The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-11-27

"Agnes where are you Z" Inquired
very agitatedly at the same time knocking
at her door. Ireceived no answer.
"Agnes 1! Agnes For Gods sake,
speak !---Speak. or / shall some into
your room!" No reply was made, and
/ thrust open the door. Heavens Can
I describe what saw
Within less than a yard Of me stood the
most fearful figure my eyes have ever be-
held. 1t was Agnes .---She was in the
attitude ofsteppng to the door, with both
arms extended as ifin a menacing mood.
Her hair was partially dishevelled.---
Her face seemed whittier than the white
dress she wore. Her lips were of livid
hue Her eyes, full of awful expression
---of supernatural lustre, were fixed with
a petrifying stare, on me. Oh, language
fails me---ulterly Those eyes have
never since been absent from me when a
lone felt as though they were blight
ening the life within me. could not
breathe, much less stir. strove to speak
but could not utter Il sound. My lips
seemed rigid as those i looked at. The
horrors Of nightmare were upon me-
My eyes at length closed my head seemed
turning round---and for a moment or two
lest all my consciousn ess. i reviyed.---
There was the frightful thing still before
me nay, close to me Though looked
at her, never once thought Of Agnes r.
II was the tremendous appearance
the ineffable terror cleaning from
her eyes, that thus overcams me. l
protest cannot conceive any thing more
dreadful Miss P continued stand.
ing prefectly motionless, while was
gazing at her in the manner 1 have been
describing, peal Of thunder reused me
to myselfpossession ] stepped towards
her, took hold of her hand, exclaiming
"Agnes-Agnes !!'--and carried her to
the bed, whers laid her down. 1t re-
quired some little force to press down her
arms and ] drew the eyelids over her
staring eyes mechanically. While in
the act ofdoing so, flash OF Lightning
flickered luridly over her--but her eye
neither quivered nor blinked. She
seemed to have been suddenly deprived
ofaIl sense and motion in fact, nothing
but her pulse-if pulse il should be called
and faint breathing showed that she
lived.
My eye wandered over her whole figure,
dreading to meet some scorching trace Of
lightning---bnt there was nothing Of the
kind. What had happened to her Was
she frightened---to death Ispoke TO her;
I called her by her name, loudly / shook
her, rather violently: might have acted
il all to q statue / rang the chamber
bell with almost frantic violence: and
presently my wife and female servant
made their appearance in the room but
was far more embarrassed than assisted
by their presence. ''Is she killed 7"
the former, as she staggered
towards the bed. and then cling convul-
sively to me--"Has the lightning struck
her ~
l was comr elled TO disengage myself
from her grasp, and hurry her into the adj
joining room-whither I called servant
to attend to her ; and then returned to my
hapless patient. But what was l to do
man rs was, never had seen a
patient in such circumstances, and felt az
ignorant on the subject, as agitated. 1t
was not epilepsy--it was not apoplexy-
a swoon---nor any known species of
hysteria. The most remarkable feature
of her case, and what enabled me to ns-
certain the nature of her disease, was
this that if happened accidentally to
alter the position other limbs, Mey retain
ed, fsr short time, their neao position. If
for instance, ! moved her arm it remained
for while in the situation in which had
last placed it, and gradually resumed its
former one. III raised her into an up
right posture, she continued sitting so
without the support Of pillows, or other
assistance, as exactly as if she had heard
me express wish to that effect, and as
sented 10 it; but, the horrid vacancy of her
aspect If l elevated ono eyelid for a
moment, to examine the state ofthe eye,
it was some time in closing, unless drew
it over myself All these circumstances,
which terrified the servant who stood
at my elbow, and mutteriug.
ashes possessed !! she's possessed !--Sa-
tan hes her !"---convinced me that the un-
fortunate young lady was seized with
c0talepsi; that rare mysterious affection,
so fearfnlly blending the conditions of life
and ddeath---presenting---so to speak---life
in the aspect of death, and death in that
oflifo l felt no doubt that extreme ter
ror operating suddenly on nervous sys-
tenn most highly excited, and vivid, ac-
tive fancy, had produced the effects saw.
Doubtless the first terrible outbreak Of
the thunder storm---especially the fierce
spIendor Of that first fash of lightning
which SO alarmed myself--apparentIy
corroborsting aud realizing aifher awful
of the predicted event,