Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-09-17
tricks upon my guests. Good night,

tricks upon my guests. Good night,
Major"
"Good night, Colonel"
The door closed. Major Hill locked it.
Besides the door opening into the entry,
there was another leading to some other
room. There was no lock upon the second
door, but heavy table placed across COM
pletely barricaded it.
He threw himself into an arm chair before
the fire, and amused himself with building
castles in the air, and musing on the attrac-
tions of the fair Laura, the hosts daughter.
He was far enough from thinking of spectral
vsitants, when very slightnoise struck on
his ear. Glancing in the direction of the in
ner door he thought he saw the heavy table
glide backward from its place. Quick as
thought he caught up a pistol and chal-
lenged the intruder. There was no reply
but the door continued to open and the table
to slide dack. At last there glided into the
room tall, graceful figure rohed in white.
At the first glance the blood curdled in
the Majors veins: at the second he recOg-
nized the daughter of the host. Her eyes
were wide open and she advanced with an
assured step; but it was very evident that
she was asleep. Here was the mystery of
the white phantom solved at once. The
young girl walked to the fireplace and
the soldier had just risen.
She raised her left hand, and gazing on a
beautiful ring that adorned one of her white
taper fingers, pressed it repeatedly to her
lips. She then sank into an attitude of re-
pose, her arms dropping listlessly by her
side.
The Major approached her and stole the
ring from her finger. His action disturbed,
but did not awaken her. She seemed to
miss the ring, however; and after cropping
hopelessly for it, rose and glided through
the doorway as silently as she had entered.
She had no sooner retired than the Major
clothes press against it, effectually guarded
himself against second intrusion.
This done, he threw himself upon the
bed, and slept soundly till late hour of
the morning. After performing the duties
of his toilet, he was summoned to break
fast, where he met the Colonel and his
daughter.
"Well, Major, and how did you pass the
night" asked the Colonel, anxiously.
"Famously," replied Hill. II slept like
top as 1 told you I should"
'"fhen, thank heaven, the spell is broken
at last" said the Colonel; "and the white
phantom has vanished"
"By no MEANS" said the Major, smiling;
'the white phantom paid me visit last
night and left me token of the honor"
"A token !" exclaimed the father and
daughter in breath.
Eyes, my friends, and here it is" And
the Major handed the ring to the old gentle
man.
"What's the meaning of this, Laura ?"
exclaimed the Colonel, this ring gave you
last week."
Laura uttered faint cry and turned
deadly pale. -,
"The mystery is easily explained, said
the major: 1.-THE young lady is a Sleep
walker. She came into my room before L
had retired, utterly unconscious of her ac-
tions. I took the ring from her hand, that
l might be able to convince you and her of
the reality of what had witnessed"
The majors business was not pressing,
and he readily yielded to the colonel's ur-
gent request to pass few days with him.
Their mutual liking increased upon better
acquaintance, and in few weeks the White
Phantom's ring, inscribed with the names
of Merritt Hill and Laura Lawrence, serv-
ed as a sacred symbol of their union for
life