Washington telegraph., 1851-03-05

Over all the window pane,
Curious figures that were leaving
Grotesque pictures on the brain.
But beside the waning taper, coming Ger his week
ly paper,
Reck'd he little how without him winds might
caper all about him;
In the Goals he thrust the poker,
Starting up anew the flame,
Then read another "tale" or "joke" or
Article without name.
But adown the column plodding, soon again he
took to nodding,
And the light with feeble gl;mmer fast was waning
din and DINNER,
And again the shadows fckerIng
Danced about the darkenng room,
Till they seemed mockng, pickering,
At the sleeper in the gloom.
Soon upon the door rapping, like some midnight
spectre tapping,
Or the guest whose ready sickle reaps US down like
stubble tickle,
Broke upon the midnight dreamer,
As he sat in his unrest;
And the light fearful gimmer
Cast upon the midnight guest.
Gliding in with footsteps noseess, saying nothing
as ii voiceless,
Moving slow and stately nearer, while the room
grew drear and drearer.
He approached the inmate sleeping,
Sleeping there upon the chair,
While cold chils were DER him creeplng
And with fear uprose his hair.
Never visitor was ruder than this spectral night
intruder,
In the room so ghost-like stalking, like some
troubled spirit walking;
And the sleeper's brow grew palld,
As the whitest marble stone,
And from restless sleep he rallied
AS he looked the spectre on.
"Spectre in the midnight walking, and unbidden
on me stalking,
Why on me thy cold glance bendest, why the
frown thy visage lendest!'
Thus the host nerrogated,
While his cheek white with fear,
And the spectre he berated,
Gded near and still more near.
In his hand he held paper, held 1t to the sicky
taper,
l. his fingers long and bony, and his gaze was
fixed and stony:
Twas a bill yet unreceipted,
From the sleeper long time due,
That his fearful gaze had greeted,
AS the spectre nearer drew.
Twas the bill for that same paper, he'd been read
lug by the taper,
And or all the years he'd had it, not for any had
he paid it;
There before him was the total
Sum put down upon the bill,
And the dreamer forced TO note all,
Gazed against his will
And the spectre still gazing. with ghosty
look amazing:
In that silent look and fixed, sorrow was with
anger mixed,
But the wakeful cock growing,
And the daylight met the floor,
And with morn the spectre going,
Spoke the sentence-"SLEEP MoRE!!"
Then a sudden flash did brighten, that the dream
ers fear did heighten,
Flashed SO brightly that it made him think the evil
spirit had him.
But i, was his weekly paper,
Falling on the taper lower,
Falling his Pickering taper,
''Only this and nothing more.
And the sleeper amazed, stood erect and round
him gazed,
In the east the morn was breaking, and the
iarmyard clarion waking,
Diamonds glitteling the branches,
Frosts were floating in the air,
And DER all the distant ranches,
Shows were heaped every where.
But that fearful midnight quaking, haunted still
his hours of waking,
And that bill all unreceipted, every where his
vision greeted,
When the day again had closed,
And he shut his bed room door,
Not in sleep was he composed
For the sentence-"SLEEP MoRE!"
And for fear that spectre stalking, come again at
midnight walking,
And ia hope his eyes be greeted, with the paper
bill receipted,
That the dreadful spectre's sentence,
May more his midnight vex,
Please accept his deep repentance,
And enclosed find an X.
Yours, in hope, JOHN SMITH, 99th.
GOODNESS OF HEART-Yes, goodness