 ever you might choose to call it, made its appear
| anee there in shape even more CHASTITY than the
1 conventional sheet, in short, it assumed the form
| of q human skeleton.
| Whatever foundation there may be for the story
the room certainly went by the name of the
haunted chamber, and was not used, although
the latter fact was probably owing to the reason
that there was plenty of space beside in the house.
Well, not many years ago. Tin fact, the occurrence
is within the remembrance of many persons,) the
family residing in Bellevue consisted of an elderly
| couple and their three grown children, two boys
4 and girl ranging in age from sixteen to twenty.
Nothing could exceed the attachment which existed
between these two brothers and their sister.
| Although in less degree, the same cordially was
extended to somewhat older friend named Len
nox between whom and the brothers a strong feel
| ing of intimacy had sprung up while at college, q
feeling which was eemented by vacation visits and
| otherwise to such an extent, that in a couple of
years the union of the families by the marriage Of
George Lennox and Lucy Morton was looked upon
not only as contamination deyoutly to be
| wished" but as an esse in fla,tfo.
| "Soon after leaving college Lennox obtained an
ensgncy in the Indian army and, after an atfec-
tionate parting left England to join his regiment
| paign in Affghanistan. After the war, during
| which he was twice wounded, he wrote home to
say that he had applied for leave Of absence, and
that on his return, which would be in few weeks,
he would claim Lucy for his bride, she having by
| this time attained the age which the parents
| thought suitable. The whole household was de-
lighted, both at Georges safety and at his
pected return ard perhaps, though less demon
strative, none felt more intense though eamer JOY
than Lucy, whose heart well as prayers had fol-
lowed George through all his perils.
" 1t is unnecessary to describe the meeting when
George, somewhat tanned and formidaby nous
tachioed, returned from his campaign. Lucy, the
dear girl, began her preparations for the wedding,
and George meanwhile took up his abode at Belle.
vue, as did also some other young friends OF the
family.
with books, chess, fencing and more athletic
sports, several days were spent most happily, till
unfortunately one morning the conversation hap
pened to turn on courage, and in the course OF the
argument, one OF the visitors named Forbes, adj
dressing George, said, with some appearance OF
warmth, that there situations as for instance
where supernatural sights and sounds were sup
posed, in which no man on earth could retain cour
age and coolness Now, both these qualities
George was known to possess to an eminent de-
gree indeed, on one occasion he had, single
handed, saved the regimental colors when in i'm.
minent danger Of being captured; he smiled, there
FORE as he said that, never having had the pleas
ure of meeting ghost, he could not declare what
| he had done on the occasion; but, as he did not
| believe that disemboded spirits walked the earth,
| he had no doubt he would act upon the belief that
some imposture was being practiced upon him,
and would treat the ghost as he believed the APP
pearance really was, in most if not in all cases,
person in disguise. Forbes then, with some eager.
ness, asked him If he would pass night in the
haunted chamber; George replied that undoubt-
edly he would, and that moreover he would take
pistol on watch with him, and try the effect Of
bullet on the phantom.
g Forbes told Stephen Morton of Georges reso-
luton and asked his assistance in project which
he had in view. Morton replied, that as far as ira
dition went any one might sleep in the haunted
chamber with IMMUNITY, except on certain night
in November; but Forbes said his scheme was to
disguise some person as the skeleton and for this
purpose he thought Stephen was well qualified as
he was tall and thin. Stephen had no objection in
the world to play ghost, but said he had several
who was dead shot-one of his objections being
based on the decided unwholesemeness of lead
when violently introduced into the system. But
Forbes quoted his fears bydecarng that of course
the experiment should not be tried unless he could
unknown to George, extract the bullet from his
pistol. 1t was, therefore, decided that Morton
should be dressed in thin black tights which their
! amateur-theatrical wardrobe would provide, and
should have the ribs and all tie zones GhaiaeL or
| painted on this black surface, trusting to the dim
| light afforded by one candle and also to the trepi-
datien which it was promised George would expe-
1 rienee to hide the impostuTe.
| "Poor Morton was delighted, and was very much
| in favor of making terrific speech, beginning with
unhappy mortal, or something to the same effect
and making his appearance in flash Of lightning
or at least OF llycopodium. However. Forbes de-
claimed strongly against the likelihood of skele
| ton speaking, for, as he forciby put it, where
would he keep his wind !? and thought it would be
much more dignified for the phantom after he was
| discovered mefelyto move forward slowly, receive
/ 1
had neither yelled, run away nor fainted-and one
Of these contingencies Forbes thought likely-then
| the imposition was to be acknowledged, those on
| the lookout at the door would enter, and they
| would all enjoy hearty laugh at their want Of
| success
| "Of course, as it was likely that pistol would
be fired in the house at or about midnight it was
| necessary that all the family should know as much
| about the affair as George did, namely, that he
/ had received and accepted challenge to pass
/ night in the haunted chamber, the young men
/ having been let into the whole secret. The man
ner in which Georges resolution was commented
| upon was characteristic the father who was
/ disbelieger in ghosts, said, Nonsense in the
| most decided manner; the mother, more doubtful
/ said, hope no harm will come OF it = while
/ Lucy who was startled at the proposal, seemed
/ anxious; her English common sense, which told
her that ghosts could not or rather do not appear
1 struggling in her mind with tradition, which
| youchsafed for so many appearances of them j;
/ and as upon retiring she babe George Good
for her voice faltered, while she added with u
/ forced smile: Il, also, will keep watch in my
room, to hear the first news; take good care of
| yourself
=. And now George having selected one of a
pair OF pistols which Forbes had hunted up for the
! occasion, loaded it. at the same time dropping a
| hint or two about his skill with the weapon, and
having again declared his intention to fire at any
| unusual object, he wished them pleasant dreams
laughingly and closing the only door of the haunted
room after him, he reconneitered by looking under
| the bed and out of the window, which is at some