The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-09-17

the roar Of distant ocean.
am not easily discomposed. and per-
haps none of these uncouth sounds would |
have given annoyance, if the changing |
of window shutter had not been added
to the general chorus, and efiectually
kept me from sleeping. My nerves
we're at last becoming sensibly affected
by its ceaselcss din, and wishing to cut
short the fit of restlessness which found
stealing upon me, determined to rise
and descend the stairs at the risk Of my
neck, to try and secure the shutter so
as to put an end to the nuisance.
But now as rose in my bed for this
purpose, found myself subject to
new source of annoyance. The mock
ing wind which had appeared to me
more than once to syllable human sounds
came at length upon my ear distinctly
charged with tones that could not be
mistaken. 1t was the hard suppressed
breathing of a man. ! listened, and it
ceased with a slight gasp, like one la
boring under suiiocalon. listened
still, and il came stronger and
more fully upon my ear 1t was like
the thick suspiratlons of an aprplectlc.
Whence it proceeded | knew not. But
that il was near me, | was certain. A
suspicion of robbery-possbly assassl'
nation-hashed upon me. but were in
stanty discarded, as foreign to the char
ac,er Of the people among whom was
travelling.
The moonlight now fell upon the cur
tained bed opposite me, and | saw the
tattered drapery move, as il the frame
upon which it was suspended, was agi-
tated watched, confess, with some
peculiar feelings of interest. was not
alarmed, but an unaccountable anxiety
crept over me. AT length the curtain
parted, aud human leg was protruded
through its folds - the foot came with
numb, dead-like sound to the floor
resting, it seemed to me at least half
minute before the body to which it be.
longed was disclosed 10 my view Slows
Iy, then palld AM unearthy looking
figure emerged from the couch, and
stood with its stark lineaments clearly
drawn against the dingy curtains be-
hind it, 1t appeared to be balancing it,
self for moment, and then began to
move along from the bed. But there
was something horribly unnn;ura in its
motlons Its feet came to the ilool
with a dull heavy sound, as if there was
no vitality in them. It's arms hung, ap-
parsntly, paralyzed by his side, and the
only nerve or rldgity in its frame ap>
peared about its head the hair. which
was thin.and scattered, stood out in rig
id tufts from its brow-the eyes were
dilated and fixed with an expression oi
ghosily horror and the petrifed lips
moved not, as the hdeous moaning,
which came from the bottom of its chest,
escaped them.
1t began to move across the floor in
the direction Of my bed with a sudden
jerk nearly TO its body and its feet com.
ing TO the ground as if they were moved
by some mechanical impulse, and were
wholly wanting in the elasticity of liv'
ing members. 1t approached my bed
and mingled horror and curlosi'." kept
me still. 1t came and stood beside il
and childlike still clung 10 my couch,
moving onl to the further side. Slow
+ ly, and with the same unnatural foot
falls 1t pursued me lhither, and again
changed my position. 1t placed itself
, then at the foot Of my bed.siead, and
moved by lis pIteous groans, tried to
, rally my thoughts TO reason with myself,
: and speculate upon the nature OF the
, object before me. One idea that went
through my brain was too extrayaganI
not to remember. thought, among
other things, that the phantom was d
, corpse animated for the moment by
some gaivanic process in order 10 terri
, fy me. Then, as recolecled that there
was no one in the village To carry such
, a trick into effect, supposing even the
experiment possible, l rejected the sup
position. How, too, could those awful
moans be produced from an inanimatr
being And yet, i, seemed as il every
thing about il were dead, except the
mere capabili,y Of moving lis feet aud
uiiering those unearlhly expressions of
suffering. The spectre however, if so
il may be called, gave me but lilile ops
porlunity for reflection. Its ghastly
limbs were raised anew with the same
aulomaton movement; and placing one
of its feet upon the bottom OF my bed,
while its eyes were fixed sleadfasiy up.
upon me, it began stalking towards my
pillow.