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

ciSai, Siauceu teSfeIIully at tne rev
drops If Wine that remained in his.
glass and half arose from his chair,
~ suppose it is about time to retire.
ne said' peering at the quaint old
clock above the hantel. .You know
the old adage, early to bed and early
to rise makes a nan 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 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 quaftet Of d moment more and an
impossible cuckoo stepped out from a
little alcove at the top of the timepiece,;
bowed gravely 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, .de#y, and fascinating. The doctor.
resumed Ills seat. Deity drawing the
cork, l filled his waiting glass and
casually remarked, as if / was. totally
Hnirterestedi 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 awayF" =.
lighting a, fresh cigar, he. replied:
"Did I ever tell you about The Ghost
OF the Suwaneep'. No? Well, it is
said to be absolutely true. Forty years
ago Nell Bryant, was the loveliest girl
in the country, tall and lissome a. )
young fawn; her golden waves of hair
framed'a pair of blue, innocent eyes,
% 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 Of. a cultured and
refined home, she was a splendid type
OF the Southern. girl Of older days
Although an,acknowledged belle and
subject torthe dattery and alteration of
the young gentlemen OF the neighbour
hood, who were her willing subjects,
she yet remained heart whole and
fancy ,freea, and, seemed to find her
greatest pleasure in the romantic
scenes around her, the t~ireless gallon
of her saddle horse and the coquettish
dancing of her little boat. Hour after
hour would she spend upon the beauti-
tul river; sometimes idly floating
through a land of dreams, at others
trimming her tresses with beautiful
Aowers OF Watching the. fitting forms
OF strange wild birds, whose joyous
warbling hardly rivaled her, own.
= "The negroes fairly w~orshiped her,
and not n but what would have died
o'saae her from harm. To all pro-
posals' Of marriage she turned a deaf
ear, but so kindly was she in refusal
that ND one could take otfense. At the
time of which l speak she was about
hineteen'ye years old, in the full glory of
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
fache.. codrtly and polished from travel
In other countries, he was well calcu-
lated to inspire q, woman's. love. He
toon 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
pne result could follow. The whole
heart Of the young girl went out to
him, and henceforth he became master
pf her inmost thoughts. Young, hand
kotne, . brilliant han of the world, he
fascinated her as tie snake charms the
bird, and his credentials being Of the
highest order both parents smiled upon
bis suit. The. young; men Of the neigh
porhood aecepted' ttfe situation with
true Southern sAiyairy hpd gave him
ah OPEN field. This. reverence and
loyaltystA Miss Nell forbade them to
throw s1iinJy obstacles in the way of her
happiness: So tho couple. enjoyed a
perfect stysium Of JOY. It was a fools
paradise, however, and soon there was
70 be . rude Awakening. ,URdsg his
fieasxnt and magnetic exterior tho
1onnk QMcer had 1 nature callous and