Year: 1862

Stiil older nal~On. of a rich and


Mixed tothic; such as artists all allow


few prccedentS are lett us 10 compare


wihal."


but which did not satisfy the taste of the new
proprietor. who had scarcely got possession of
his title deeds before he commenced improv
ing at once the land and the mansion, both of
which had not experienced as much of the
care of the late owner as was Justly their
due. The Improvements made rapid progress
under the special superintendent OF the lord
OF the new soil, who planned and directed
early and late; and it is his semi-nocturnal
prediction tor business that raised him to the
dignity of ghost story here. He was in the
habit OF remaining about the mansion and
grounds long after every one else had retired
to his home and couch, contemplating the
progress of the improvements or devising
fresh ones; and while engaged in this manner
one evening shortly after twilight, he beheld
upon the site of what had been an old out
Office luminous figure, which first bore a re-
mote resemblance to the human shape, but
which gradually assumed that form more and
more as the twilight deepened and presented
to the gaze OF the astonished proprietor, after
a quarter OF an hours contemplation the per-
feet outline OF a man, formed, so to speak, of
light OF blush tinge and subdued brilliancy.


Mr. NJ stood contemplating the appa-
rition, or the phenomenon, or whatever it
might be styled till it vanished from his view,
owing, as he thought, to some change in the
atmosphere, for he felt the air very much
colder about the time OF the disappearance
of the vision than 1t had previously beer and
he retired to his house somewhat sadder. if not
wiser, than when he had lately LETT it. but he
said nothing about the apparition TO any one.
He mistrusted his judgment, and thought a
vivid imagination might have PLAYED him a
trick, the revelation OF which would. doubt
less, expose him to no slight amount of ridi-
cue so he held his peace, and resolved to dis
cover. if possible, whether the phantom were
a reality or a delusion. He, accordingly,
wandered about the scene OF the vision every
evening after the twilight hour, and occasion
allv his watchfulness was rewarded by a sight
of the figure, which sometimes appeared an
indistinct mass o. still flame, and sometimes
presented some outlines of human form, but
seldom appeared in the complete human shape
in which it first presented itself 10 the anxious
and rather puzzled view of the new lord OF
Castle Blank. Having satisfied himself that
his imagination was not trifing with him, that
gentleman began to make inquiries of the
people about his desmesne as to whether apy



former proprietor of the property, or any
other person in any way connected with Cas-
tie Blank, had met an untimely end, or disap-
peared suddenly and mysteriously from the
mansion, or if there were any tale of mystery
connected with the place; and, there having
been none of the kind, the peasantry could
only account for their new lords inquiries on
the ground that the traditionary and not all
imaginative risks of Irish landlords had begun
to effect his reason, and that he was rapidly
tending to demented State of mind. But
The deluson was on the part of the people, a:
the lord of Castle Blink speedily showed one
fine morning, by collecting sufficient mum
Der of officers, where he had so frequently
seen the apparition, and where was found al
a considerable depth below the surface the
skeleton of a man-a warrior BY all appear
ances; and said appearances favored the
opinion, which generally prevailed, that the
bones of the dead hero, no doubt, had reposed
for many ages in the spot where they were
discovered. But what was more certain, wa.
that the spirit Of the departed found no RES