Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-01-09

quette. Wewant you to make yourselves comfort
able, however; and if it affords you any satisfas
ton to lie down, why, do sol These chairs ar
! not exactly just the thing for soldiers
r We certainly agreed with him, and frankly I'D
mitted that it would materially add to the enjoy
ment of good smoke, to take it in camp style
With his permission, we would recline a Ia Turh
until the ladies were about to return.
So we reversed the position Of two chairs, an
, Ipuffed away at our segars Frank chatting ava
for dear life with our host and his son, and I t.
king minute and meditative survey of the roor
and furniture
The ceiling was very high in the centre of tn
wonderfully constructed room, beautifully archie
and gracefully supported by tall cedar pillars, ez
\ Iquistely wrought and polished, and ranged alon
the walls of solid oak at equal distances From tn
centre of wreath in the ceiling was suspended
Hong, heavy, rusty chain, evidently intended for
chandelier or large lamp, and, no doubt used TO
that purpose in former days and by the origins
occupants. The walls were hung with old POI
traits of queer looking persons in antiquated Coz
> tunes, with now and then cracked and deface
landscape. I was particularly struck with tn
strange effect of the swaying shadow Of thependan
chain upon the gruf countenance of one of the POI
traits. The face seemed alternating between
frown and smile, according to the position Of tn
shadow.
} The furniture of the room was mixture Of tn
ancient and the modern. Most of the chairs wer
constructed with high backs, remarkably fiat ant
narrow seats, the whole mounted upon brass rol
lers.. These chairs were of massive mahogany, ou
of all proportion in shape, and exceedingl heavy
A great, tall, top-heavy, bookcase stood at on
end of the room, its doors cut up and divided int
fabulous number of panes of glass of every imag
inal shape The top was adorned with three larg
bronze urns the largest of which stood in the cen
tire, and seemed about to topple over. The whole
structure was mounted upon lions feet Of splendid
| ly carved mahogany, and restedupon rollers. Th'
table, occupying the centre of the room, was alst
antique in its construction and, like almost every
thing else, was mounted upon brass rollers. The
carpet, several rocking chairs and the piano, wert
evidently quite modern. The latter piece Of furni
ture with its bright, flashing surface Of vanished
veneering, looked strangely out Of place amidst it
dull, sombre, antiquated surroundings.
Ihad just concluded my survey of the room, anc
was about to question the old gentleman in refer
ence to the history of the old mansion, when the
return of the ladies was. announced. Frank and
myself were upon our feet in moment, the chair
turned right side up Immediately, and our half CON
sumed segars thrown hastily into the fire.
"Can either of the gentlemen, sing?" asked. the
old lady, raising the lid of the piano, and motion
ing to her daughter, Annie, to be seated.
Frank has the reputation of being an excellent
singer" I said, gazing admiringy upon the beau
tiful twin sisters.
"Among my comrades only" said Frank, actu'
ally blushing
'Then please be so good as to oblige us with one
of the songs which you sing in camp" said Mary,
addressing herself to Frank. "tAnquiet along the
Potomac, for instance"
"Or My Maryland" said Annie.
"WeI," said Frank, evidently i'll at ease, in be,
ing thus made the subject of conversation" the
fact is, ladies, nothing would give me more pleas
ure; but, really THAT is to say"
"Come, now, Mr.. Harrison !" said the old lady
coaxingly.
"Well," said Frank, with sigh, that made us
all laugh" since it must be so, pray what shall il
| be?"
"Something which we all know" said Annie,
impatienty humping upon the keys of the piano.
"How will All quiet along the Potomac an
swer?" asked Frank, walking up to the Piano, and
pulling nervousy at the throat button Of his grey
Jacket.
Admirably we'll |" said Annie, running over the
leaves of her music-book. "Ah here it is now
Come, sister," And Mary approached the piano
and stood beside my comrade.
Franks honest face became as red as scarlet as
he begun the beautiful song; but as the dulcet
voices of the young ladies took up the air. accom-.
panied by the profound bass of Charles Matthews,
my comrade became master of the situation and ac-
tualy immortazed himself among the party. The
ice having been broken, Frank made himself very
agreeable to the company in general and the ladies
especially, by joining them in song after song
charming them by his frank, easy, genial manner
and the inimiable sweetness of his really fine voice.
"And, pray, Mr.. Forester" said a sweet voice
at my elbow, what remarkable phenomenon has
arrested your attention, that you gaze so intenty
upon the ceiling"
'Realy, Miss Annie" replied, "my attention
has been arrested by nothing but your own beauti-
full voice. Between the pauses Of the exquisite
melody, I may have been guilty of few wander
ing thoughts, but these have been instantly recall
ed at the resumption of the delightful music"
"And these wandering thoughts were-what p
she asked.
Scarcely worth being told They have exclu-
sive reference to the room overhead, replied
Annie started-looked wonderingly up into my
face, and asked, "How do you know that there Is
a room overheadT'
"Your father told me as much," I replied.
"And related any tradition or circumstance in
connection with it 2" asked Annie, with shudder,
that mystifed me.
Nothing whatever" Ireplied. 81 simply ask
ed your father the question, because, from the pc
cuiar construction of the ceiling, did not exactly
understand how there could be a room above this.
These walls, Miss Annie, are scarcely over nine feet
hgh while the centre of the arched ceiling is Ger
tainly three times as lofty. Supposing the key
stone of the arch to be on level with the flooring
above what becomes of all the space on either side
of the centre and between the two rooms"
"Secret passages, whispered Annie. ''And,
now, pray dismiss the whole subject from your
mind, as 1 shall not utter another word in refer
ence to it. Come let us rejoin our friends"
CHAPTER II.
About an hour after this brief conversation be-