Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-05-10

Ifasten the bar at all. and will send my
maid with the key at eight, precisely
Good night"
"Good night" 2a2'4 ssNs
They parted; the door waslocked out
side; the key was taken out; and Miss
Stirling. standing by the window, watch
ed her friend cross the narrow, black
path, which had been swept clear of snow
to make a dry passage from the house
to the pavilion. A ruddy light streamed
from the hall door as it opened to admit
its mistress, and gave cheerful, friend
Iy aspect to the scene; but when the door
closed and shut out that warm, comforta-
BILE light, the darkened porch. the pale
moonlight shimmering. on the crowded
trees, and the stars twinkling in the fros-
ty armament, had such an aspect of So
litude, as to cast over her kind of chill,
and made her half repent having con-
sented to quit the house at all, and let
herself be locked up in this lonely place.
Ye: what had she to fear? No harm
could happen to her from within the
chamber; the door was safely locked out
side, and strong iron stancheons guarded
the windows there could be no possible
danger. So drawing her chair once more
to the fire, and stirring it into brighter
blaze, she took up little Bible which lay
on the dressing table, and read some por-
ton of the New Testament. aa
When she laid down the book, she took
out the comb that fastened her long,
dark, silken tresses-in which, despite
her FIVE and thirty years, not a silver
thread was visible-and as she arranged
them for the night, her thoughts strayed
back to the old world memories which her
meeting with Mary Atherton had revived.
The sound of the clock striking two was
the first thing that recalled her to the pre-
sent life. By this time the candles were
burned down almost to the socket, and the
fire was dying fast. As she turned to
fling fresh log into the CRATE, her eyes
ESfell upon the dressing glass, and in It's re-
Election she saw the bed-curtains move.
She stood for moment gazing at the
mirror, expecting a repetition of the
movement, but all was still, and she
blamed herself for allowing nervous fears
lEtot overcome her. Still it was an exertion,
iieYen of her brave spirit, to approach the
bed aud withdraw the curtains She was
rewarded by finding nothing, save the
bed clothes folded neatly down, as if in
viting her to press the snow white sheets,
and a luxurious pile of pillows that look
ed most tempting. She could not resist
the temptation to rest her wearied limbs.
Allowing herself no time for farther
doubts or fears, she placed her candle on
the mantle piece, and stepped into bed.
She was very tired. her eyes aohed with
WEAKNESS, but sleep seemed to fly from
her. Old recolIections thronged on her
memory; thoughts connected with the
business she had still to get through
haunted her; and difficulties that had not
occurred to her till now, rose up before
her. She was restless and feverish and
the vexation of feeling so, made her
more wakeful. Perhaps, if she were to
close the curtains between her and the
fire, she might better be able TO sleep
the Pickering light disturbed her, and the
moonbeams stealing between the window
curtains, cast ghostly shadows on the
wall So she carefully shut the light out
on that side, and turned to sleep. Whe-
ther she had or had not quite lost con-
seriousness, she could not well remember,
but she was soon thoroughly aroused by
| feeling the bed heaYe under her. She
startled up and awaited with beating
heart repetition of the movement, but it
did not come. l. must have been re-
turn of the nervous fancies which had
twice assailed her that night. Laying
her head once more on the pillow, she
determined to control her groundless ter
ror.
Again she started up. This time there
could be no doubt; the bed had heaved
more than once, accompanied by a strange
gurglng sound, as If of creature in pain.
| Leaning on her elbow, she listened with
that intensity of fear which desires almost
as much as it breads recurrence Of the
sound which caused it. 1t came again,
followed by loud bursting noise. as if
some heavy body were dragged from un-
der the bed in the direction of the fire.
What could it be She longed to call
out for help. but her tongue cIaVe to the
roof of her mouth, and the pulses in her
temples throbbed until she felt as if their
painful beating sounded in the silence of
the night like the loud tick Of clock.
The unseen thing dragged itself along
until it reached the hearth-rug, where it
flung itself down with violence. AS it
did so, she heard it, for it occurred to her
that the creature might be nothing worse
than the house dog. who having broken
his chain, had sought shelter beneath the
bed in the warm room. Even this no.
ton was disagreeable enough. but it was
nothing to the vague terror which had hi
therto oppressed her. She persuaded
herself that if she lay quiet no harm
would happen to her, and the night
would soon pass over. Thus reasoning.
she laid herself down again.
By-and-by, the creature began to
snore, and it struck her feverish fancy
that the snoring was not like that of dog.
After little time, she raised herself
J I-.-,I- - ,,;,b tranohIioO hands draw