The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-01-13
@scoLUMBlA TENNESSEE FRIDAY JANUARY sqls7i,u s

aud In so doing, might by word or
act diyulge my fears to some fellow
mortal, which l would not that my
one siIos3d ] knew fbra Gle woild.
Once more l reyolyed the idea of re-
turning, anl claiming lodging with
my chun,, but, the consequent ridi.
cule seemed intolcrable. How could
l bear the jeers Of my ''ladye-loye" !"
After wavering and resolving several
times, there appeared no alternative; /;
l must brave the dead!
no longer doubted that 1 should
sse the ghost and, trying TO reconcile
myself 20 the encounter, began to
think over the favorable circum.
stances of my desperate situation.
Ny chief comfort .wss derived from
the considerations that I had never
wron2ed the unfortunate man-that
l had experienced the strongest dis
appreciation Of the foul deed that de-
prived him of life, and great anxiety
for the discovery any punishment of
his murdered--andI l reasoned that
whatever might be the nature of his
feelings toward others, against me
surely he could not possibly cherish
any resentment. Therefore set for
ward once more. . I
My head reeled as I stepped into
the yawning black door, and every
hair stood en- end with terrible APP
prehens:on. l dared not look to
either side as breathlessly moved
along the midnight passage and up
the narrow stairway. / went slowly,
too /; for thought that If ! hurried the
ghost would discover my fear and
would consequently deal with me the
more terribly. As ! reached the last
step in the ascent of the stairway,
my back involuntarily cfinged, at
what sounded like q fOotstep just be-
hind me but an apprehension more
horrible than the fate Of Lots wife
forbade me to look behind. Iopened
my door, and stepped deliberately in
then, springing against it, closed it
violently. / was safe!
/ few. dying embers attracted Inc
toward the fireplace. 1 took q single
step forward, when 1 trod OH some
something that gave way beneath
my feet, and l lost all presence OF
mind -, falling, my head and should.
ers plunged into water. sprang to
my feet, and dashed the water out OF
my eyes, when, (and l yet shuddcr tu
think of IT'D l beLeId my door stand
ing widely open, and could discern
in it, by the faint light Of my cxpir-
ing fire, figure clothed in white.
l stood pctrified with horror till ut
tering grOan, it stretched forth It's
arms, moving toward me.
The next thing l remember is burst
ing into the parlor had Quilted a
half-h0ur before, stumbling over q
chair, and falling ut full length OIL the
floor, while the shricks Of the reall.
frightened young ladies drowned the
roar of waters in my ears and aroused
the sleeping household. Ny fright
was subsiding rapidly and at the
eager questions Of all, and their still
more eager gaze at my wild and dis.
tracted appearance, pcrplexity and
shame were beginning TO displact
wilder emotions; when the door
opened and the spectre entered.
uttered yell of horror, and the nexl
moment the white mantle dropped
and my cllum stood before me.
The patriarch of the family who by
this time, had risen from his bed, AM,
half-tlrcssed, made his way into the
room, which was the scene Of this
highly dramatic performance, now
came forward and demanded an eN'
planation. After an Intellectual ap
peal TO the disrvbed ghost, who Wa:
somewhat disconccrted at the turn
affairs had taken. the young ladie:
cleared up the mystery by stating tina
they had observed my superstition!
fears of going alone to my lodgings
and had suggested to my chum tht
amusement of wrapping himself in ,
white sheet, getting into the Cour
House before me, and seizing me as
entered the building. This, it ap
pearcd from his tardy account, ht
had not time to do according to thu
plan but following behind me, ht
opened the door when he heard mt
plunge into the large tub Of water
which the servants had neglected te
remove.
1 did not sleep much that night
Visions of pretty girls changing into
hidcous pl,antoms, (would they were
always but visionaryD and night
mare dream of drowning in a huge
tub of water, haunted my repOsc.
arose at the first dawn of day, ant
found my unfortunate hat wei
slreuched in heavy rain that had tai
leu. tried to assume my usual loOk
at the break fast table, but it would
not do.
Our school lost pupil. | forsoOh
my Latin and my ''ladyc-lovc", and
when home. The former l resumed
a few weeks afterward at East Ten
uessec University, in what is now tht
fourishing City of Knoxville. M!
chum became my class-mate, ant
atoncd for his cruel practical joke by
years of intimate and devoted friend
ship, W hich did not end when We
were graduated and went our ways
into tile great world. He is all hon
ored and distinguished member o
Congress, and frequently attests hi
remembrance by sending me undcl
his frank, a public document. Hi
mischIcyous sister 1 saw, for the Hrs
time since that period, at church, las
Sunday we'll preserved widow o
fifty, with handsome grand-chilt
sitting beside her. / caught her look
ing at me across the intervening pew
several. times, in the midst of tht
most solemn parts Of the service. !
wonder what interest she can feel ],
the fate of a poor old bachelorf