The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-01-15
i First Glass Ghost Story.

Heandidato for Office. -.
rA IA First Glass Ghost Story.
II was seated in a comfortable compartment
!in, q irst-class railway carriage at London
Bridge railway station, on the 24th of Decem-
sber.i The westher was horribly cold, and the
bSihd was very high. had my evening paper
,sfready cut by my side, and my BRADSHAW was
IN my nand but they were at present both
clnheeded, for my thoughts were far away down
the line, forty miles down, to Nettleton, where
iI,was going to spend my Christmas holidays
with my uncle, Arthur Blucher, few cousins,
and Bessie Noiand. When I say that my uncle
and cousins were; second and third in my
thoughts, T need hardly explain that Bessie
was my sweetheart--rather an old fashioned
o1pra, but E have to.use it. / had won her after
courtship of twelve. months I; and 1 thought
myself the happiest of young fellows and the
luckiest of mankind. will not attempt to
describe my Bessie, for that can only be done
BY photograph. She was very: pretty, very
sensible, and beloved by everybody, and ador-
ed by me. I had parted with herin the au-
tniin;; although every week broughtme kind,
gentle letter from her, we had not met since
saving goodbye at the yarmouth station,
North Wales, when she went to stop at Nettle-
ton, and, returned TO grim old law in my
chambers; New.inn, Lincoln's How slow
ly the time dragged on, to be surel There
never could have been Q windier or more
ieheerless October than in that year, nor dull
Ter Or darker November. could find no
charm, In the London theatres, in spite OF the
novelties produced. The newspapers were stu
.pid, and the magazines barely readable. Ny
friends, too, somehow or other, became weari-
al Aot
S.nliracticat Jokes lost their charms; and Smith
and Jones parties bored me. wanted Christ
mas to come as quickly as possible, and yet
Old Time would not 60 on any faster IN spite
ofsmy fre:ting. But at last the day arrived for
my departure. / had packed my portmanteau
two DAYS before it was necessary. ! had studied
NV route until knew the stations by heart,
aud I found myself at London Bridge station
good half hour before the train was advertised
70 start. Immediately my train-f had known
this 5.55 for so many weeks that I looked upon
Il in the light, Of personal property-backed
into its position. ! insisted on taking my seat,
although the guard assured me we shouldn't be
of for q quarter of an hour, it then. Fever
mind, / felt happier and less restless In the
carriage, knowing that it was something some
how connected with Nettleton and my visit.
Our train, according to the time tables, did not
right .insaL LNetHeton juncsion--ignoring Rel
gate. Little Houghton, and Rushley. So, Civ
SDg-ashaiing to- the, guard, i requested him to
Mck. the door, and was left to my cigar, my
evening paper, my Bradshaw, and my Bessie.
The station was thronged with holiday ma
kers of all grades of society, pushing, squeezing,
laughing, shouting, but all bent on one object
to ges good places in their various trains:
Poor guards; how pitied theml and how L
acunired their GOODNESS and Observation-Disclosures in
The, midst. of such q babel of tongues! Should
we ever start, I asked myself, as I leaned out
of the window for the twentieth time. Yes; i;
surely those are 'ours doors being slammed to; {;
that IS our guard whistling and holding up his
hand; and that brisk, determined whistle he
longs to- our engine-we We're off! AS we slowly
glided out Of the station was somewhat sur
prised to see a. tall, lank, white faced gentle
man walk up to my carriage door-which l
paid the guard to lock-open it, step IN, and
take his seat opposite me- He was most
Notwithstanding 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, q
9aod deal of bone, his legs" were awkwardly
fo0,or and to add to his 'eccentricity, his head
wwas ouite bald, and shone like q plain white
billiard ball.. On entering the carriage ne
bowed to me, and after carefully gazing around
him., smiled-such smile! and taking out a
black covered book, coied himself up IN q
corner and, buried himself in its contents.
This strange being puzzled me considerably.
What could he be? Perhaps Doctor. No
his appearance would terrify any nervous pa
tient.r A. Alawyer-possibly; an escaped lunatlc,
more nrobably. 1 determined to speak to him
nr. though was not q coward, did not Ike
the man. There was something unearthly
shont him for now and then he would put
dawn his book. gaze on the lamp above him,
e"d I Ianrb duietiy. then fixing his eyes on me
for a second. would relapse into smile and
a"n.;nus ~, h;s reading. DIDO you object to smok-
;~n9n asked-I own with an effort. He
.not no notice of me- repeated the question
~. ~ i;eiSj f replying he twisted himself into
on easier position, and went on with the oiack
T 81 shall not be az alT sorry when we get te
Nett,eton." thought to myself, as threw my
o;oar away and took up,the paper. i don !, ,
re5ish thissuperhuman fetlow-passenger at all
Well. as there's no chance OF release 1or sws
cod hours, may as we'll make the best OF IT,,
tried TO read, bat could not tx my Thoughts
on any subject; sol soon gave II up, ana trleG
to lose myself in dreamand oIo Inn.and ~ nnS' -
eould not sleep; for whenever happened te
Look nm nj found nv horrible companions eyes
sxed on mine A cold perspiration came ovel
me every time Hooked on him; 50 l summons9 e;
up m courage and said somewhat sharply ~
think you are very rude to stare at me so, ad sls
if you have anything to say to me- oased Dc g9oI o
enough to speak" He smiled and a6od .6odeo snG uu
changed his seat. I must have soon fallen inte
. doze but how long I slept have little idea
When awoke, felt the carriage oscillatlng
violently, and to my horror and surprise, my
COMPANION had gone Yes, was alone in the
carriage In another moment the air was filleo
- L;o,,. nc ooonv and vells of despair