Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-02-01
4 GHOST STORY.

had sat for hoursin the snug. brown
p-rOOm of the Four Swans, N0rham.
had ordered nothing. not even a bt d.
or a cup of C, flee. All in vain had
honest old waiter hustled in and out.
ing the fire and Ticking crumbs from
table. He had only brought himself
lc conclusion that this strange guest
"a queer sort" especially for a
istmas Eve. noro
/ fact, they of the -Four SWi...s were
much used to strangers of any sort.
yhad a quiet, steady-gOing connection
torham itself. Three or four trade
Is held their meetings there, and the
or seven bedrooms Of the establish
1t were kept i'm Just the state of order
comfort which suited the mdividuali-
If the six or seven commercial gen.
men" who, when on NOrham business.
| patroniZed the Four Swans for the
twenty or thirty years. If ever a
anger appeared, it was generally with
ne such introduction as this: "Land-
d, Mr.. Dash, of Blank, told me you
uld give me good quarters fora day, or
week." as the case might be. In
ID. the -Four Swans, had, az it were,
Iden itself from all chance comers, for
was situated in quiet corner of very
let street. down which nobody would
nix of turning unless he knew some
ing Of it beforehand; and altogether,
tn its interior of brown panneling, its
,alth of quaint and grotesque orna-
,nts. its red-tiled yerandah, and its COM
lnicative confidential old servants, the
,ur Swans was an excellent type OF
Ose honest, homely hotels which are
It being improved from the face OF
earth.
The gentleman in the coffee-rOoifbslid
II notice that he had done an odd Tong
coming i'm without a word, aDd e.
aiming without an order. Pers Satte
I'd other things to think about nd s,eas
tall, middle-aged man, with
hair upon his face; and, Id grew
as unmistakably well dressed. \ -, u
lat indefinite air which most ny oN :
no at any period of their lsnow fel
knocked about in ships and an ,o,.
canvas suits and cordurOys, y" 'o'
He had come in about five o'c some,
K O'Clock struck, and seven, ana itwas
ithin two minutes of eight, when an old
Orham townsman came in to look over
,e papers. To the intense satisfaction "
ne waiter, that effectually reused
ranger. But so slOwly-like the
hing from long, enchanted sleep. And
} it Ii d been an enchanted sleep haunt
v a dream of five-and-twenty years ag"
81 want to stay here for the night, wall
Il" me said, abruptly. Amy c0mfOrta.
N sort of bedroom Will suit me. And
dng me some tea and toast"
The waiter was alert. "Ihere'sa little
iyate room off here, SIR" he saiG. throw
y open the door. "Tll set your tray
,ere; it's more retired like than this"
The gentlemen followed as invited. II
as a SQUARE closet. with two or thlee
-nff,d chairs, a polished round table,
nd a dull oil-painring over Ihe
,ant,I. That was all that would str4t
nv strange eve. But the gentleman
,alked straight to panel beside the IL
lace. and peered at it. Under the sl5
iscoloration and many washings o.
mo time. there was still visible slid [
os6;ng pen-and-ink sketch Of an q
nan. With long nose and google spec
les !. n.,r me sir. you've gos Il, all 3.
} find that out directly" said (which VI
Nj vaiter. "Clever, isn't III n,
Ssrs-deyil he was that did 1t, arNao.e rA
rortrait of the London detet~yAa
"A some ,iown to take him of . tyson
I;s |1 last meal in Norham he an thi,
ko,e room. sir. and rare lot OF nam ano
~ he did get through, sir, and never
ESsYgded a bit that the policeman was IL
catching of him." ord
"H Ths Gentleman said not one WORD.
aHe's aueerer than ever" cohiiue9 the .he
ter M to the old cook, as he received tne
SnJ toast from her hands. ~ pegai
5. s tell ali him about young Rogerson' Out he