New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-06-07
From the Boston Miscellany for June.
CATOCHUS.

II was brea,hcs. uigh, in June. Ny win
sows were all open, and yet the fame 90 my can
die scarcely fickercd. | had become deeply lntc-
rested in the pages of a new book and was need
less Of the lapse of time, or the circumstances
around me. until suddenly moth iluitcred INTO
the flame, aud the cracking Of i,s tlmy wings at
,rac,ed INV attention. Upon glancing at my watch
which Law beside me on the table, found To my
surprise that it was already after midnight de-
tcrru;oed thereupon to read no more, and shutting
my book, walked the room tn draw the
curtain. intending Immediately to GO to bed but
the moonlight shone pleasantly in at the win
dow that I was forced to sit down and lean .pon
the sill. and gaze out upon the scene There were
few thin, whi,sh clouds hanging around the hori-
non. like the distant wings OF enormous spirit,
bat otherwise, the sky was perfectly clondicss -
Above the moon shining peacefully, aud be-
low the world Of green lay dreaming in its misty
shroud. half obscured, save where the cuNns
river CHANGING in the moonlight, shonc like a bur
nished belt of steel. There l. strange tascina-
ton in sitting in the moong h-and for almost
an hour | sat leaning out into the air. All wa,
quiet save the monotonouS musical gnge oi trogs
in the pond and ut intervals the rustling of green
leaves "a a tremulous breath of wind sweled gen
tly and then died away, or the prolonged bark OF
seine far eff dog. HAD fallen into vague revere.
when heard the bell strike tie hour Of one. J
arose and went to bed. But 10 sooner had lcti
the window than felt sharp pain shoot through
my head which after recurring at intervals through
the next half hour, finally settled into "A raging
headache Nv brain ihrobbei violently and
seemed loose in my head that every motion
added To the pain. 1t it an iron hand
compress, ed my temples within its gripping fingers
la, thus tossing restless and slcepess for several
hours and finally fell asleep
| dreamed that was living beside "A waterfall
half asleep. The water rushed kissing down be
side me as if an ocean were looscnod, aud hlr-
ried. boiling hercey, down rocky dccIiv',y. The
air was drizzlcd with spray, which ieil over me
like hot sparks. and the trees above me, seen
,broueh it. seemed at times human skeletons,
which ben, their long bony arms down to my face,
and then slowly rising, uplitted themselves int"
the air and became natural trees again. thou
sand circles intertangling and intcracing, dllated
and contracted necessarily. then slowly the mo
ton decreased. and they kept creeping around
more and more gently until they swan into IA
broad sea Of smooth. CLASSY water. and fading out
oT nv sight, left the air above me all calm and
clear soon small eve seemed placidy look ing
at me that grew larger and larger until it filled
the wide ring Of the horizon; then it changed into
face which looked close into my eyes: gradual,
the features became distorted into hdeous mask.
and srinned, and then Thousand similar faces
crowded one Gpon another, until the air seemed
full of them: they were huldled together and
tossed about without body like the waves of the
ocean Now suddcsly seemed To he crawling on
,nv hands and knses shiny and slippery rocks,
which were covered with damp green sca-wccd
As CROPPED along the sea-weed began to change
into snakes until the rocks seemed alive with the
nsuscous crawling reptiles that rubbed their slimy
sides against my limbs and checks, and cast over
me dreadful chill ot horror all my tess
seemed 10 creep, and the very scalp to on
my sgull. Ina the midst of my horror and torment
/ heard tbs wild ringing OF hell. | suddenly
and con>usiyely opened my eyes and heard the
breakfast bell ringing. For moment | expe-
ricnced the most grateful relief from the torment
ot this nightmare, which has more than once thus
affected mc-and ne one can tell the glad gu>h OF
feeling which came over me, when found all this
horrible scene was but IA dream. | lay thus for a
moment, thinking Of the change. and then re-
solved to spring from the bed and dress myself
immediately: but what was my surprise and hor-
ror, when found | could not move Nv bod,
and limbs seemed rigid as marble ana Of an intol.
cradle weight could neither turn nv head. nor
stir hand nsr to-t. My cyeballs wen, 6xcd al, a
spot upon the white wall above m, head and
could neither turn them nor draw down the la. In
vain strove to move perfectly stif and
torpid and without the power nj motion. There
seemed To hc some appaNhnS d.conncctOn be-
tween the will and the muscular system-bctween
the mind and the body ii my living soul was
chained Mezentius-hkc toa dead body. There
was no pain-only fearful sensation, as If the
whole air had CONCEALED into a firm. transparent
amber which held mo strictly imprisoned.
suddenly. like the swift track Of falling star
tla1bought shot across my mind that | was dead.
yxthat could he the only solution Of tins dread
full enigma sure that | dead. but O
God was this death III al We been ALWAYS mis
taken, and did the soul rcmais thus to haunt the
body. without the ability to oas, it Off Wa,
death only suspension OF power over this 6brcu>
mass, snd these finely organized senses. aud NICE,
adjusted muscles Only the breaking of one link
10 the subtle chain that connected all the faculties
and powers with their instruments Perhaps the
soul was never freed until the body had rottel off
little by lsile. into mass OF corruption, and eS
hailed or fallen To dry dust; and | was dcstine! !.