The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-09-10
THE SUWANEE GHOST.

| LIE 81 w AN EIE HHOSi.
The doctor knocked the ashes of his
| cigar, glanced regretfully at the few
drops of wine that remained in his
| glass and half arose from his chair.
Il suppose it is about time to retire, "
| he said, peering at the quaint old
| clock above the mantel. You know
the old adage, early to bed and early
to rise makes a man healthy, etc, al
| though | don't believe my esteemed
| friend Franklin ever sat down to a
bottle of sparkling Italian, tapered off
with a genuine old-fashioned roll of
| tobacco"
l looked at the clock myself, for l
admire anything that goes on tick
The hands were fast becoming sociable
and drawing together as lovers often
do under the pale glimpses Of the
moon.
A quarter of a moment more and an
| impossible cuckoo stepped out from a
little alcove at the top of the timepiece,
bowed graye!y to US twelve times and
with melodious voice told off the
hours
| stepped to the ice box and drew
from its refreshing depths another bot
tie, dewy and fascinating. The doctor
| resumed his seat. Deity drawing the
cork. L filled his waiting glass and
casually remarked, as if | was totally
uninterested: Doctor, is there no
| romance connected with this beautiful
sheet of water-no tragedy to curdle
the blood, quicken the beat of pulse
and drive dull care away?"
Lighting a fresh cigar, he replied:
did ever tell you about The Ghost
| of the Suwanee?' No? Well, it is
said to be absolutely true. Forty years
ago Nell Bryant was the loyeliest girl
in the country, tall and lissome as a
young fawn; her golden waves of hair
framed pair of blue, innocent eyes,
as pure as the dainty soul mrrored
therein. An only child, she was wor-
SHIPPED by her parents and was allowed
every advantage that wealth could
bring. Education at Northern
school, and after graduation receiving
| all the advantages of q cultured and
refined home, she was splendid type
of the Southern girl OF older days.
Although an acknowledged belle and
subject to the flattery and alteration of
| the young gentlemen of the neighbor-
hood, who were her willing subjects,
| she yet remained heart whole and
fancy free, and seemed to find her
greatest pleasure in the romantic
| scenes around her, the tireless gallop
| of her saddle horse and the coquettish
dancing of her little boat. Hour after
hour would she spend upon the beauti-
ful river, sometimes idly floating
| through a land of dreams, at others
trimming her tresses with beautiful
| flowers or watching the fitting forms
| of strange wild birds, whose Joyous
| warbling hardly rivaled her own.
The negroes fairly worshiped her.
| and not one but what would have died
to save her from harm. To all pro-
posals of marriage she turned deaf
ear, but SO kindly was she in refusal
that no one could take otfense. At the
time of which | speak she was about
| nineteen years Old, in the full glory OF
| a noble womanhood. But at length
| she met her fate. Lieutenant Rodman
| King, of the United States army, came
| down there to spend the summer with
! some of his friends He was splen-
| did-looking young fellow. | knew him
we'll; about six feet in height, sinewy
| and well proportioned, with jet black
| eyes and hair, long dropping NOUS
tache, courtly and polished from travel
| in other countries, he was we'll calcu-
lated to inspire woman's love. He
soon became Miss Nelrs constant COM
panion. A pretty rider. lover of
song and poetry and flowers, their
| tastes seemed all in common, and but
| one result could follow. The whole
heart of the young girl went out to
| him, and henceforth he became master
of her inmost thoughts. Young, hand
some, brilliant man of the world, he
fascinated her as the snake charms the
| bird, and his credentials being Of the
highest order both parents smiled upon
his suit. The young men of the neigh
| borhood accepted the situation with
true Southern chivalry and gave him
an open field. This reverence and
loyalty to Miss Nell forbade them to
| throw any obstacles in the way of her
happiness. 50 the couple enjoyed a
perfect elysium of Joy. 1t was a fools
paradise, however, and soon there was
to be rude awakening. Under his
| pleasant and magnetic exterior the
| young officer had a nature callous and
cruel as lQal OF the dTcu lleuu HiilaeIi.
The brief, bright, happy summer was
soon over and he proposed to take his
departure to his distant post of duty.
The lovers parted with many vows and
many protestations of love and atfec-
ton, pure and holy on her part but
| false as hell on his.
| AFTER his departure, light and hap
| py of heart as any bird that sang in the
groves near by, she went about her
| daily pastimes. There was bright
color in her fair young checks and the
happy light of trusting love shone in
her eyes. Life had newer meaning
| for her now, and with an eager trust
she waited for the loving l,tters he had
| promised so faithfully TO write. They
never came. Day after day she wait
ed, hopeful and patient, until her very
soul grew sick wit fear. Day after day
the color faded from her face and the
sweet true eyes grew dim. Her step
! about the house grew listless, the mu-
| sic OF her voice was still. At length,
setting aside all thoughts of maidenly
| modesty, she wrote to her recreant
lover. Ia reply she received as cruel
and dastardly letter as the pen of
| man ever indited 1t stated that the