The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-05-19
A MODERN O

carriage by the train leaving Euston
souare for l. at five o'clock. Under
ordinary circumstances each would have
coiled himself in his wrapper and read,
or dozed, in his respective corner. But
it happened that among the travellers
was Mr.. Smith Jones, one of the most
eminent, if not the most eminent q. C's
ofthe day. Skillful jurist as lie was, he
owed a great part of his success to his
wonderful powers of conversation, and
Of making himself agreeable in any conf
plny in which he might be thrown. On
this occasion he was not long silent. Be-
fore Harrow was passed the occupants of
thecarriage. their reserve dispelled, and
their tongues looscned by his jovial
ucrs, were chatting away as eagerly and
unrestrainedlv as if they had known
each other all their lives.
Legal men, especially barristers. are
generally admitted to talk shop" less
than any other profession. Mr.. Jones
was no exception TO this rule; yet it
speaks we'll for his general fund of intor-
nation and power of imparting it agree
ably, that he could engage a party of
strangers in conversation for nearly six
hours. They had the carriage all to
themselves, and stopped at few stations.
Sill of every place they passed he had
something to say some ilttle anecdote,
some historical a~llusien was always
ready. The conversation was very COM
prchensive. Near the conclusion of the
Journey, one of the party brought MP the
subject of spirit-rapping, and, almost
necessarily, Of ghosts One ghost story
was followed by another, and the posi-
bility Of such phantoms appearing was
eagerly discussed. Mr.. Jones denied
their existence in toto" One of his
companions took up the other side.
"As IL proof" he said, 'of their occa-
sional appearance, l AIN now bound for Il
house in this ne~ighborhood, where a
ghost has been seen by some of the meal
bers of the household whom | have
known for years, and of whose v~elacity
l nave not the smallest suspicion )" and
seeing his companions look i~ncredulous,
he added, "Some of you, gentlemen, may
know this part of the country, and, if so,
may have heard of the place. 1t is Elton
Hall"
what Charley Ingram's 2" said Mr..
Jones.
"rhe same"
81 don't know the place, but I'm going
there tomorrow l shall hope to have a
peep at the ghost"
"You would think it no joke, sir, if You
really saw one"
There l agree with YOU" said one of
the others who had denied an existence
to ghosts. Il nm certain that if | saw
anything pretending to be ghostly OF SUI
pernatural, unbeliever as l am, l should
feel. to say the least, very uncomforta-
ble."
Nothing supernatural could alarm
me-" replied Mr.. Jones, "since nothing is
supernatural but whatever fate may
have in store for me tomorrow, for to-
night ut least / am safe. as / am going to
sleep at the Trafalgar, and a hotel is the
last place where one could expect to find
aghost'
II don't despair of convincing YOU,
after all" said the believer in appara-
tions, as the train glided into the l.
terminus. We meet tomorrow Good
night"
After shaking hands with his new ac-
quaintance, Mr.. Jones collected his lug
gage and drove off to the hotel. 1t was
quite full. The Assizes were to begin
next day. He had however written to
order a room, and declared his intention
to remain. An alteration ensued. The
waiter declared lie could not take him,
and the master was in bed. A bride
availed when words were useless. The
hotel keeper was reused, and came grum-
bling down stairs. He found himself in
adilemma. He had received the letter,
and had promised to keep q room for MI.
Jones. The latter had been expected
some hours earlier. The room had been
filled. Every room in the house had its
occupant. The master himself was
sleeping in a generally disused garnet.
How find room for another visitor, And
vet to refuse, in defiance of a written
promise, the celebrated @. c., the leader
Of the circuit, a man whose custom had
brought many big wigs to the house,
and might bring many more, was not a
method likely to raise the reputation of
the Trafalgar. Mine host was puzzled.
He tried to make excuse and apologies.
The place was never known so crowded.
He had been obliged to send away sew
eral parties" But excuses and apologies
were made in vain. The unfortunate
landlord was in despair. At length an
idea struck him. The coffee-room was
already occupied by two gentlemen; beds
had been hurriedly sent in; but if Mr..
Jones would not mind waiting in the
hall, he would see what could Oe done.
He went away, and after q few minutes
absence, returned with the intelligence,
that II Mr.. Jones would o object to
sleeping at the top of the house, there
was a room at his disposal. All rooms
were the same to Mr.. Jones, so he follow
ed the landlord up the stairs, the waiter
preceding them with the luggage
Higher and higher they assembled; mar.
rover and narrower became the stairs.
till, at the last fight, they were little
less steep than a ladder.
The room into which Mr.. Jones was
ushered, though low-pitched, was larger
and more comfortable than could have
been expected from its situation. A
large double bed stood in one corner. A
bright fire blazed at the opposite end
On a table in the middle burnt two wax |
candles in silver candlesticks, and Their. |
were two or three easy chairs about the |
room. |
The only other noticeable article in
the way of furniture was a large cup
hoard nr prooo ofonl.,,~ m ,r% a. III Il