The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-07-30

sure marked -. Il was all ---
foot to foot -, but his swo-- was
sh--. L knew that -. What --
say to Emil. Oh! God - -
confess ------- confess ----- 49, die -----.
Thus far had / deciphered the scroll,
which was blotted, worn, and in parts al
most illegible, when heard faint rustic
behind me. My host had recovered, and
was standing bolt upright by his chair.
His figure was as rigid as the figure of a
corpse. The muscles Of the face were
drawn down, and his eyes rested with a sto.
ny glare not upon the scroll, which held
in my right hand, but on the folds Of a
cambria handkerchief saturated with eau
de cologne, which bad mechanically bound
around my forehead to soothe the raging
headache of fever.
Into the substance Of this handkerchief
the initials of my name soere distinctly aoork
cd IN black and blue thread. The intensity
Of the mans gaze fettered me as with in.
invisible chains. At length with moan,
not of pain or anger, but Of deadly suspense,
he bounded up TO me, tore the handker-
chief from my forehead, and staggered with
it to the light He held the initials in
every possible position, repeating them to
himself in tone of distracted inquiry. All
at once his manner changed to an air of the
widest terror. Springing up like mad.
man, he waved me off with outstretched
arms, shrieking out, "Have you come to
torment me before the timel Fiend that
you are, would you drag me to a lower hell
than thisi will not go-no-no-T will
no. go! l defy you!" he shouted, apparently
gaining courage from the very extremity Of
his despair. 81 defy you," and then in q
lower key he muttered idiotically some old
latin exorcism, "Coyuro te-scelestissin,a--
iniqutssima-d dtqa miSe,Tima- conjuro tei
coniuro teil"
| In one of those fantastic changes of mood
so common under the influence Of deirium,
| now grew heartily tired of the scene,
about which thought there was a vast
deal of mummery, so, tossing the scroll,
which had all along retained, scornfulIy
from me, reeled back to my chamber.
Towards morning / was visited by deep,
but unrefreshing slumber. 1t was late in the
day when awoke, rational, but greatly ex.
hausted. My first impulse was to attribute
the events Of the night TO disorder and ex.
element Of brain. knew from experience
how startling and vivid fever dream
might be, but in the present instance n
! trivial circumstance demonstrated that |
had not been moring altogether in region
Of phantasys The cambric han lkerchici
no longer pveloped my head, nor could |
find il either beneath the bed clothes or in
any quarter of the chamber. Now | was
absolutely certain that | had, Just af
ter retiring, made use OF the handkerchief
for the purpose have specified, and in con-
| trmaiion of this there stood the uncorked
bottle of cologne upon chair within
reach Of the bedsteaI. My speculaiions
were distributed 10y the uuceremonous ell.
trance of the negro who had served me on
the evening before. lie brought in an ex
cellent breakfast, which he arranged on a
side table of mahogany, presenting at the
same time his masters compliments, with
the hope that my fever had subsidized How,
| asked, did his master know that had
suffered from feverl The fellow opened his
eyes in the extremity OF astonishment, in
forming me that had been sleep walking,
and had come nigh numbering my host in
the entry. The explanation satisfied me-
| really then had committed certain ex.
tfavagances, which were materially exagge
rated 10y an inHamed imagination, After
the necessary apologies, and thanks which
charged my attendant, (who, by the way
was not the stupid creature had supposed
him. to convey TO his master, partook
sparingly of the meat and bread before me
making up for this neglect Of the substau.
tials by copious draughts Of coffee.
Somewhat refreshed, sunk back upon
/ my couch. BY degrees a strange letharey
crept over me. The window curtains, stir.
red by faint wind, and waving to and fro
with q monotonous motion, stole upon my
senses with the effect of low, regular and
mournful music. Soon all consecutveuess
of thought was lost, and lapsed into q
condition of absolute and rayless oblivion.
! When next woke to a sense of life, il
was with feeling of awful depression
sensation Of almost suicidal gloom. Dark.
ness was all around me-thick, pal pable
darkness. The atmosphere was cold and
damp, chilling me to the very soul. at
tempted to move, but imagine my horror
and dismay, when the dull clark of chains
Informed me that | had been bound hand
and foot. My brain was dizzy and vacant
and the effort TO penetrate the dreadful
mystery of ny situation, resulted into q So
cond attack of delirium in which the dark
ness suddenly became luminous with blue
aud red meteors, and winged serpents flying
towards me with tongues of flame. Then
occurred another spell of total unconscious
ness.
was aroused at length by aslight sound
above my head. Upon glaucing upward
perceived ray Of light glimmerng from
the ceiling. 1t gradually increased until
an aperture like that of trap door was
discernabe, and in the midst of it pale hu-
man face peering anxiously down into the
dungeon. recognised my host, and saw at
the same moment that rough wooden
| ladder communicated with Tho on,,tn,ar,