The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-04-17

After the words died away, Theodore
stood moment as if in breathless ex-
peotation.. Slowly his hand dropped
slowly he turned-Ju uttered q wild
shrek, and sprang toward him; she
grasped his arm frantically, but would
have fallen, nevertheless, had he not
caught and held her firmly.
"What nervous little dear it isl" ex-
claimed the, gentleman, chuckling with
triumph at this satisfactory reward OF
his succesefnl stratagem; but when he
felt the tremor of her frame, and beheld
her face colorless and almost rigid with
fright, the laugh vanished prematurely.
rs it possible, You are really fright
.ened?",h he asked; in grieYed amazement.
tIhad no idea it would frighten you so
I only Intended o little fun. Be calm
be oalm, dearest, nothing shall hurt
no BARN shall come near you."
"Did you not seer" gasped Juliet.
''See what-or whom? The white
maid of Avenel?"
.'sThe spirit-he-he. and the slight
frame shook convulsively. .1
"Whom?" again inquired Theodore.
81 saw nothing"
itHe don't you know2 He, of whom
we were speaking tonight"
hlo 40 uouocuoo, bblO Iu6OQOTG,
''the most ridiculous nonsense. There
is not human being about here, and as
Tor ghosts, or goblins, or supernatural
,apparitions, you must be too sensible to
believe in such things"
"But I saw him distinctly" persisted
Juliet, ''as distinctly as ever saw him
in life. His face was ghastly pale and
agitated, and he held his hand against
his heart"
''It is all an illusion of fancy" an
swered Theodore, persuasively; ''such
illusions are not uncommon. I have
often, in moments of mental excitement,
fancied such things myself. I entreat
yon not to think of it another moment
cannot tell you how incensed am with
myself to have caused you such fright. "
''It was not you who frightened me-
1t was-there, there, again, Theodore,
far away among the trees; don't you see
something moving-a dark ,fgure?"
Theodore looked with piercing glance
in the direction where she pointed. The
light was too dim to distinguish objects
at so great distance, and even with the
assistance of the Imagination, he could
perceive nothing.
'1t is merely some one passing" he
resumed, soothingly, ''nothing else. Ohl
dare say 1t ls Winters. the man who
Lives in the cottage across there; of
course, it was-no one else. Now,
there's pretty ghost for you, Juliet.
Hal ha! why the mans as tall as May
pole. and weighs. I'll bet my life, three
hundred poundsl Who ever heard of a
ghost with such proportions as that? I
am professed and well-practiced con.
moisseu,' on the subject, but with all nv
seeing, never saw spiritual visitant
who answers that description. They are
always oriel, light, pale, dismal, floating
in empty space-the very antipodes of a
red.faced Irishman. Come, you are get
ting better. see you smile at Your own
folly. Will You sit here on this rustic
bench. while I bring you cup of cool
water? Battle your head and face and
hands, and the cooling application will
revive you. Ghosts have no existence
except in tho brains of those who see
them. and being thus the offspring of n
heated and distempered imagination, we
will soon give this fellow death blow,
by cooling the disordered brain"
Thus saying, Theodore proceeded to