Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-06-19
The Sturp Teller.
A GHOSTS STORY.

had always been something of dream
er, and when the fancy took me to rent for
the Summer an old mansion by the sea,
whose owner was abroad, and occupy 1t
alone, with the exception of two servants,
my friends said it was just like me and ex-
pressed no surprise. 1t was June when l
took up my quarters by the sea, and
spent nearly all that month in becoming
acquainted with the house and its history,
and in exploring the surrounding country.
In July the heat was extreme, and |
passed my days in lying in some sheltered
nook on the shore, where / could hear the
lazy murmur of the waves, and with half
shut eyes, give myself up to revery. The
very warm, spent in the hammock on the
long piazza, where the moonlight filtered
through the vines, and fell upon my face as
1 swung gently to and frC, or lay fast asleep.
One day storm rose that lasted far into
the night. After struggling sally to the
beach, came back with a broken umbrella
and drenched clothes, and having no mind
to battle further with powers so evident
" superior, dressed in dry clothes, and
eaye myself up to meditation and read
ing by bright fire of driftWood. The day
wore on and night fell, so that could no
longer see from the parlor windows the
white caps as they tossed like signals OF dis
tress far out at sea. I could still, however,
hear the swirl of the wind as it flung itself
around the corners of the house, and the
cracking of old trees as their stiff, aged
limbs tried to bend before it.
These sounds, with the occasional dash OF
rain upon the panes of the side windows,
gave a feeling of additional comfort to my
safe and comfortable retreat. The leaping
flames in the fireplace shone on the polish
ed andirons and lighted spectral fires in the
wainscoting. The candles in their brass
sconces remained unlighted, and only the
fitful blaze of the driftWood gave me occa-
sional glimpses of the tall chairs with
straight backs, and mahogany table ana
cabinet. On the walls hung three or four
house, who was now in Europe on his
wedding tour. I had often examined the
face, and thought it handsome o-night in
the dim light I seemed to see traits that
were hidden by day. The lips looked self
indignant, the eyes languid, the whole face
appeared to be that of one who could not
bear pain, who sank weakly from suffering
of any kind.
fell into train of thought so absorbing
that sat for hours motionless in my arm
chair, only aroused by the dull clock in the
hallway which struck twelve.
arose with start and went to the Win
dow. The rain and wind continued, though
in a somewhat subdued fashion, like the
sobbing of child after burst of tears.
AS stood there, strange feeling came
over me which caused me to look back over
my shoulder, as if 1 expected to see some
one behind me. did see some one. The
chair which had just left, pushing it back
as I did so, was again drawn up to the hre,
and in it sat woman. Wondering if by
any possibility this could be an insane per-
son in the house and waited on by stealth,
stood still looking at her, and waiting to see
what she would do. Her dress was appa-
rently of some thin, white material and
without decided lines of any kind, seeming
simply to envelope her person, and then to
CEASE in some vague way, like the heetcy
edge, of cloud. Her face-I could see its
profile only-was pale, and her dark hair
looked as though it was heavily streaked
with gray. Afterwards, when 1 came to
look at it more closely, saw that it was
covered with the same thin mist that dulled
the lines of her gown, could scarcely see
her eyes, for she was looking straight at the
fire, but / knew from the eXpressOn OF her
mouth that she must show the deepest de-
lection. She put out her thin hands to the
fire with slow shiveIr, saying:
s'It is so cold-so cold"
On her left hand, I noticed cleaned
heavy wedding ring, almost too much of
burden for her fragile finger to bear. Com
ing to the conclusion that whoever she
might be, she was certainly subject for
hospitality on such a night, l approached
her slowly and quietly, not to startle her,
and said:
"You have surely not been out in the
storm, madam ?"
She did not start, though she showed by
her look that she had not before known OF
my presence :: .,o =. lawn, ,,
she said, "but it would not have hurt me if
/ had"
"Mad as Hamlet" thought I, as leaned
against the high mantel-shelf and looked
down on her. She continued to gaze into
the fire for awhile, then said simply, by
way Of explanation, not apology:
II always come at twelve, because then
every one is asleep, and the house is still.
suppose the storm kept you awake %
AS she spoke, she raised her eyes and
looked directly into my face, which she had
not done before. Large, dark eyes they
were, but perfectly lustreless-even the fire
light was reflected in them dimly. There
seemed to bea chill in the atmosphere about
her, as about one who comes in from win
try weather with the frost in his clothes.
ayes, it was the Storm" | replied but
she seemed already to have forgotten what
she had asked me, and was again deep in
her musing.
Presently, as l was about to make further
question, she said, softly:
eff you are not going, Will you not haVea
chair? One tires SO soon standing. You
will find the chair by the cabinet comforta-
ble-if anything can be comfortable" she
added, drearily.
1 certainly bad no thought of going to
bed and leaving the house and its inmates
to the cagfices of mad woman, and |
turned Q<involuntarily to the corner she had
indicated. An old chair stood there, which
IS my recollection had not been out of it's
place since I first rented the house. She had
not turned her head as she spoke to look for
it, but referred to its position with perfect
confidence as if she, herself, might have
placed it there. | brought it nearer to the
fire and sat down, finding it as she said,
very comfortable.
AS soon as was seated, she began in
low monitone, and with many pauses, to
talk but not more to me apparently than
to herself and for her own relief. The quail
ity of dreariness in her voice that | had
already noticed did not prevent its having
a sort of minor music which was far from
disagreeable.
II cannot help feeling that this is my
house. 1t was once, not quite two years
ago-before died."
I gave a start which she must have no.
ticed for she repeated:
eyes, before I died. am ghost. Does
that frighten you? DO not let it never
harm anyone-I am only unhappy
She lifted her hand, and though it was be-
tween me and the fire, I saw none of the
rosv color which freight makes as it shines