Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-04-22

ing down the curtain.
After this everything progressed rs
il should till the end OF tho piece; but
at its very termination n sad catastrophe
occurred. Tho stick of wood that sup
ported the curtain at tho top gave way
and fell with 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 tho adjoining
the crash. MaGge Holton rushed in
the next moment and said that the
curtain had fallen, and Mr. Wilkinson
was hurt Lucy was about TO dart
out of the door, when she stopped,
turned pale as death, tottered and faint
ed in my arms as prettily rs II it had
been part of the play
threw some water in her face and
fastened to tell Madgeto be discreet.
"There is something wrong with the
poor child here" said /, 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 Wilkinson"
Don't ask questions. She tainted
because he was hurt, and that is more
than you would do IL were killed."
Very likely: sir. Hush-she is
coming to herself"
We saw Lucy safely through her
fainting fit and then investigated the
extent of the pianist's injuries. He
was hurt but little, us the curtain had
prevented the beam from falling very
heavily; and Paul, seizing on the cir
cumstance with professional avidity,
made him appear in tableau got up
on the spur of the moment. With the
blood-stained cloth still about his fore
head, gold-laceo Jacket, high boots
and musket, he made splendid lying
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 handsomeP'
"Oh, splendidf'
The result was a blush such as very
few dying men could muster.
The events OF the evening proved
most conclusivelv. 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 it. The thousand and
one little signs of affection that lovers
unconsciously betray had escaped hin
ON every occasion that had brought
them together; and we, who soberly
talked the matter over, agreed that il
anything could occur to expose theil
feelings mutually, it would be god
send to both.
/ am perfectly well aware that it wa
none of our business. knew that we
had no right to mention their feelings
or to suggest any different course thar
the one they pursued. l acknowledg,
/ that we were very culpable in this, n
well as in our subsequent behavior-in
deed, so entirely am l convinced tina
we acted wrongly that l do not inten,
to make the slightestapology or excuse
| only invite the utmost condemnation
of the reader, and sum up my reply int
eight simple words:
"What are you going to do about itP'
We all sat at breakfast, a few morn
ings after the play, and Wilkinson de
scribed singular noise he had hear
during the night.
1t was the ghost, without doubt,
! coiH Tnhn aminn. 80 mead IN hoot.
very often walking about upstairs
Don't you recollect, George, the nigh
when we heard it together?"
nodded assent.
1.-The story goes" continued Legion
that the first owner of the house wa
woman, whose husband ill-treated he
until she died. She died, they say, i
the west chamber, where Paul sleeps
Paul made a gesture of alarm" an
is fond OF taking posthumous walk
through the whole of the second story
My wife here believes the house to b
really haunted; but then, you know,
ghost makes house respectable. an
these women are great sticklers for II
spectability."
"Why, | never heard of any ghost
here" said Lucy Freye.
,"No; you are so timid, my dear, tn,
/ have never mentioned it before I
you"
"But seriously" said Payne, al di
actually hear steps in my room in til
hall-steps like bare feet, apparentl,
and distinct enough to wake me up"
81 have often heard steps in ii
lall above" said L; ''but woode
, houses are apt to be full of cd
noises"
''Has this ghost been seenp" aske
, some one.
II don't know about that. l thir
, Mrs Stapleton once saw somethir
t white up there--didn't you Mrs. S.
said Mrs. Legion.
? eyes. thought did"
, 1.-THE story says that the ghost CT
be seen at any time when it Is heard
Q continued Legion; land If were supe
9 stitious, might confess to having SCI
3 something little strange MYSELF
: "Why, how romanticp' exclaim,
t PAYNE. II did not expect the luxu
0 of n haunted house when came her
v l must fathom this mystery.
The night following this convers
|
# the house was alarmed, little aft
!, midnight, by the pianist, who knock
v at all the doors, and desired US to ass
d him in securing the ghost He h
( been awakened by footsteps, and h
IS imagined that he distinguished whi
figure going up the hall when Es look
d out of his door. Nobody else h
n heard any noise whatever, and
# search was fruitless. Much dscussi
j. ensued, at breakfast, as TO the pt
= sihility of such phenomena, and ma
N grave theories were advanced in G
" planation of the mystery. 1t was s.
" tied, beyond doubt, that all the doc
d and windows of the lower floor we
B. fastened; that the servants had all 90
5. to bed, and slept soundly; that nobo
s. but Payne had heard or seen anythir
ID and that he had certainly heard distir
,t footsteps. He was not perfectly 81
,r that he had seen the ghost. As
looked out of his door, he fancied Il
a uhita Horura ratraafaH ,,n tho L.,