American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-05-29


I Had made up my mind to write
formal offer of my hand that very
night, and as | thought it likely this
all llimportant epistle would occupy
me till the small hours, it mattered
little to me which room | sat in
SO, making my way to my room, l
gathered together my writing ma
terials, and marched off 10 the haunt
ed room.
1t seems that it had acquired its
name about seventy years befope the
period Of which ! write, and immedi-
ately of ilie death of old Richard
Wilber, Tho, having lived life of
adventure, came home finally to set
tie on his estate; with a damaged
reputation and digestion.
The two conspired to make his life
a torment to himself and others, and
lie hung himself to his bedposts in
the blue-room, where, it was said, his
ghost walked for many years.
i was rHmOred that he had killed
a man in duel, and that his $pilit
would not rest on that account.
The room had naturally been
avoided, but the story had nearly
died Gut, when suddenly strange
noises were heard at midnight, and
one of the maids, who ventured in
the room late one night, had been
Found in commissions, and as soon as
she was able to speak, declared that
she had seen a figure leaning over
the writing desk.
1t was clothed in a. lorg, black
cloak, she said, and had come to-
ward her with menacing, angry ges-
tilaIlations.
She had screamed and famed, and
knew no more till she found the fam
lily around her.
'i;iie stable boy also declared that
he had often seen a dim, blue light
burning in that room at night, and
that once he had seen the figure of 2
man in black coat pass before the
window.
All this terrified the household so
that no one of the servants would
venture in the room.
Mr. aud a1rs.. WILDER laughed at
the stories, but Laura was evidently
secretly terrified, and it was to allay
her fears that | had volunteered
to sit up all nigh in the blue room,
and, if possible, to lay the ghost
AS | entered the apartment | was
somewhat struck with the dcsolate
appearance Of il, but my thoughts
were so occupied with the letter |
| was about to compose, that | did
not give the ghost a single thought.
Drawing my easy chair to the
table and arranging my writing ma
teFials before me, | soon became
completely absorbed in my occupa-
ton.
Gradually the house became en-
tirely still the distant slamming of
doors told of the final retirement of
the family.
The old clock on the stairs tOlled
out, twelve in long, solemn strokes,
and then nothing was TO be heard
but the scratching of my pen as ]
sometimes hastily, sometimes slowly,
filled page after page, only to be de
stroyed when written--for it was no
easy matter to write this letter.
Too Dltich depended upon it to
treat, # lightly ever word must be
, weighed /; every sentence duly con
sidered; and what dictionary on
earth can furnish the proper words
for such a letter?
Aud what man on earth can know
what will suit the woman he loves
when she treats him forty different
wavs in az many minutes?
: Hang itr l at last exclaimed
, I'll speak to her tomorrow | cam
S write; it's best to speak; but no
!, she will laugh again as she did thi
l evening! Bat then, again, he
4 sweet eyes told some tales this even
S ing, too! Yes, I'll speak tomorrow
|. and 90 to sleep now. It's late; IN.
|, light is nearly burned, and, to con
n fess the truth, writing letters i
S sleepy business. >. g,
e So. leaning back III my easy chair
began to think over the best wa
g to offer myself.
| Gradually a dreamy feeling oyel
powered me-, and although [ wa
> desperately in love, / found I .coul
sleep, which was, of course, out of a
r rule; but l was punished for it.
e l began to wander through! Il,
loveliest gardens in all dreamlanC
e and Laura walked by my side.
@ Her hand was in mine; ] stoppe
70 gather a rose and gaze 1t to het
7 but what a strange odor the tlowt
d had! Where had | ever perceive
Y such before?
1t surely was not like a rose
ie Never mind
+, Oh, how soft Laura's hand was.
er | raised 1t to my lips.
:, Hark what noise was that? -.
Dt Nothing-oh, nothing! How del
III ciOus the sunlight was, how love-
n Laura's blue eyes how soft the pre-
p sure of her arm within mine! Ru
W why did she suddenly grip me ;
4 with hand of iron?
e. Ha! | felt strangled Help, hell
oh, help!
lg' Struggling with an inv!sibE" powe
! felt my strength depart an owe
Il powering pressure on my heart he
d. me back; some subtle essence sceI
It, ed to petvade my entire being, al
I'll controlled it a dreamy rcCollectit
to of the haunted room tioateI acre
wv my brain; struggled again, SAP
1t. back, again and again, but still Il
d, dreamy lan@uor that held my cy
er closed kept me back, while the pre-
n, sure on my chest and the 0cohbil
nd in my head, and, the Wild bGajing
ny my pulses increased each instant.
is Gradually | began to collect Il
all senses; | opened my eyes.
IA There before me, standing motto
to less in the dim gray light, was
y. figure shrouded in long black <;
mcntS.
ne For an instant my senses rccIe
ID; the hair of my head stood up;
NJ shivcrcd as though in aH ague tn,
Id suddenly rallying. | called out
in 'Who are YOU? Speak,
zee There was no answer.
y Sr"ah f. cried aeljU; IT kn