The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-05-29
A GHOST STORY.

He had sat for two hours in the snug,
brown coffee room of the Four Swans,
Norman, and had ordered nothing, not
even q bedroom or a cup of coffee. AL
in vain had the honest old waiter b.ls-
tied in and ont, stirring the fire and
Ticking crumbs from the table. He had
only brought himself to the conclusion
that this strange guest was "queer
sort, especially for Christmas eve.
in fact, they of the Four Swans were
not much used to strangers of any sort.
They had a quiet, steady-geing con
nection in Norham itself. Three or four
trade clubs held their meetings there,
and the six or seven bedrooms of the
establishment were kept in just the
state of order and comfort which suited
the individuality of the six or seven
commercial gentlemen who, when
on Norham business, had patronized
the Four Swans for the last twenty or
hirty years. If ever a stranger appear
ed, it was generally with some such
introduction as this Landlord, Mr.
Dash, of Blank, toldme you would give
me good quarters for day, or for a
week, :" as the case might be. Indeed,
the Four Swans had, as 1t were, hidden
itself from all cnance-comers, for SC
was situated in a quiet corner of very
quiet street, down which nobody would
think OF turning unless he Knew some
thing of it beforehand aud altogether,
with its interior of brown paneling, its
wealth of quaint and grotesque orna-
ments, its red-tiled veranda, and It's
communicative confidential old servants,
the -Four Swans was an excellent type
of those honest, homely hotels which
are fast being improved from the
face of the earth.
The gentleman IN the coffee-room did
not notice that he had done an odd
thing by coming in without n word, and
remaining without an order. Perhaps
he had other things to think about. He
was tall, middlc-aged man, with a
good deal of hair upon his face; and,
though he was unmistakably well
dressed, he had that indefinite ali
which most men carry, who, at any pc
Rod of their lives, have "knocked
about in ships and colonies, in canvas
suits and corduroys.
He had come in about o'clock, and
6 o'clock struck, and Z, and it was with
in two minutes of s when an old Nor
/ ham townsman came in to look owe
the papers. To the intense satisfaction
of the waiter, that effectually reused
the stranger. But so slowly-like tn,
awakening from a long sleep. And $,
it had been an enchanted sleep haunt
ed by dreams of fve-and-twenty year
ago.
waiter, " he said abruptly. ANY com
Portable sort Of bedroom will suit me
And bring me so8le tea and toast
The waiter vas alert "There's
little private room off here, sir" h
said, throwing opgu door. "Tll Sc
your tray there it's more retired-lik
than this"
The gentleman followed as invited
IL was a square closet, with two o
three stuffed chairs, polished roun,
table, and dull oil-painting over tn
mantle. That was all that would strill
strange eye. But the gentlema
walked straight to a panel beside tn
fireplace, and peered st it. Under tn
slow discoloration and many washing
Of long time, there was still visible
slight dashing pen and-ink sketch {
an old man, with along nose and gog
gle spectscles.
=" Dear me sir, you've got quic
: eyes to find that out directly" said n
( chatty old waiter. % Clever, isn't it
A young daredevil he was that did i
, and that was a portrait Of the I.ondo
. detectives that had come down to tai
: him of to prison. His last meal
N1rhala he ate in this room, sir. and
rare lot of ham and eggs he did e
I through, sir, and never minded b
& that the policeman was a Watching ,
him.
s The gentleman said not one word.
He's queerer than ever, confids
the waiter 70 tie old c0os5. as ho recd
cd thp tea and toast from her hand
g began to ten bim about young Re
! erson. but he did not listen bit. a
e not even ask if he was hanged OF an
IL thing. ITS like taking q meal to
ghost. that it Is. +"
You might do better than poke .
old stories about as bad a young scan
; as ever lived 90 disgrace an hone
family. retortod the old cook, wi
wPs sharp in her temper "and rs
Is ghosts. there are plenty o ghosts ever
c where's Ter them ss has sense to e
D. 'em. Peter bat I don't think you me-
Il he afeared
Meanwhile another Norham trade