The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-01-13

ono Dfl&ut auV sunny paturOBy SIteI~
noon by . cheerful fre in our little
apartment. Ny feet, As I sat, had
climbed to the mantelpiece, my f1ute
was coquettins with the musical pro.
pensitics of Q mouth which was out
Of its sphere when not smoking 3
cigar, and books aud papers lay scat
tered around in truly literary contn-
zion. I was sAoating d1lighifnfly
along in q revery which had just ele.
vated me to the Presidency of the
United States, when lond sounds Of
fcotsteps on the stairway, and . heavy
rap at my door, put an end at once t6
my melodious exercises and political
glory. On opening my door, two
servants entered, bearing between
them : large tub Of water, bUoms,
g., the unmistakable Implements of
that highly interesting operation
technically styled by the very know
ing in housewifery, occurring
took my hat and walked to the
family residence, where / found my
chum apparently making some prac-
tical application of the verb "sAmo"
with an extremely dark-eyed little
visitor of his handsome sister. From
the charms of the latter had not
passed entirely unscathed himself,
but had begun to experience divers
indubitablc smartings from the
"Wounds invisible
Which loves keen arrows MAKE
Feeling no particular aversion, l
joined this "tripartite alliance" on
toe. first invitation. .gs
The situation proved eininently
agreeable. Supper came and passed /;
the bright new warranted" Yankee
clock unheeded struck nine, ten elev-
en- and laugh and anecdote, jest and
song, still held us together. At
length my chum and l concerted q
plan, when the attention of the young
ladies was diverted for moment to
something else, from the execution
of which We promised ourselves
much amusement. Our plan, was to
relate as many horrible ghost stories
as we could think of, or invent for
the purpose of marking aud enjoying
their effect OF our fair hearers.
We began in fine style, but the re-
suit was very far from answering my
expectation. The young ladies hap
pencd TO have as many to tell as VIC,
and in the course of the amusement,
SO far from sporting with their super
stitious tcrrors, or elicitiDg from them
the slightest symptoms Of agitation,
was fairly beaten with my own
weapons. More than once | caught
myself leaning forward and staring
| with fixed cye-balls, OH the face OF
the fair narrator, completely absorbed
and borne along by the current of the
fearful story. Ny chum, however,
who was skcpticsl on the subject OF
ghosts and apparitiOns, as knew,
| cujoyed my situation, quite as much
a, he could have enjoyed the fears
of the young ladies.
soon rose TO retire, and observing
that he still kept his seat, the start
ling idea Of going alone at that weird
hour through the dark and lonesome
street TO my lodgings broke like
lightning through my excited and
superstitions mind. 1 asked him,
with trepidation it was impossible
| to conceal, ifhc was ready to go; and
my torturing fore-boding was reallz-
cd as he replied he should remain
aud pass the night with younger
brother who was unwcll. ventured
to insist, Tut suppressed litter from
our fair companions, and a mischiey.
Gus leer from him, convinced me that
they fully comprehended the nature
of my situation. Only the one al
tentative appeared left mc--to 60
and go alone.
opened the door and looked out
Thick clouds and darkness had
sLrondcd the world as if for hel
grave. The air had suddenly chang.
ed tn that balmy softness which, in
that climate, is the unfailing precur.
sor, and strange and h0llow-sOund'
ing gust of wind swept by like some
fearful and olninOus spirits of the
night. Far away to the northwest
the Cumberland Mountains were
groaning their deep toned and signi.
ficant warnings OF the coming temp
est. All nature seemed rife with the
| IIlN N5teElOuS duu tIic tCIIlUlCs
"That night child might understand
The d'vil had business on his hand"
My hair stood OIL end as closed the
door behind Inc, and involuntarily
turned back. But there the ridicu!e
of my companions awaited me; and
fixing my hat firmly Oh my head,
stepped forth.
proceeded a few PAGES, and began
to breathe more freely, when sud.
dealy the awful vision of the myste.
rious murder rose up before my mind
with horrible distHgtness. became
fixed in my tracks; strong cOnvul'
sion passed over my frame, and fel,
every hair OH my head bristle up a:
if to encounter some dread and ghost.
ly visitant. A gale of wind swept by
and carried away my hat. l did no!
try to regain it; but wheeling,
darted instinctiycly back to, the dOOI
l had just left. Then came the mcn'
tai conflict. One way, seemed SURF
of meeting the devil, or something
worse-thc other, l was certain O.
the ridiculc of my associates. Like
a true man of the world determined
TO brave the former.
mustered up all tho resolution
could and after short aud fruitlcs
search in the dark street for my hat
resolving to rise at the earliest dawl
the next morning and find it before
it could be discovered by even thu
most jealous disciple of the Franklin
ian philosophy of carly rising, q
length set out with rapid step TO-
my lodgings. got along better thai
could have expected all the time
however, like wary Tam O'Shantcr.
"Glowring round with prudent cares,
Lest b0gles catch ME unawares."
aud increasing my speed at ever,
sound of night wind that hurried by.
The Court House was quaint oil,
stone building at least 30 yards from
any other house in the village. from
which, even yet, cdicls and decree
90 forth in the sacred name 0fjustice
[ could Just perceive its dark outlin,
against the grim sky as | approached
When few PAGES from the door,
} could sec that it was open by the still
deeper blackness which was within
Again [ paused, and subtle horrO
crcpt through every vein as renlcna
bered that just one year precisely haa
, elapsed since the occurrence of tn
my steriOus and horrible murder. NJ,
knees seea.ed failing beneath til
, weight of my body, and dizzy sick
: ness oppressed me as this singula
coincidence destroyed in my ,nin'
, the last vestige possibly that
should escape meeting some frightfu