Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1856-03-22
| then found myself without any apparent

l then found myself without any apparent
lapse Of time or sensible motion, sitting by yon-
der window where. gazing on the sunset. had
begun to think Of you. The sound Of your
voice yet rang in my ears the sight of your
face was still before me; j shuddered--I
tried to think that all had been a dream. /
lifted my hands to my brow they were
| numbcd aud heavy. strove TO rise; but
rigid torpor seemed to weigh upon my limbs.
You say was visibly present in Your gar
| den; / know / was bodily present in this
room. Can it be that my worst fears ore
confrmed--ihat possess double being q
We were both silent for some moments
At last told him the circumstance Of the
bed and Of the Goot-narks on the sand. He
was shocked, but scarcely surprised
| Il have been thinking much Of you," he
said land for several successive nights ]
| have dreamed of you aud Of my stay--nay,
even Of that very bedroom. Yet have been
conscious Of none of these symptoms Of far.
working. 1T is true that ] have awakened
each morning unrefreshed aud weary, as if
! from bodily fatigue but this attributed TO
over study aud constitutional weakness"
| "Will you not tell me the particulars of
your first experience Of this spiritual alb
sence?"
Albert sat pale and silent, as il ho heard
| not. l repeatedthe question.
! Give me some more brandy" he said,
"and will tell you"
! did SO. He remained for few moments
looking ut the fire before he spoke at last he
! proceeded, but iu still u lower voice than be-
fore. The first time WAS also in this room ;
but how much more terrible than the second
| had been reading-reatling metaphysical
work upon the nature of the soul-when
! .,,,itn .;,.,, &
extreme lassitudc The book grew dim be-
fore my eyes the room darkened; l appeard
! to fad myself in the streets Of the town.
! Plainly | saw the churches in the gray even
! ing dusk plainly the hDrrying passengers
| plainly the faces Of many whom knew. Now
it was the market place; now the bridge !;
now the well-known street in which l live.
Then came TO the door: it stood wide open
to admit me. passed slowly, slowly up the
| gloomy staircase i entered my own room
ard there
He paused bis voice grew husky, and his
! face assumed stony almost distorted ap-
pearancs.
"And there you saw urged-"ycu
saw"-
"NySelf. Myself, sitting In this very chair
| Yes, yes myself stood gazing on myself
| We looked--we looked into each--each
| others eyes-we.-we--we'-
His voice failed; the hand holding the
wine glass grew stiff, aud the brittle vessel
fell upon the hearth, aud Was shattered into a
thousand fragments.
! ALBERT Albert !" ] shrieked, "!sok up.
| o heavens what shall do?"
hung frantically over him ! seized his
| hands in nluo; they were cold rs marble.
| Suddenly, as if by last spasmodic effort, he
turned his head in the direction of the door,
and looked earnestly forward. The power Of
speech was gone, but his eyes glared with a
| light that was more vivid than that of life.
Struck with an appalling idea, followed the
course of bis gaze. Hark , adull, dull sound
measured, distinct, and slow, as il of feet
ascending. My blood rroze; | could not re-
move my eyes from the doorway could not
| breathe. Nearer and nearer came the steps
alternately light and heavy, light and
! heavy as the tread of q lame man. Nearer
and nearer-across the landing-upon the
very threshold of the chamber. \ sudden
! fall beside me, crash. a darkness Albert
had slipped from his chair to the door, drag
ging the table in his fall, and eXtinguishing
the lights beneath the debris of the accident.
Forgetting instantly everything but the
danger Of my friend, / flew to the bell and
rang wildly for help. The vehemence Of my
| cries. and the startling energy OF the peal II
the midnight silence of the house, reused
every creature there and in less time than il
takes to relate, the room was filled with {
crowd of anxious aud terrified dodgers, som,
just reused from sleep, and others called from
their studies, with their reading lamps il
their hands.
The first thing wes 10 rescue Albert from
where he lay, beneath the weight Of the falleI
table--to throw cold water on his face anC
hands, to loosen his neckcloth, to open the
windows for the fresh nght-air.
at is of no use" said young man. hold
ing his head up and examining his eyes. 81
am n surgeon live in this house. YQui
friend is dead" '"'
dead !" i echoed, sinking upon chair
"No, no--not dead. lie was--ho was sub
ject to this"
mo doubt" replied the surgeon lit il
probably his third attack"
Yes, yes-I know it is. Is there nj
hopef"
lie shook his head and turned away.
"What has been the cause Of his desth|
asked byStander in an awe.struck whisper
"Catalepsy."