The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-23


raj serious conversations with my relatives,
became believer in ghosts. I kept the
truth from Bessie for I knew that she
youId I've broEen.hearted If she knew that
I had become disciple Of the spiritualists.
7 was very unhappy and very unsettled
nv health was none of the best nv spir-
itS were low. and my energy tagged con-
s;dnrahIv. So the long year passed away,
and Christmas came again. was, as usual,
10 spcnd nv few days holiday at Nettle-
ton :: and l found myself once more In a
tirst.class carriage by myself at 500 on the
oath of December.
The door opened, and He entered the
carriage, smiled in the same death-ilke
manner rs he had twelve months ago. TOOK
his seat, produced the black book, ana reaa
In silence. / do not think was very muco
surprised at seeing him, for he had been IN
nv .smind's eye" al the year but cold
pcrspiration came over me felt sinking
ut nv heart, and a burning, throbb1ng pain
flew to nv head. "Man-if man you BE-
| said, tixits NY eyes on the figure, III
You have come to warn me OF any coming
danger, speak to me. am brave enough
10 hear the worst" He lifted his eyes from
his book. yawncd, closed the volume, ana
settled himself to sleep. "No," crled.
''vou shall not evade my question: You
must answer me. What will happen! why
are YOU here:" He reused himself and
looked at me with smile upon his hard
lips; he then took out small pocket-book,
and wrote on page, which he tore out ana
handed me, these words, awe shall meet
Tonight"
read the five words over and over again,
but could not fathom their meaning. Twas
painfully certain. in my own mind, that
| some other terrible calamity Of some kind
or other would happen before long. and
| that read my warning on the piece OF pa
| Der held in my hand. / kept my eyes tiX-
| ed on him for some time; but nature at
length ruled, and fell asleep-not into
sound slumber, but into troubled, frettul
series of doZes Of an unrefreshing feVerlsh
| character. was aroused by the train slack
cning speed and on looking out of the win.
dow found we had arrived at Nettleton juno
ton, and Itras the only occupant Of the car
rage! Hastily gathering my traps together,
| got out Of the haunted carriage, and IN
quired of a porter if my uncle had sent
| over any conveyance for me. Yes; there
was the dog-cart. Before leaving the sta-
ton l asked the station-master if he was
sure that the train from which had alight.
| ed WAS the express from town. " Yes, sir, ~
WAS his answer; "through from London
Bridge" What an awful ride had on that
dark Christmas eve At every turn Of the
road thought we should be overturned ;
whenever the horse improved his pace l
made up my mind that he had bolted; but,
in spite Of my fears, we arrived safely at the
| Nrtt!eton House, and received a hearty
| welcome, - of wore.
| An agreed that I was looking far from
well. "Bless the boy said my aunt,
''ycu look as pale as though you'd seen a
ghost | stammered out something about
! the closeness Of London, and went up stairs
to dress for dinner.
How / got through the meal I have very
little idea. Bessie must have thought me
very stupid, for / made few remarks, and
answered her questions III monosyllables.
There was to be ! dance--as usual-ln the
evening. and ! was engaged, of course, TO
Bessie for the opening quadrille; but l
made so many foolish blunders, and, as my
sweetheart tod me, looked soyery unWell,
that was tain to leave off.
! Come into this room, DEAR Bessie said !;
Lett IS cooler there and more quiet"
!; We entered. | started back with look
! Of horror OH m, see: for there, by the
! mantel->helf. stood my mysterious railway
companion Will. Il glass Of sherry III his
hand.
Bessie" laid earnestly, "come away;
| come away. for Heavens sake :"
J " IN Vi ntl 'ittl IL lut Ilatltl ilSti llt
You look so terri!lv frightened" she said.
! But needed her ncF for | could not
think OF anything but til" phantom before
! me. He approached, with that cursed
! smile upon hi face, and held out his hand.
| bessie looked up laughingiy at his face,
and said, "Charlie, won't you shake hands
; with Doctor Linton:'
Who-who is het Z" asked.
| "Why, Doctor Linton, the DEAF AND
! DUMB gentleman"
! For moment my brain whirled round.
and | can remember but indistinctly what
! Immediately followed. | saw Bessie ma
King SIGNS with her fingers, and the Doctor
replying 10 her IN the same manner. ms
is what learn" in calner moments.
! The Doctor WAS deaf and dumb, aud 4
season tickct-hoIdcr on the line; and as he
could not always make the porters under
stand, he was allowed private key. He
lived at a little village some five miles from
the London side of Nettleton, and the
managers of the line stopped the $50 for
/; HIM out Of courtesy.
so my ghost vanished with the eXplana-
ton. | shook him warmly by the hand,
and. with the assistance OF my Bessie, in
! formed him Of my doubts and fears, at
which he laughed heartily. My spirits soon
. returned. and by the time the last dance
was announced no one was happier than
myself. Bessie and I were married the
following Christmas, and conspicuous
amongst our guests was my "First-clasS
; Ghost"