The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-04-21

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Ing down the. curtain.
After this everything progressed a.
It should till the end of the piece; but
at it, very termination sad catastrophe
occurred. The stick of wood that sup
ported the curtain at the top gave way
and fell with a crash upon the piano,
which was placed in the proper posi-
tion for an orchestra. Payne Wilkin-
son was knocked over backward, and
when lifted up had dark wound upon
his forehead, whence the blood was
flowing profusely.
had just left the stage with Lucy
Freye, and we were in the adjoining
room-our green-room-whenw we heard
the crash. Madge Holton rushed in
the next moment and said that the
curtain had fallen, and Mr.. Wilkinson
was hurt. Lucy was about 10 dart
out of the door. when she stopped,
turned pale as death, tottered and faint
ed in my arms as prettily as If it had
been part of the play!
threw some water in her face and
hastened to tell Madge to be discreet.
There Is something wrong with the
poor child here" said I. tapping my
chest on the left side. land it won't do
to have her laughed at 1t would kill
her."
"what, does she love WilkinsonP"
+Don't ask questions. She tainted
because he was hurt, and that is more
than you would do il were killedr'
Very likely. sir. Hush-she is
coming to herself"
We saw Lucy safely through her
fainting ft and then investigated the
extent of the pianist's injuries. He
l..~-A l,,A L. - L.
prevented the beam from falling very
heavily; and Paul. seizing on the cir
cunstance with professional avidity.
made him appear in tableau got up
on the spur Of the moment. With the
head, q gold-laced jacket. high boots
and musEet, he made splendid Dying
Brigand; and Sallie Creamer, with her
hair down her back, and an ebony
crucifix in her hand, was excellent as
his despairing wife. There was one
little absurdity about the picture, how
ever. for the dying brigand caught the
whispered words Of two young village
maidens in the front row of seats:
"Isn't he bandsomeP"
"Oh, splendidr'
The result was q blush such as very
few dying men could muster.
The events of the evening proved
most conclusively. to those who knew
the position of affairs. that Lucy Freye
| was only waiting for Payne Wilkinson
to speak the first word, and that Payne
was only waiting to be sure that she
would listen'to Il. The thousand and
one little signs of affection that lovers
unconsciously betray had escaped him
on every occasion that had brought
them together; and we, who soberly
| talked the matter over, agreed that il
anything could occur to expose their
feelings mutually, 1t would be q god
send to both.
am perfectly well aware that it was
none of our business. knew that we
had no right to mention their feelings
or to suggest any different course than
the one they pursued. 1 acknowledge
that we were very cuipable in this, rs
| well as in our subsequent behavior-in-
deed, 90 entirely am convinced that
we acted wrongly that do not intend
to make the slightest apology or excuse.
I only invite the utmost condemnation
Of the reader, and sum up my reply into
eight simple words:
"What are you going to do about ita'
/ VIC 8ll 83l ~ OEC6Ald8t, - xCW
ings after the play, and Wilkinson de-
scribed q singular noise he had heard
during the night.
at was the ghost, without doubt
said John Legion; 81 used to hear il
very often walking about upstairs.
Don't you recollect, George. the night
when we heard it together?"
nodded assent.
1.-THE story goes" continued Legion,
"that the first owner of the house was
| . woman, whose husband ill-treated her
until she died. She died, they say, in
the west chamber. where Paul sleeps
Paul made a gesture of alarm" and
il fond Of taking posthumous walks
through the whole Of the second story.
Ny wife here believes the house to be
really haunted; but then, you know, 9
ghost makes house respectable, and
these women are great sticklers for re-
spectability."
"Why. / never heard of any ghost.
here" said Lucy Freye.
"No; you are so timid. my dear. thai
! have never mentioned 1t before Il
you."
"But seriously" said Payne. "I die
/ actually hear steps in my room in tn,
hall-steps like bare feet. apparently
and distinct enough to wake me up"
81 have often heard steps in tn,
i,all above" said L; shut woodel
houses are apt to be full of ode
noises"
"Has this ghost been seene" aske,
some one.
| "I don't know about that. I thinl
Mn. Stapleton once saw somethin,
white up there-didn't you Mrs. S.P'
said Mrs. Legion.
eyes. / thought did"
1.-THE story says that the ghost ca
be seen at any time when it Is heard,
continued Legion; ''and if were super
stitious. l might confess to having see
something little strange myself
"Why, how romantic" exclaime
/ Payne. 81 did not expect the luxur
, of haunted house when came here
must fathom this mystery.
| The night following this converss
ton we retired somewhat early; bu
I the house was alarmed, . little afte
midnight, by the pianist. who knocke
! at all the doors, and desired us to assis
him in securing the ghost He ha
been awakened by footsteps, and ha
] imagined that he distinguished whit
figure going mp the hall when he locke
out Of his door. Nobody else ha
heard any noise whatever, and q
, search was fruitless. Much discussio
ensued. at breakfast. IS TO the pos
; sihility Of such phenomena. and man
grave theories were advanced in e,
? PLANTATION of the mystery. 1t was sci
? tied, beyond doubt, that all the door
and windows of the lower floor wer
: fastened; that the servants had all gon
to bed, and slept soundly; that nobod
but Payne had heard or seen anything
I and that he had certainly heard distint
{ Footsteps. He was not perfectly SUI
{ that he had seen the ghost. As b
looked out Of his door. he fancied tn,
. white figure retreated up the hal