St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-11-15
A PRACTICAL; JOKE.

I have heard it said that ."all the world
and his wife" were IN 1854 to see the
Crystal Palace Of course,I I was there, aud,
after spending most Of my mornings in the
wonderful structure, systematically: exam
lining, catalogue IN hand, one thing at a
time, I used to drive out every afternoon
to the neighborhood Of the beautiful and
far+famed Richmond Hill, to Bellevue, the
residence Of very estimable family, whose
guest I was. :... :..
It was exceedingly pleasant to see how
affectionately disposed the members Of the
family were to each other. It was there
fore with some surprise, and / must own,
a little distrust, that I one day saw Mr..
Morton, our host, chastise his son, a 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 Bob's voice
ascended, but above all could be heard
the father, as, stern for once in his life, he
said: II have punished you before, my
dear boy, fer practicing jokes, and 1 am
determined they shall cease" After some
more .admonition Of each kind, he rested
from bis labor of love. y
The family physician, who was spending
the afternoon with the Mortons, also wit
messed the Gaming, and, no doubt, seeing
astonishment depicted on my face, referred
to the subject day or two afterwards as
we were driving to town together, assuring
me that I would not wonder at Mr.: Nor
toms horror Of practical jokes, if I knew
the great family affection which was bro't
about by one in the very house in. which
they were then living.
"Although it is a sad story" said he,
"1 will relate the circumstances if you
would like to hear them: AsI confessed
my interest, and hoped the narration would
not be painful, he began: 49,,
"You have noticed that although you
have been shown through the rest of the
house, there is one room which is kept
carefully locked. and no direct reference
is made toit. It is said that at least once
every year, goblin, or ghost, or whatever
you might choose to call it, made it's ap-
pearance there in shape even more ghastly
than the conventional sheet, in short, it
assumed the form Of 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 ID the house. Well, not
many years ago, Cin fact, the occurrence is
within thesremembrance Of many persons)
the family residing in Bellevue consisted
of an elderly couple and their three grown
children, two boys and girl, ranging in
age from sixteen to twenty. y Nothing
could exceed the attachment which c1is-
ted between the two brothers; and their
sister, Although in a less degree the
same cordiality was extended to 4 some
what older friend, named Lennox, between
whom and the brothers; strong feeling of
intimacy had sprung up while at college, 2
feeling which was cemented by, vacation
visits and otherwise to such extent, that
ia a couple Of years the union sof the fatnii-
lies BY the marriage of $ George Lennox
and Lucy Morton was looked upon not
only as ttconsummation deyoutly to be
Wished" bat as a esse IN future. -,l,-o
"Soon after leaving college, Lennox, o.
tained an ensguacy in the Indian army,
and after anil afectionats;b ;bpalting, s1efa
England TO- join his, resiment and ACCOM- ala
panied It in its short and disastrous cam.
paign into Atfghanistan. After the war,
during whish he was twice wounded, he
wrote home that he had applied for leave
of absence, and that o. bis return, which
was In few weeks be would claim Lucy
for , bride, she hazing b. this; tine q
tsined the1 ags, which the psFeqts. though
suitable Tbs xho1s hoq1ehoId VI az.