Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-07-03
9seltet gastef#t<.
The Ghost Of LancrOft Farm.

bia1h hitsnCe aulOnB us Sldltiy pOpldT trees,
It's dark stacks and sheds, its wide low-lying
fields and meadows. The quaint old weather
yaaes upon its ancient gables stand fixed in
rigid immobity. The kline sleep in their
stables, the horses in their stalls, the dog in
his kennel All is dark, moyeless, and 81
lent
A thin, white mist-the autumnal exhala-
ton of the carth-hangs lightly along the
raviros aud water courses, giving fragment
-szs 3 - tsaagely unreal look to the higher
ground on which the farmhouse stands. Not
plash Of waters from the river; not twit
tea Of birds from the woods; not voice of
brute or man from the farm.buildngs not
solitary sound or motion to awaken the dead
oppressive stiffness of Lancroft farm at mid.
night.
One window only Of the house shows a
dull reddish CLEAN Of light-such light as
~ -s-isle through colored window shade
IL marks the cuats-la- af young Lancroft
heir To the estate-a young fellow os .,,a
andtwenty, and accounted very talented by
the neighbors, though lis reserved manner
and studious habits give him reputation for
csccntrcty.
The room bears some evidences Of this ec-
centricity. On one side Of it is book. case
which contains many old and musty tones,
with a confused mass Of pamphlets and pa
pcrs. IL is surmountcd by large cruoifx
OF black wood, at the foot Of which reposeg
human skull, white and polished as ivory.
This gives a monkish air to the apartment,
and causes the chambermaid mortal terror
every ti,ns sha ontsra IL.
Here, young Lancroft passes nearly all his
time, reading meditating, and smoking ci-
gars from morning till night, and from night
almost till morning.
lie was not reading Mt this dark and silent
midnight hour have described. He sat bv
the smouldering coal FIRE, holding his book
Swedenborg's drcaHa CgleStia- istesslv on
his knee, with his eyes fixed vacantly on the
skull and crucIix above the library.
Twelve o'clock The servants were all
abed The house was perfectly STILL save
the cracking Of the cinders in the crate, and
the muiHed tick Of The old fashioned clock in
the hall. The air seemed thick and stagnant
with silence throughout the house. We all
know that sensaton-the difficulty Of breath
ing-the prickly sense Of surface-that some
atmospheres give us. We long for good
wholesome noise-a regular Babel, rather
than uothing-to stir up and purify the air.
Such was the case in Lancroft's chamber.
lie could hear the vague murmurous throb
bine ~ his owp blood-that dreadful inart;s
ulate pulse We can never escape from, whether
we choose to listen for it or not He could
hear the dry metallic clink Of the Goals, sepa
rating by the heat, from time to time, anC
always suddenly and Unexpectedly. making
him start nervously. He could hear tn,
clock have mentioned--a tall, ancient affair
that had stood at the further end Of the hal
for thirty years and more. It's ticking sound
cd faint and dead, soitened by the distanc
and the interposng partitions. 1t seemed
somehow, the echo Of the young mans pul
sations
Directly, Jack, an enormous Newfoundan,
dog, that lay comfortably stretched out upon
the hearth rug, awoke partially raised hi
head, and uttered low growl
What is it, Jack 2 asked the young man
appealing to his dog as if he had been
companion Of his own genus
Jack arose, went TO the door, snuffed thrice
srowled again. and returned to his maste
with the hair on his back much erected.
Lancrolt listened intently and distinguish
fg fgosg,,, or snegSashe DISTINGUISHED sh noise
was one Of the most intelligent of an intelll
gent species, and would have taken no motto
OF any movement on the part of the servant
At the first approach of u stranger, howeve
hc invariably made demonstrations of dis
trust until quieted by a word from his ma
ter.
As these steps became more plainly aud
ble, aud commenced to ascend the stairs lea
ing f,om the first to the second story, upc
which Lahcroft's chamber was situated, JAG
exhibited an increasing anxiety lie lrottt
restlessy from his masters chair to the do
and back again, and made circuits about Il
room, growing and whining, with rigid ta
and glaring eyes atteSting his excited COZ
dition.
Come here, jack Lie down, sirp
For wonder, the order was diSobeyed. :
Usually, submission was the first law
Jack life but this was an extraordina
occasion, and instead of lying down, as
was biddon he took up position directly
front Of the door, awaiting his foe, whatev
whoever u might be-
The footsteps came up to the hall al
along lis whole length, quite loud and di
tincb to Lancrolts door, where they pause
Jack trembled yisibly. His hair stood
end. He crouched near the floor, as if pr
pairing for q spring, and remained fixed in |
position for sometime. Then with fiji
growl, he relaxed his limbs, shook hims
with relieved air, and quietly returned
his place on the hearth rug.
Lancrolt kept his seat, expecting his Y
itor to knock, but no knock came. Mu
surprised and perhaps growing trine II,
vous, he arose, ut length, and opened
door.
There was no one in the hail.
The broad, full moon had just arisen, q
was rising into the eastern window, illu
mating the entire passage. There was
furniture, nor any other object that Co
conceal a man there.
'Fhs is very curious unused Lancroit
could swear that heard footsteps, and j;
could coTo6orate my testimony
He went back to his fresde and books,
could not got interested in anything. .
mysterious footsteps haunted his mind,
the exclusion of all else. Though he wo
have secuted the idea Of any supcrnatt
agency, he could find no way cf account
for the noise on any natural grounds
This troubled him; and after hay
thought Of every means by which the {,
steps could not have been produced he c
tented himself with the ancient deusioI
giving name instead Of reason, in ex.
nation Of q mysteries.
Bah it is nothing Only my imasi
tionP
Easily said but thcn. What is imag
ton?
Throughout the following day, he thou
occasionally Of his strange viSitant, but
missed il with the same unphilosophical
mark. As night came on, however, he 70