The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-09-04


The young man stood up, flushed with
s.nger. But presently resuming his seat,
he said, calmly:
aThat taunt should cost you dear, if it
were not such afoolish one"
GA foolish onew exclaimed the mer-
chant throwing on the table heavy
leathern purse. "There are fifty guineas.
am content to lose them, if, before the
hour is ended, do not succeed in show
ing you, who are so obstinately prejudiced,
the form of any one of your deceased
| friends; and if, after you have recognized
him. YOU allow him to kiss your lips"
We all looked at each other, but my
young neighbor still in the same mocklng
manner, replied:
aYou will do that, will you ?'
ayes" said the other-"I will stake
these fifty guineas, on condition that you
will pay similar sum if you lose."
After short silence the young man
said gaily:
"Fifty guineas, my worthy sorcerer, arc
more than a poor college sizer ever pos
sessed; but here are five. which, if you
are satisfied, I shall be most willing to
wager"
The other took up his purse, saying, in
contemptuous tone:
sYoung. gentleman, you wish to draw
back?"
aI draw backp exclaimed the student
aWell! if I had the fifty guineas, you
should sec whether / wish to draw back"
"Here," said I, s"are four guineas, which
I will stake on your wager"
No sooner had [ made this proposition
than the rest of the company, attracted
by the singularity of the affair, came for
ward to lay down their money, and in a
minute or two the fifty guineas were sub
scribed. The merchant appeared so sure
of winning, that he placed all the stakes
in the students hands, and prepared for
his experiment. We selected for the pur-
pose small summer-house in the garden,
perfectly isolated, and having no means
of exit but window and a door, which
we carefully fastened, after placing the
young man within We put writing ma
teriais on a small table in the summer
4 house and took away the candles: We
remained outside, with the pedlar among
us. In low solemn voice he began to
chant the following lines:
.What riseth slow from the ocean caves
- And the stony surf?
The phantom pale sets his blackened foot
| On the fresh green turf"
Then, raising his voice solemnly, he
said:
"You asked to see your friend, Francis
Villieres, who was drowned three years
ago, off the coast of South America
what do you see ?"
~ see" replied the student, "a white
| light arising near the window but it has
no form, it is like an uncertain cloud"
We-the spectators-remained pro-
foundly silent.
care you afraid ?' asked the merchant,
in loud voice.
ri am not" replied the student firmly.
After moments silence, the pedlar
stamped three times on the ground, and
sang
"And the phantom white whose clay-cold face,
Was once so fair,
Dries with his shroud his clinging vest,
Aud his sea-tossed hair"
I Once more the solemn question:
esYou, who would see revealed the mys-
teries of the tomb-what do you see now?"
The student answered, in calm voice,
but like that Of man describing things
as they pass before him
ssI see the cloud taking the form of q
phantom; its head is covered with long
] veil-it stands STILL"
care you afraid ?"
ri am not"
We looked at each other in horror
stricken silence, while the merchant, rails
/. ing his arms above his head, chanted, In a
sepulchral voice:
And the phantom said, as he rose from the wave,
He shall know me in sooh!
will go to my friend, gay, smiling and fond
AS in our first youth 2"
"What do you see?" said he.
sI see the phantom advance; he lifts
his veil-'tis Francis -Yilliercs !-he ap-
proaches the table-he writes its his
signature" !"
care you afraid p
A fearful moment of silence ensued;
then the student replied, but in an altered
voice:
ssI am not"
With strange and frantic gestures, the
merchant then sang:
s.And the phantom said to the mocking seer,
come from the South
Put thy hand on my hand-thy heart on my heart
Thy mouth on my mouth !"
s'What do you see p
"He comcs-he approaches pursucs
me-heis stretching out his arms-he will
have me Help. help. Save mel
care you afraid now" asked the mer-
chant, in mocking voice.
A piercing cry, and then stihed groan,
were the only reply to this terrible ques-
tion.