Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-10-23
THE stWANEE GHOST,

drops ii Wine that remained in his
glass and half arose from his chair,
81 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"
looked at the clock myself, for 1
admire anything that goes on tick.
The hands were fast becoming sociable
and drawing together as lovers often
90 under the pale glinipses of the
moon.
Aquaftef Of a mSaloment more mo, and an
impossible cuckoo stepped out from a
little alcove at the top of the timepiece,
bowed gravely IL us twelve times and
with me1odious voice told off the
hours.
stopped to the ice box and drew
from it's refreshing depths another bot
tie. .de&y, and fascinating. The doctor
resumed bis seat. Deity drawing the
cork. l filled his waiting glass and
casually remarked, as if Twas totally
Inirterestedi doctor, is there no
romance connected with this beautiful
sheet Of water-no tragedy to curdle
the blood, quicker, the beat of pulse
and drive dull care away"
Lighting a, fresh cigar; he. replied:
Ibid I ever tell you about The Ghost
OF the Suwanee?'. No? We'll, it is
said to be absolutely TRUE. Forty years
ago Nell Bryant: was the loveliest girl
in the country, tall and lissome. as q
young. fawn;. her golden waves of hair
framed.a pair of blue, innocent eyes,
as pure as the dainty soul mirrored
therein. An only child, she was wor-
shipped by her parents and was allowed
every advantage that wealth could
bring. Education at a. Northern
school, and after graduation receiving
all the advantages bf. a cultured and
refined home, she was a splendid type
Of the Southern girl Of older days.
Although an ,acknowledged belle and
subject to.the. Hattery 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 gallon
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'saae her from harm. To all pro-
posals'of marriage she turned a deaf
ear, but so kindly was she in refusal
that No 0ne could take offense. At the
time of which 1 speak she was about
nineteen years old, in the full glory of
9 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 a splen-
did-looking young fellow. KNEW him
we'll; about six feet in height, sinewy
and well proportioned, with jet black
eyes and hair, a long dropping NOUS
}ac0e, GouItly anu pOIlSneO IRON traYel
In other countries, he was we'll calcu-
lated to inspire a woman's.. love. He
loon became Miss Nell's constant COM
panion. "A pretty rider, a lover of
song and poetry and flowers, their
tastes seemed all in common, and but
bne result could follow. The whole
heart Of the young girl went out to
him, and henceforth he became master
pr her Utmost thoughts. Young, hand
some, Q brilliant man of the world, he
fascinated her as tie snake charms the
bird, and his credentials being Of the
highest order both parents smiled upon
biz suit; Ths young men Of the neigh
porhood aecspted' tie situation with
trae Southern .cAiyairy and gave him
n open teld: ST Thi; ~tsveFence and
throw my Obstacles in the way of her
happiness: So the couple. enjoyed a
perfect stysium Of JOY. 1t was a FOOLS
paradise, however, and soon there was
70 be . rude awakening. ,Upddssy his
bleasxnt and magnetic exterior tho
7otnk QMcer had 1 nature callous and