Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-05-10

likely to succeed, from its very novelty and
unnaturalness alone. The next night en-
tered this house and, secreting myself in
what is known as the Green Room, awaited
the coming of Miss Harcourt All nigh,
and almost all of the following day, I wait.
ed in vain and, fearing that, after all,
my efforts would terminate in failure, was
just about to leave the house, when Miss
Harcourt entered the room and seated her.
self at an old box or chest, and began rum
aging among the papers and old letters. l,
is no use to multiply words, Mr.. Harcourt,
as, no doubt, your niece informed you, soou
after, of the apparitiOn of her fathers spirit
and the utterances Of his lips You know,
too, what occurred in the library about twi
light of the same day. Need 1 add that
you now stand, or sitrather, in the presence
of that same ghost? You start, and seem
overwhelmed with surprised with indigna.
ton, Mr.. Harcourt; but my dear sir, I was
driven to such an act by love which mad.
dened me and which deprived me Of reason.
After reflection brought with it its full
share of merited remorse and shame for
the questionable part which an uDgoverna.
bic passion had induced me to perform,
much against the promptings of my better
nature and to the sacrafce of my self.res
pect But 1 am DEPRESSING. Suffer me to
continue my story
60 on, Sir Richard said Mr. Harcourt
In spite of my disapprobation of the de,
ception you have p-actised upon US, find
myself wonderfully interested in your story.
my words must be brief continued the
baronet, looking sadly down upon the
carpet The day following that of the
ghosts appearance left your house, and,
towards the close of the week, arrived at
Richmond While there-I have neither
time nor inclination to enter into particu.
lars-I accidentally became acquainted
with poor Barney Fannigbam. did him
trifing service, for which he seemed over.
grateful. He was out of employment, and
I advised him to take trip into the coun,
try aud endeavor to obtain it there. 81
much for Barney then. At the allotted
time-tbe period about which the ghost
said that would appear-.I returned to
Harcourt Hall, no longer in disguise. My
return was made to appear as the mere ac
cidental visit of benighted and weary
traveller, and l was gratifed by the mani.
festation of mingled wonder and interest
which my advent elected. | was perfectly
satisfied that, both Miss Hsrcourt and your.
self saw in my person the ful6lment Of what
had been foretold by the ghost. Suffer me,
however, to remark, that / felt measure
of shame and regret, when the incident Of
the appariton was alluded to, some days
after, in my presence, and l secretly deter
mined, if possible, to do away with the i'm
preston, which the imagined ghost had
evidently made upon your minds
yes, yes,' said Mr.. Harcourt, inpatient
ly; sbut what has all this to do with the
death of poor Barney? What put it in bis
head to play the ghost too?'
Il will come to that presently, Mr.. Har.
court said Sir Richard. Il was about to
remark, when you interrupted me, that a
mouth or more after this (apd when every.
thing seemed prospering for mel l had
occasion to visit the section of country in
which the college, at which young Hous-
ton was about to graduate, was located
There l remained for nearly two months in
partial disguise. Strange to say, upon en-
tering a hack, which l had engaged to
drive me to Norfolk, l discovered that a
young gentleman was seated within, whom
l afterwards, by mere accident, ascertained
to be Edgar Houston. Arriving at Nor
folk, be manifested considerable uneasiness,
when he discovered my intention of con,
tinuing my journey four miles farther ou,
into the country, and asked me if Harcour,
Hall was my destination. l gave him
quite. an unsatisfactory reply; and, as the
hack left the hotel door, | distinctly over,
heard him remark, triumphantly, that he
would soon follow me. Now, sir, l knew
very we'll that Miss aarcourt was warmly
attached to this young man, aud that every,
thing was depending upon. the manner in
which she would receive him at bis return.
| no sooner reached Harcourt Hall, than |
sought, and obtained an interview with your
niece, and urged my claims and pressed my
suit with an emphasis and warmth, which
the nature OF the circumstances justified
and demanded. I failed to elicit any sat
isfactory reply, however. She assured me
that her love had long since been given to
another; but, this much, at least, was
quite evident-she verify fel. herself mort
ally bound to acquiesce in the wishes O.
her father, whose spirit, she imagined, had
really appeared to her several months before.
Now, doubted very much, Mr.. Harcourt,
whether the presence and arguments of an
accepted lover, whom expected at the
Hall every moment, would fail to overturn
my entire ghost arrangement; in fact, [
felt quite sure that Houston would win the
day, unless something extraordinary could
be devised and executed to prevent it.
That very day Barney Flannigbam applied
to you for employment; and, thinking how
invaluable his services might be made to
me. prevailed upon you to employ him
az norter Poor fellow ! little did I think
at what fearful cost he would serve me =
Here the baronet paused, and looked sadly