The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-02-16
A Real Ghost Story.

n
country house in one Of the home coun
hes,. in England, says correspondent. tt
celebrate the coming Of age of the eldes
daughter. The family consisted of Mr
ana Nina. Franks, two SOUS, Harry nnc
LioneI, and two daughters. Nora and Hab
As many as fourteen young people were
staying 10 the house, and in few days q
large ball was to ho given. We were al
at that happiest time Of life, between
seventeen and twenty-five we were all
old friends, bad known one another from
childhood, and were in the widest spir.
Its; many innocent firtations were beinp
carried on, with much discussion about
our partners aud dresses for the forth
coming ball, aud were, indeed, very hap.
py party, whilst Mr.. and Mrs. Franks
were kind and indulgent to us young peo.
pie. ~
II was large rambling old house. the
rooms opening one out OF the other, with
unexpected doors in the walls, concealed
by being papered, leading up narrow
staircascs to other rooms never inhabited
hardly ever entered. Four bed rooms
opened ono into the other in their way.
large and curiously shaped; ind in these
four rooms all we girls were located
| seven of us. II was narrow wing of
the house, some Of the windows facine the
lawns and Strawberries, somc oyerlookinC
| acourtyard, into which opened the kitch.
ell and the dairy. My readers must for.
give me If this description seems tedious.
but 1t is necessary, to better understand
the rest of my story.
The night of the ball arrived. An
many as two hundred members of the
surrounding families, from far and near.
came. The arrangements were perfect.
and dancing was kept up with much spir.
IT to very late, or rather q very oarly.
hour. l we'll remember that we saw the
last OF the guests off in broad daylight.
and that some of us preferred having tea
and a stroll in the garden in the lovely
morning air to seeking our beds at all.
we werea very popular etof young peo-
pie, and ball succeeded ball in the neigh
borhood, NIL given in our honor, and our
kind host and hostess insisted upon our
Prolonging our visit to participate in all
these gayeties.
1t WAS the evening preceding one on
which ball was To be given about five
miles distant. A dressmaker was TO como
In tho evening to look at our dresses and
by putting new bows and flowers to fresh.
en- them up for the occasion. We had
Just finished disner, at about 8 o'clock.
and were chatting over desserts when a
servant came to tell Nora and Bah that
Miss Saxby was ready to try on their dres-
ses. They Immediately went to her, and
IN few minutes followed them up stairs
to see what they we're having done. 1t
Whs wide, handsome staircsae, termina-
ting in long corridor, of which opened
most of the principal bed rooms. Half
uf fbn t,se ~f Al
high painted window.
wentup in the dark and was surprised
to see standing by the window mau,
apparently in uniform, with short mill
tary clonk thrown careless.y over one
shoulder. AS went on th;. figure seem.
ed to vanish, and distinctly heard the
opening and shutting of two doors at the
end of the corridor leading into some of
the vacant rooms. I Thought it might
possibly be trick played on me by some
of the young men In tho house, 80 return.
ed to see who WAS absent, but thew we're
nll there in the dining. room. / pro.
cured candle and again went I'D to the
girls, making no remark on what had
seen until the dressmaker had gone, when
told Nora She turned quite pale.
made me repeat ,ny story, and then told
lis she had seen the same figure in the
same position and in the same place. OF
course VIC were laughed at, and no one
would believe word of our story.
We went TO bed carly that night, hav-
ing late hours in prospect for the yIorrow.
We girls were all talking and laughing in
tho first OF the four rooms have already
described. In the midst of our merri.
ment there camo suddenly crash, 30
loud and fearful that VIC thought that
overy plate and dish in the kitchen and
dairy must &c broken. This was followed
by the sound of heavy chains clanking.
as II being dragged across the stone yard.
and long piteous whine from old Leo,
who was chained up in his kennel lust
outside the dairy door. We all started
and clung to one another The noise
had been heard in all parts of tho house
for Mr. and Mrs. Franks came to our door
10 know what was the matter, and we heard
the young men and the servants moving.
AS no reason could be assigned for the
disturbance, it was suggested that Harry
and Bah, with one of the men. servants.
should go down and SEQ what had caused
SO much noise They were gone some
time, but could throw no light on the
mystery when they returned. Nothing
was broken, nothing even displaced but
Leo seemed much terrified and reluctant
to be left in his kennel. We all tried TO
be brave, and separated to our different
rooms. a
The next night was the ball at Yokipg
and we did not return until day was
breaking. We were all too weary to even
talk about the previous nights adventure.
The following night, at about IL o'clock.
we were all aroused by the same myste.
rious crashing sound, still more deci.
ded dragging of chains, mixed with perc.
ing shrieks, and howl upon howl from
Leo. Wo were terribly alarmed. Nora
tainted dead away. We called to the
boys and servants to come, but when we
were all assembled, pale and trembling,
no one would venture upon second visit
OF inspection. 1t was impossible to re-.
turn to our beds and We waited impatient.
ly for daylight. The subject was much
discussed In the morning, and Mr.. Franks
determined that some means should be
taken to find out who or what was causing
so much alarm and discomfort. It was at
last resolved that the gardner should that
night keep watch in the kitchen, that he
should have gun ready loaded, which
he was TO fire if in need of assistance he
was a.strong, powerful man, and laughed
at the idea of any myster,. but thought
there might be tramps Icout who for
some reason were trying TO alarm the fam
| ily.. We were all so nervous that, when
night came, for one fatty refused to go
alone to my room, which was the last OF
the iour have mentioned; so we girls
decided to sit up together until after the
hour at which We had been disturbed on
the two previous occasions. AS the hour
| approached we were Joined bv two other