Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-12-20
A FIRST-CLASS GHOST
STORY.

A<OAAOh oAAukC Ou [4ll
December. The weather was horribly
cold, and the wind was very high. 1 had
my evening paper already cut by my side,
and my DTddShGfc was in my hand bu:
they were at present both unheeded, for
my thoughts were far away down the line,
forty mics down, to Nettleton, where /
was going to spend my Christmas holidays
with my uncle, Arthur Blucher, a few
cousins, and Bessie Noland. When say
that my uncle end cousins were second
and thlrd in my thoughts, / need hardly
explain that Bessie was my sweetheart-
rather al old-faShioned word, but like to
use it. had won her after a courtship of
twelve months and l thought myself the
happieSt Of young fellows and the luckiest
OF mankind. l VIII not attempt to de-
scribe my Bessie, tor that can only be done
Dy photography. She was very Lretty,
very sensible, and beloved by everybody,
and adOred by me. / had parted with her
in the autumn; although every week
brought me kind, gentle letter from her,
We had not met since saying goodbye at
the yarmouth station, North Wales, when
she went to stop at Nettleton, and 1 re-
turned 10 grim old law in my chambers,
New-inn, Lincoln'S-inn. How slowly the
time dragged Oh, to be sure! There never
could have been wlndier or more cheer
less October than in that year, nor a duller
or darker November. l could find no
charm in the London theatres, in spite of
the novelties produced. The newspapers
were stupid, and the magazines barely
readable. My friends too, somehow or
other, became wearisome. Johnson's puns
fell fiat; Robinson's practical jokes lost
their charms; and Smith and Jones's par
ties bored me. I wanted Christmas to
come rs quickly as possible, and
yet Old Time would not get on any quick
er in spite of my fretting. But at last the
day arrived for my departure. l had packed
my pOrtmanteau two days before it was
necessary. had studied my route until
knew the stations by heart, and / found
myself at London Bridge station a good
half hour before the train was advertised to
start. Immediately my t1ain-I had
known this 5:55 for 80 many weeks that l
looked upon it in the light of personal pro-
pcrty-backed into its position. / insisted
on taking my seat, although the guard as
suIed me we shouldn't be off for a quarter
of an hour, if then. Never mind, 1 felt
happier and iess restless in the carriage,
knowing that it was something somehow
connected with Nettleton and my visit.
Our train, according to the time tables, did
not stop anywhere after passing Croydon,
but ran right into NettletOn iunction-ig-
ley. So, giving a shilling to the guard,
requested him to lock the door, and L was
left to my cigar, my evening paper, my
Brddshdtr, and my Bessie
The station was th-onged with holiday
makers Of all grades OF society, pushing,
squeezing, laughing, shouting. but all bent
on one Object-tO get good good places in
their various trains. Poor guards, how 1
pitied them! and how l admired
their GOODNESS and clear-headedness in
the midst of such a babel of tongues !!
Should we never start, asked myself,
as | leaned out of the window for the
twentieth time. Yes; surely those are
"our" doors being slammed to; that
is our guard whistling and holding up
bis hand; and that brisk, determined whis-
tie belongs to our engine-we were off AS
we slowly glided out OF the station was
somewhat surprised to see a tail, lank. vi hite
faced gentleman walk up to my carriage
door--which paid the guard to lOck-open
it, step in, and take his seat opposite me.
He was a most peculiar-looking individual.
His face was very long and painfully white;
his eye was bright and restless; his hands
incased in black kid gloves, had the
appearance Of possessing good deal Of
bone, his legs were awkwardly long; and
to add to his eccentrlcity, his head was
quite bald, and shone like a plain white
billiard ball On entering the carriage he
bowed to me, and after carefully gazing
around him, smiled-such a smile !-and
taking out a black covered book, coiled
himself up in corner aud buried himself
in its contents. This strange being puz-
zled me considerably. What could he be !?
Perhaps a Doctor. NO-his appearance
would telrify any nervous patient. A law
yer-pOssibly an escaped lunaIc, more
probably. deter mined to speak to him;
for, though | was not a coward, | did
not like the man. There was something
unearthly about him; for now and then he
would put down his book, gaze Oh the
lamp above him, and laugh quietly, then
fixing his eyes on me for second, would
relapse iIltO a smile and continue his read
ing. DO you object 10 smoking ?"
Asked own with au cilolt. He took no
notice Of me-. ! repeated the question !;
but III lieu Of rclhAir. he twisted himself
into an easier position, ana went on with
tie black-bOuLd book.
IL shall not be at ell sorry when VIC get
TO NcttletOD," l thought to myself, as
threw my Cigar away and took Up the pa
lnr. :. ! don't relish this superhuman fel-
low-passenGer at all. Well as there's 10
chance ofrclcasc fUr two good hours, l may
as we'll make the bcnt OF it," | tried TO
read, but could not Fix my thoughts Oh any
subject; SO / soon gave it up, and tried To
lose mySe,f in dreamland. But at fr,t
could not sleep; for whenever / happened
to look up, found my horrible cOInpan-
IONS eyes fixed on mine. A cold perspira-
ton came over me every time looked on
him SO summoned up courage and said
somewhat sharply, /" | think you are very
rude to stare at me so, sir if you have
anything to say to me, be good enough to
speak" He SMILED, and looked ont of the
window for a moment, sighed, and changed
his seat. / must lave soon fallen into a
doze, but how long slept have little ideal
When l aWoke, | felt the carriage oscilla-
ting violently, and to nv horror and sur
rpiso. my cOnlpdaicn had gOnO! Yes, |
was alone in the carriage! In another mo-
ment the air was filled with the shrieks Of
agony and yells Of despair, the escape of
steam and the crashing of wood. My car
riage shook and groaned, and then tottered
over on It's side down an embanHment; but
luckily for me, was, with the exception of
a few br Uses, unhurt. o, what a sight
was before me. The 5:55 from London
| lun into a goods train, and lay before
me wreck. Women, children. and men
were buried under the debris, whilst
some, like Inc, had escaped without a
scratch. We rendered all the ASST lnce
that lay in our power to the poor creatures,
a ID it was lot until the sun had risen ON
Christmas morning that We got sufficient
hands together to clear the line.
Twenty five people were killed in this
awful accident, and over thirty severely
W, unded.
he few days leisure that had allowed
myself went quickly en0ngh and my Net
teton visit was soon thing of the past,
AMI was once again hard at work In the
Inn. At times my thoughts would turn
to the events of ChTistmas-eve and though
/ strove to erase the recollection from my
mind. I conld not forget nv felloW-travel.