LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2658, 13 October 1882, Page 4

LITERATURE.

A GHOST IN A RAILWAY TUNNEL,

Some few winters ago I was called on business to the North of England- The summons came by telegram, and it said, * Come at onoe.' I dared not disobey the mandate, knowing the matter waß pressing ; so, at some inoonvenienoe and a great deal of disappointment to myself, I set to work to make the necessary arrangements for leaving my office for about a week, that being the time I calculated I should be away. It was the last day of the year, end I had hoped to spend the New Year's Day so differently—in the country, with my dear little sister Helen. We had not met for months, and this had been a pleasure long talked of, and by both of ns moat eagerly anticipated. Bat it was useless to thick of that now—the thug was inevitable. So, swallowing my regrets as well as I could, I hastened my preparations ; and I found myself about halfpast seven o'clook the sime evening in a hnnscm cab, on the way from my lodgings at Brompton to catch the mall train from Ring's Cross. I was just in time ; the five minutes' bell had rnng before I reached the station, and there was scarcely a moment to spare. I had no time to pick and choose my seat, but jumped into the nearest first-class carriage opened by the porter, when the door waa banged and we were off There was only one other passenger in the carriage, a pleasant looking man' of middle age, whose bronzed, healthy complexion spoke of a country life, fie soon showed himself to be of a social disposition ,- and, rather to my annoyance, almost immedlutely began to talk. Under other circumstances I should havs met his friendly advances more cordia'lr ; but I had intended to look over and arrange the pspeis I had with me relating to the business on which I was bound, and I was out of temper, or perhaps I might say out of spirits, about my poor sister Helen. Altogether, I should have greatly preferred being left to myself; but It waa quite impossible to be otherwise than civil to any one so conrtaous and pood natured. I therefore continued to answer his questions till I think I must have fallen fast asleep.

I was roused by the sudden stoppage of the train and an exclamation from my fellow passenger ; the look of fear, almost of horror, in his face filled me with alarm, and I hastily put down the glass and looked out. We were not at a station. I could hear a confusion of voices making anxious inquiries, and suppress ed Ecreamo from the female paßsengora ; in short, all the noise and alarm whioh oeour when an unexpected stoppage takes place. The guards, too, were aa provoking as usual, prowling about with lanterns and turning d-af ears to all inquiries. It soon appeared, however, that noting serious was the matter ; a slight impediment on the line had caused the delay, whioh was soon oleared and we were able to prooeed. The incident howover, had the effect of rousing me completely, and I waa able to listen with unaffected interest to my companion's account of a fearful accident whioh had happened three years before in the tunnel. ' It was,' he said, ' on tho last day of the year, and to this very train the dreadful collision happened.' Then he added, ' I have too much cause to remember it, for I had to go to the scene of the disaster and assist in searching among the sufferers for one in whom 1 was deeply interested. I have little or no physical nervousness or fear, but the sights and events of that night will never be effaced from my memory.' And even as he spoke tho man's cheek blaoohed, his voloe trembled, and the look of horror I had before noticed returned to his face. I will not detain my readers with this terrible description, but will hasten on tho little story which grew out of his sad expression, and which, though partly given here in his own words, has been added to by subsequent information obtained by myself on the spot. There was nob in all the fair oounty of Yorkshire a prettier girl than Bosetta Munnering. and not only was she beautiful, but she also possessed most other advantages that this world can give. Mr Manneriug had beon a Lanoashire manufacturer, and in tho prime of life, had amassed a largo fortune, had retired from business and purchased a beautiful estate in Yorkshire. Hero, with his wife and infant daughter, he had, some years before the commencement of our story, settled down with the prospect of having a lonj; or-j lyment of his wealth. Thus Bosetta. or little Boale, as she was more frequently called, was brought up in the lap of luxury, and was, on the whole, as little spoiled as any girl would be under similar ciroumstances. It was not surprising she should ho a little selfish ; as everything and everybody gave way to her slightest wish. Kosle had numerous lovess, and if the truth must be spoken, she flirted, laughed, and amused herself with them all, never considering that the bright smile and merry word might be taken more seriously than they wore intended. Amongst those who really loved her for her own sweet, pretty self was Sir Biohard Dalton, a rioh baronet, whose estate joined her father's. He was not young, having reached his thirty-fifth year, but he was a fine aristocratic looking man, and he possensed many advantages which were of importance in the.cyts of Bosie's parents. Mr Mj.r,nering, though an educated man and a thcrough gentleman, was a new man. He had no family tree to show, and though his . great wealth, gave him a position & ifce

country, he was naturally anxious that hU h ifOBS thouH mr,ke a matoh that wou d r.-wo he.- in the tooisl soale. '"it otr lUi'Uard'H obief attraction was the fact th >t hi residence was situated mar to Befcawood, M- Mannering's plaoa. If Rotio to .rried him It would not be lika parti; g rom bar at all. How delightful, then, to •> th the fond parents to have their darling v tlfld ro rear them, and the wife of such a ■t od mm an Sir Richard LMtoi! Undoubtedly Roeie liked H<r Richard better than any other person—she had know him all her life. His kind, tender notice had wr-n her childish love, and unconsciously, as she grew older, she looked to him f r sympathy ici all her pursuits, and for advioe in all her clifßoultiea. As for Bichard, he could not have told himself when the fond, petting affection he felt for the pretty child had grown into passionate love for tho bauutifal woman ; but that ha idolised her with a dovotion seldom equalled he kne%v and felt, and to win her and make her his wlfa w b the one prayer of his life. Ha spoke to Mr Mannaiiug when t'oiio was scarcely seventeen, and though his proposal was received with unfeigned pleasure, it was agreed between them that the subject should not be named to Boale for another year.

So poor Sir Kichard waited and watohed with thi» great love in his heart. ' He saw his beautiful idol making one pleasant summer holiday of her unclouded existence —flirting, laughing, and joyously flitting from flower to flower, like the pretty thoughtless bntterly she was. Ihus matters went on till Ros'e attained her eighteenth year, and became very beautiful indeed Such wai Koaetta Mannering when one memorable day she was summoned into her father's library and Informed by him that it only rested with herself to decide if she should become Lady Dalton, wife of the richest baronet in the county, whose family dated from the Conquest, and who even now was waiting with beating heart andtiembling anxiety for the one little word whioh would bring him happiness ineffable, or misery too great to ba contemplated, Bosie's first feeling, on hearing her father's commanlc&tion, was that of unmixed surprise ; but soon a shade of regret stole over her. _ She had been so happy in fcir Richard's friendship ; she had looked up to him and respected him more than anyone—mote ev;n I than her father. She could not look upon him in this new light all at once Bow much better that things should have remained as they were. Then, ag-iln, she thought of all his gcodnesp, his (superiority over everyone she had ever known, and how immeasurably above aoyone who had yet sought her love. She felt proud that thta great, good man wished to make her his wife. She, poor, little frivolous child that she knew hefaelf to be. Of one thing she was quite assured—that she loved him above a-1 the world. *ut then, again, was it the kind of love her young fanoy had pictured in her daydreams ?

These conflicting thoughts flashed through oar heroine's mind as she stood before her father, with a bright flash in her yoang oheek and a look of perplexity in her faoe. At last she exo'aimed that she could not tell—that she did not know. She must have time to think, and could not give an answer yet. Mr Mannering wai only too pleased to have this half consent, yet in his account of the interview to Sir jiichard it is to be feared that he gave rather too sanguine a report.. air Riohard was well contented to wait. He had lived so long in suspense that the smallest ray of hope sufficed to make him happy, and there is little doubt tbat had things gone on in their ordinary course Route would have beoome his willing and happy bride. Bur, alas, for poor, pretty Kosie, this bright) f <ste was not destined to be hers. The oloud, no bigger than a man's hand, had already appeared in her horizon, which was to burst fa suoh a pitiless storm on her young life. About this time an event of some importance came of in the neighborhood. The officers stationed at H , the nearest town to the Mannering'a residence, gave a ball, to which ell the neighboring families of any standing were invited, and as a matter of course Mr and Mrs Mannering and their beautiful daughter were among the first to receive invitations. To this ball Kosie look forward with a delight very natural to a girl of eighteen who had been to few small assemblies, and never to a military ball. lam afraid Sir Kiohard would not have felt flattered had he known how much more the ball occupied her thoughts at this time than him elf. The choice of her dress, the flowers for her hair, and what ornaments she thould select, were all-important, and quite superseded that other question which she should have been asking herself—whether or not she should oonßent to be Lady Dalfcon. When, indeed, the thought flashed across her mind that she must soon give Mr Biohard au answer she put it from her, and said to herself, * After the ball I will deoide," and tbeu gave herself up to the all-absorbing interests of laces, satins, and jewels. The long looked for evening arrived at laat. Sir Richard dined with the Manner* logs, and was to aocompany them to the ball. The carriage was at the door, and all were assembled in the drawing-room save Ro-io, who still lingered over the finishing touches of her toilette. When at length she floated into the room Sir Biohai d thought he had never seen so fair a vision. He could have fallen down and kissed the hem of the soft drapery that hung so beoomingly round her graoeful form, and making her look, as he thought, like some beautiful fairy or spirit, jNever, Indeed, had he thought her so lovely; and when he led her to the carriage he could not refrain from pressing her hand, and whispering a compliment in her ear, couched in more tender language than he had as yet ventured to address her ; and the sweet, almost loving smile whioh she turned upon him caused his heart to beat with joy. The room was nearly full when they arrived; dancing was going on with great spirit. Roaie, leaning on Sir Richard's arm, Btood near the entranoe of the ballroom, and took a survey of the enchanting scene. As may be supposed, fir Richard was not allowed to monopolise hla beautiful companion. She was very soon surrounded by claimants for her hand in the different dances, and thus it came to pass that, after dancing the lirjt quadrille with her, fcir Richard found that JJoaie had drifted away from him and as far from him and all thoughts of him as if he had never existed. For some time he watched her with unmixed delight; he enjoyed seeing her happiness, and was pleased with the admiration her beauty called forth, and then— As for Kosie herself, she bad never felt so happy in her life . her woman's) vanity was flattered to the full. She knew and felt she was the queen of the ball, and above all, she had been dancing oftener than she had time to count with Frank Melville

Very early in the morning, Colonel Gran*, the commanding officer of the dragoon regiment who gave the entertainment, asked to be introduced to Koalo, and paid her marked attention ; and when later he bronght up a young officer, whom he presented as Mr Frank Melville, Koaio could not prevent herself from blushing deeply, for she had seen the dark, expressive eyes of thla personage fixed upon her many times daring the evening with very evident admiration. Kosie was well used to being admired herself, but not 10 much accastomod to admiring others ; and now, for the first time in her life, she saw one who really fascinated and Interested her in no small degree—in faot, poor Bode fell in love at first sight ! Frank Melville wa3 not slow to perceive the impression he had made on the beautiful heiress, nor waa he the sort of person to let any advantage likely to accrue to himeeif fall to the ground; so he made good use of his time, and in that one short evening had progressed more with his love-making than had poor Sir Richard in all the long months he had been worshipping his idol.

Everything, however delightful, must have an end; and so this evening, which had been suoh a bright dream of happiness to oar heroine, terminated at last. She had been whirled through the last delicious waltz by Frank, and now it was on his arm the leaned ts he conducted her to the carriage, his hand that plaoed her oloak so carefully round her, and which pressed her hand so tenderly when he bade her good night. With a deep sigh of happiness Ilouiu tank back in her seat, aud never spoke till she arrived at home, when, hastily kissing her parent*, she ran up into her room, there to be at liberty to indulge alone the first happy love-dreams of youth, Bir Richard had promised to return home with tho Mannerlnga, but he had vanished before they left the ball-room, and Mr and Mrs Mannerlog were too tired, and Rosie too much pre-occupied, to take heed of his abaenoo. [To be continued^