The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-08-19
A story by Donn PIntt.


A Story by Donn Plat.
Many years ago, m eminentIy success
full actor, q tragedian, and therefore, q
fraud, took it into his dramatic skull to
build castle on the Hudson. He turned
the project ovor to on accomplished
architect, and rs he furnished abund-
ance of money and no interference, in
due time his castle was completed, and
looked to the eye as if it had been there
thousand years, more or less. The
architect, poetical fellow, let loose
his fancy, and no one looking at the in
was not castle i'll and out, and all
around. To complete the illusion, there
was no end of hidden door-ways and
mysterious passages leading from one
part to the other, and to this work of
art, after its completion, the architect,
in the absence OF the owner, brought
friends and patrons to show to them
what work he had accomplished.
Of this sort, one summers day, was
party of visitors, and among them an
exceedingly beautiful woman, at that
time holding high position in society.
She was single, accomplished and rich,
and although surrounded with suitors,
astonished her little world by remaining
single. She had been for many years
abroad, and about part of her life there
was said to be q mystery, and one or
two people claimed to know all about it.
But whether they did or not, they kept
all to themselves, and no one could tell
how, at last. certain stories came to be
current. SO strong were they after q
time. that society gave the poor girl the
cold shoulder, and she was excluded
from the circles where she had once
reigned.
Such thing could not happen now.
Since the great war, we have changed all
that. We don't bother ourselves about
little indiscretions, and we glorify great
frauds, and fairly worship magnificent
rascality.
The poor girl disappeared from So
ciety, and some said that She had gone
abroad again, and others that she had
entered q convent. Be that rs it may,
in the course of time, the big actor,
having tremendous row with his wife,
grew tired of his castellated play-thing,
and ended by selling.it to the Catholics,
ut one-half its cost The Catholics
turned it into q school for girls, and put
the school under the care of some pious
sisters. They have since built huge
brick structure in the rear of the actors
castle, that makes the last named resem-
BILE huge mustard pot, SO dwarfed is it
by the house behind.
Among these Sisters was one of great
beauty called Sister Agatha, who was o
dragon of virtue and pious humility.
She had nothing to do with the school,
bat was herself preparing for higher
walk in religious life, proposing in time
to take the veil and pass from ordinary
existence into one of prayer and medi-
tation.
One day little girl, some eight years
Of age, was entered as n pupil by
motherly-looking old woman, who paid
the years board and tuition in advance,
and giving the proper references and ad-
dress, disappeared. The child was ex-
ceedingly delicate, and ere the half year
was out, had to be removed to the infirm-
ary and put under medical treatment.
skill could do for the little sufferer, wns
done, but done in vain. She seemed
gradually TO fade away, until the doctor
said there was no hope-the child was
dying of the consumption.
One bright moonlight night the Sister
in attendance upon the dying child sat
with her face to the only door that open
ed into the room, and near which was an
altar, with its dim light, the only one
beside the moon that iIlumined the large
apartment. AS the Sister sat listening
to the quick breathings of the dying
child, she was startled by o slight rust
ling noise of dress, and turning, was
struck with chill of terror to see form
in white kneeling by the child's bed.
Filled with superstitious fear, she sank
upon her knees, and with beating heart
prayed long and earnestly. Whom she
again looked up, the form il white had
disappeared.
When daylight came the poor Sister,
simple-minded woman, dreading the
ridicule that might attach to her story,
said nothing. But that night again she
was subject to the visitation and same
fright By tho bed knelt the strange
figure in white, coming she could not
tell from whore, and disappearing as
mysteriously.
This strange event continued night
after night, until the poor Sister on
watch was nearly exhausted. She