The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-12-03
A Phantom Feast.

A Phantom Feast.
A correspondent of the New York World
sends the following account of mysterious oc-
currence to that journal, and vouches for its
authenticity:
There is gentleman who visits our city
once every three years, who cxcites 4 great deal
of interest on account of some peculiar circum-
stances which always attend him. His per-
sonal appearance is striking-rather tall, with
head firmly set on broad shoulders, iron gray
hair, brushed off from full, white forehead,
we'll cut features, and eyes dark, with strange
inward expression. He takes rooms at one Of
our first class hotels, and remains three days.
The first is spent in giving directions for
banquet to be served in his private apartments,
and he is particular to the minutest detail.
The second day he superintends everything,
and his face wears an anxious look. AT about
four o'clock lie rctires to his dressing room, af-
ter giving a last injunction to the servants to be
in attendance at the appointed time,
plendent with silver, crystal, and flowers the
servants stand eapectantly waiting yet no
guests have arrived At length the doors of
the inner room open and the strange gentleman
enters, his face flushed and head bert, as if
listening to some remark addressed to him.
With polite gesture he indicates seats to nu-
merous invisible guests, and at last seats HIM
self at the head of the table. With q motion
to the astonished servants he signifies his wish
to have the covers removed and the different
courses served.
All is profound silence, and yet the host ap-
pears to be engaged in earnest conversation,
frequently bowling and smiling toward differ
ent parts of the table. At length the wine is
poured, every glass is filled, and as this Is done
the host RISES holding his glass high over his
head, Instantly every chair is filled with low
ely women and courtly men, sparkling eyes
look love to eyes that speak again, and rosy
lips seem ready to part with ripping laughter.
Soon the ladies disappear through the door
float, as it were, out Of sight-and the gentle
men remain. Conversation seems to be
renewed, when suddenly the gaze of all is riv-
eted upon two young men who appear to be
yerv angry. They both rise eXcitedly, one
draws dagger, uplifts his arm, and, with quick
descending notion buries it in the bosom of
beautiful girl who has rushed in and thrown
herself in front of the intended victim. Jew
els gleam on her polished throat and amid the
shining gold of her hair, while her life blood,
like crimson thread, slowly trickles over the
snowy whiteness of her dress.
Every face is filled with a look of horror,
and with cry ofagony the host falls back IN
his chair inscnsible, and as he falls the guests
fade away and vanish into air.
Nearly all of the servants have long since
fled with fright, but few, allowing their curl
ositv to overcome their fear, have remained to
the end. They now summon assistance, and
the strange gentleman is carried to his bed.
For a long time all means of resuscitating him
failed, but at length, with deep sigh, ne
opens his eyes and means, ooh, is it all over :"
Then he falls into deep slumber, and so re-
mains until the afternoon of the third day,
when he makes his appearance at the office,
calm and collected, calls for his bill, pays 1t
without the least demur orders a carriage, and
is driven to the Grand Central depot, and there
we lose sight of him until three years roll over
our heads, when we feel sure that he will visit
us again.
There are many stranger things happen than
ever appear in print, and this probably would
have been one of them had not the public be-
come excited over the Eddy mysteries, and
fairly reused our scientific men to investigate
the indefnable something that steals up stairs
after us everyday people, and lays Its cold
hand upon Us in our sleep.
The circumstances here related can be cor
roborated by C. number of people, If necessary.
DIR. -, who has been witness of them, has
Il GlCOTy WIllCIl uC ChS Wv .'-'
| chimerical as it may seem at first In this
case he thinks the gentleman has in reality
gone gone through just such scene as has been
described, and that probably the young lady
was his daughter. The dreadful shock her
loss produced acted in peculiar way upon
his brain. 1t must take three years for some
unknown force to work within him to the point
when he feels compelled, perhaps, as a sort of
relief, to repeat as near as possible the event
When the wine appears hisinher force must be
reacting to elimination, and the vision, so nten-
sely vivid in the mind, is projected into or up
glass, so that it becomes visible to all who
may be present When he falls the force is
expended, and the phantasmagora disappears.
The prolonged insensibility followed by deep
sleep is an effort of nature to repair exhaus-
ton and restore equilibrium.