Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-01-21


Ifew d ing embcrs attracted nj
toward tbs fireplace. | tockA single
step forward, ' hen [ trod OH some
something that gave gay beneath
my feet, and lost al, presence Of
mind as, falling my head and shoull-
ers plunged int water. | spranE 20
my feet, and d 81 I'd the water on. o
my eyes, when md ! ct shuddcr !.
think of it, l Je cid my door stan!
ing widely ope and could discern
in Il, BY the iaiu ligh fmy cEpir-
| ing fire, dgnr clothed in white
| stood petrifed iii horror Till nt
tering q groan, il stretched forth II.
arms, moving toV ard me!
The next thing Ircmember is burst,
ing into the parl IT had quit ID
half-hour before stumbling over
chair, and falling 4 full leng b p the
floor, while the sAra ks Of the cal.y
frightened young lsdies lrowAed the
roar of waters in my cafs nd ar1n7Cu
the sleeping household Ny iright
was subsiding rapidly; and AZ the
cage. questions Of all, anu t.eir stil,
more eager gaze at my wild and dis.
tracteG appe rance, perplcTity and
shame were leginning to dlspiace
wilder emotions;. when the door
opened and the spectre entered. J
uttered yell of horror, aud the next
moment tie white mantle dropped,
and my cbIm stood before me!
The pat 'iarch of the family who BY
this time, had risen from his bed, and
half-dressed, made his way into the
room, which was the scene o. This
highly dramatic performance, nov
came forward and demanded an e1-
planation. After an Intellectual ap-
peal 10 the disrobed ghost, who wa-
somewhat Disconnected at the turn
Affairs had taken, the young ladies
cleared up the mystery by stating that
they had observed my superstitious
fears ofgoing alone 10 my lodgings,
and had suggested to my chum the
amusement Of wrapping himself in =
white sheet, getting into the Court
House before me, aud seizing me as
entered the building. This, it ap.
peared from his tardy account, he
had not time to do according to the
plan but following behind me, he
opened the door when he heard ME
plunge into the large tub Of water
which the servants had neglected TO
remove.
Ibid not sleep much that night,
Visions OF pretty girls changing into
hideous phantoms, (would they were
always but yisionaryD and night
mare dream of drowning iu u huge
tub OF water, haunted my repose.
arose at the first dawn Of day, and
found my unfortunate hat well
dronched in heavy rain that had tal.
len. | tried to assume my usual look
at the breakfast table, but it would
not do.
Our school lost pupil, forsooA
my Latin and my "laayc-loVe", and
when home. The former resumed
a few weeks aiterWard at East Ten
uessec University, i'll what is now the
t'ourishiag City Of Knoxville. NJ
chum became my cIass-mate, and
atoned for his cruel practical joke by
years of intimate and devoted friend.
ship, (which did not end when We
.'ers .nsldu9ted and went our Yays
into tic great Nulet.-- I-v-s. on am
or0d and distinguished member Of
Congress, aud frequently attcsts bis
remembrance by sending me under
his frank, a public document Hi
ndschlcvous sister saw, for the first
time ,ilcc that period, at church, los.
Sunda,--a well preserved widow Of
fifty, with q handsome grand-child
sitting beside her. | caught her look
ing at me across the intervening pews
several times, in the midst Of the
most solemn parts of the service. !
wonder what interest she can feel in
the fate of a poor old bachelor: