The Delaware herald., 1854-05-24
The Maniac Cir.


The AmFricun Republican, printed at Win
chester, Penn, speaking of story entitled,
"The Longest Night in Life" says:-
1t has brought viyidly to our mind thrilling
incident which happens to be within our own
knowledge, and we cannot forbear trying, in
our poor way, TO tell the tale. The intelligent
and highly respectable gentleman't to whom the
occurrence happened, is now a resident of this
borough, and in every particular the story is
strictly true.
A number of years since, the individual TO
whom we allude, was pupil of a school in this
county, boarding at farmhouse about one mile
distant from the Academy. The house was
one of those built at different periods of time,
and presenting long extended front to the
roadside. 1t was situated in the gorge Of a
lonely wood, nd Just below it ran a deep, dark
ravlne, which was the haunted ground of the
neighborhooG--!or it is well known that every
neghborhood has its haunted ground.
The sleeping apartments OF the family we're
IN the extreme end of the house, while-that &C.
cupied by their boarder was the fnrihcst remoy-
ed from them possible. One night he remained
late at a lecture delivered to the school. and bv
The time he arrived, the family had all retired,
it being past the hour OF eleven o'clock. He
3ed into the house and immediately went up
to his chamber. The reflected light Of the
moon shone in the room, and us he entered the
doorway and turned towards his Ted, there
stood at the side of it figure dressed in white,
dmly apparent to him through the shadowy
moonlight.
He was, as may we'll be supposed, terror.
str .cken. Tuning for a moment from the up-
part on towards the window, TO see if it were
not tantast &C creation, caused by the moonlig ht
10 lIIF1rr L
again looked for the strange sight, but it was
gone, without the slightest perceptible noise-
With his whole nervous system completely un-
strung, he however succeeded at length in con-
viHcing himself that he had been deceived,
quietly undreesed, and laid down, but not to
sleep, for there was too much agitation to do So
lie lay in this wakeful state for about three
quarters Of an hour, when he thought he felt
the bed slowly raised beneath him. He again
succeeded In persuadng himself that he was
deceived. and attributed this to the effects of
the lTtense fear and consequent nervous excite
ment Of the first strange appearance.
After another tedious period of time, the same
rising of the bed was felt, and on this occasion
he half arose, leaned over and looked partially
under the bed, and listened with the most in
tense earnestnoss; but not the slightest noise,
even of respiration, on any Of the different oc-
casions, came to his ear. He again strove 10
dismiss the fearful subject from his mind, and
at length, by excess OF wearnoss, tell into an
uneasy and disturbed sleep, which must have
lasted for Some two hours He was aroused
from his uneasy repose by something between Il
piercing shrek and a frenzed laugh, Unearthly
in its tone, breaking upon his ear in the dead
silence OF the night, and Immediately at his
side.
The unusual and horrible character of the
cry, with al the preceding circumstances, rem
ders 1t difficult, If not impossible, to represent the
intense and agonizing fear which crept over the
completely unnamed inmate of that chamber.
! Ten years and more have elapsed since the Cir
cumstance occurred, and yet, at this distant day,
our friend always relates the incident with an
excited tone OF voice, which indicates how
dreadful were the realities that surrounded
him. He sat up erect in the bed, with every
fibre of his flesh quive;ing with terror, and with
stralnlng eye and ear, sought TO solve the fear
iul mystery.
In the midstof this thrilling and excited state
of feeling, there came u wilder repetition of the
mingled scream and laugh, and, says our i'll
formant, 1t was such a cry as can never be
from my memory" He instantly sprang
from the bed to the floor, and in delirium OF
tear, dragged the bedstead from the conner of
the room, and there, behind the high headboard,
stood the apparition which had presented itself
to his astonlshed sight when he first entered the
room on that dreadful night. 1t was tie figure
of woman clothed in white, with long, black,
luxuriant hair hanging wildly about her person.
1t was maniac girl, from a neighboring
house, who came in the afternoon, during his
absence, to spend the night, aud had wandered
from the room where the family supposed they
had secured her. When he entered the room
she was standing as he first described her posi-
ton. and Wilde his eye was turned fora moment
toward the window, she silently crept beneath
the bed. We hope the recital OF this story may
not have the effect to disturb the repose OF our
young or lady readers. If there are any fears
on that subject, we advise them before locking
their chamber doors at night, to look under the
bed, and into the tand-boxes and closets. After
sucn an exa ninAt-on, they may retire without
the slightest alarm.