The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-01-23
RNkSTRsIA'S GHOST.

How well / remembered that dismsl
| November night Some vague PRESENT.
ment OF evil weighed upon my heart, as
! sat alone in, the twilight And yet
( there WAS nothing, apparently, to make
me gloomy. On the contrary, I ought to
have been-mo than usually cheerful :;
! had not received a delicious promise
! from Kate Nelson. that very afternoon
/ 1t seemed odd, to be sure, that gray
| haired old Widower like myself was TO
I marry this young girl of eighteen. Her
mother had been housekeeper in our
/ family, but died soon after Kste's birth.
So. it happened that she was adopted by
| US, as we had no children of our own.
I Ny wife treated her kindly. but without
much warmth of feeling. Anastasia was
of such 3 peculiar disbosition that I
actually believed that she was Jealous of
! this infant. ..-.-.-,..--- 80. q
Poor AnastasiS she warned. me sol
emily on her death bed neSer 70 marry
again, and threatened TO rise from her
grave in such an event. r.- re-
Kate was in her tenth year when my
! wife died. sent her sway to board
ing school, and, as business called me
! abroad, did not see her again until nv
return, eight years afterward. I was
somewhat bewildered to find a loyely
woman instead of the ittle-girl / had left
! in short dresses. OF course you can
! guess the sequel. 1 fell in leVe with
| this charming adopted daughter. There
was something in the frankIess of her
| manner that completely won my heart.
| 1t was evident that she WAS deeply
! attached to me. ! could not help seeing
! how much higher she valued my society
| than that of my nephew, Charles Ray
/ nnond, who had accompanied me from
| abroad, She never addressed him ex-
| cept in mon0sy tables, and would blush
all over with embarrassment if he but
! entered the room. But with me she was
/ always self-possessed, and so laxative
and sociable that I could not help pity
! ing Charlie. He was really good-loOking,
! and | used to wonder sometimes at her
antipathy, Poor fellow ! How dreaded
to tell him of my approaching happiness
1t would be q great blow to his hopes, for
he expected to inherit my fortune
Kate wasn't bit like other girls that
/ had ever known anything about In>
stead of blushing at ncy confession that
afternoon, she turned pale, and shivered
as if struck by sudden chill. noticed,
too, that there was q strange culver in
Eher voice when she finally consented to
be my wife. l was appTehensive that
Charlie told her what Anastasia had
said on her death-bed. And yet l could
NOT believe that he would be so incon:
siderate.
Somehow, couldn't forget that warn.
ing.
/ AnastRsiR was a remarkable woman
and would surely keep her word, Il
! ghosts are permitted tO-walk the earth.
| Thinking thus. began TO grow frightened
OF Tho eL1rlnrrs in room, ouI- hog+i1, ~
| rang ne bel orIizhts
g by are you SO late, Bridget T? "
! ask Z sharply, as the servant entered
the loom
GO Indeed, sir, and It's mesejf that's been
with Miss Kate every blessed minuit,
AMI she's almost kilt with pain in her
head" ... --sl .s.-
! Could this be the result of our CONVEX
| satiOn that afternoon Considerably
startled, 1 questioned Bridget eagerly.
Charlie came in while we were talking.
katie ill" he said, with a shadow
on his brow. Is it any thing serious,
uncle?" -. .-..-... .-... -. ga.
! What business had he to take. any
! specisl interest in Kate
"Only headache, " answered, cOldly.
/ She is subject to such attacks. Bring
in, the tea, Bridget" ..
We shall have E. lonesome evening, %
Charlie sighed, ..s ........
l half believe that he wss in love with
the girl himself
1t was cheerless. though, without
Katie. missed her brightiace behind
the. tea-trsy. Charlie left bis tea uR.
tasted. My jealousy was aroused, and !
| watched him keenly.
As soon as we were alone I said, half
sngIiiy: " What is the matter, Charliel
You lock as if you hadn't friend ,on
earth. L didn't ~ .'c-r-'l that you
! liked Kate so w. .--. 49,
| the crimson leapeu uY 20 his very
brow
lam eIad that you do,o continued
hastily, " for you will soon b. come ted
I by the ties of relationship. She has
| promised to be my wife,
f" You are testing, uncle" he said,
doubtingly.
I answered. ..
| Charlie showed evident signs of agita,
| ion. -
& You have no right to sacrifice. that
/ young girl" he said, bitterly. " You are
! old enough to be her father. Or course,
she accepted you from gratitude. How
! dare you think of such q thingP'
! =
with knocking smile; "you were disap,
| pointed of your inheritance"
! o. At that~moment the wind gave fear
full shrek outside, and I thought of
Anastasia -......
care you not afraid to marry again ?''
Charlie inquired maiicioUsly. You re-
member the warning %
{" Nonsenge!" 1 answered; cit will
take something more than a ghost 10
! brighten me out of this marrisge."
| I had scarcely finished speaking when
/ there came q gust of wind and crashing
/ of gIsss, and the storm actually swept
| into the room. We glanced around us
in dismay. The boughs of a large elm
tree that stood in front OF the house had
fallen against the window.
| Charlie gave peculiar look as / cows
] cred over the fire, and then barred the
| window in such a manner as TO keep out
| the rain. A strange gloom enveloped US
| both, and we did not return again to the
subject we had been discussing. Our
conversation was ftful, and it feemed q
relief when we separated at bedtime.
There is no use. denying that I was
! troubled with many superstitiOus fears.
! l peered aDxiously into every corner of
! the room before. retiring, but I found no
! sign OF any mysterious visitant. I had
such fear of the darkness. however,
I that / lett the candle burning.
The fury of the storm had not abated,
ana lay awake for some time listening
TO the wind. At last, however, ] fell
INTO an uneasy siumber. How long ]
had slept I know not, when / was awak-
.eped by an icy touch upon my head.
started up with thrill OF apprehen-
siop. The light emitted faint, sepuleh-