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

stantly committed. The master skunk .ra-
ther than walked away, simply honoring
me with 'hasty bow as he left. My curl
leading questions to the servant, who re.
piled in manner which led me to fancy
that the fellow was idiotic. I could abso-
lutely extract but a single Ineligible SEN.
tence from him, and that embodied the in.
formation that my horse had been carried
to the stable and comfortably provided for.
observed that, having ridden thirty
miles in the course OF the day, was both
hungry and weary, aud that, therefore, sup
per and a bed would be Immediately accepta-
ble., The negro signified his comprehen.
sion of my wishes by a grunt, left the room
with some alacrity, and returned in short
time bearing waiter loaded with cold
ham, and two decanters Of wine.
made a considerable meal, and was
then shown into snugly furnished cham
Der, enlivened with roaring FIRE. and pre-
senting an appearance Of comfort, and even
luxury.
Oppressed by fatigue as was, it would
naturally be supposed that sleep would have
visited me unbidden. But no sooner had
1 thrown myself upon the bed than
strange restlessness took possession Of every
limb. The mattress on which | lay was
soft and downy, and yet / could not have
been more uneasy had l recliued upon
couch Of thorns. Exhausted to the last de-
gree, but unable to close my eyes for mo-
ment, tossed and tossed for hours, until I
became aware by the burning heat Of my
hands and forehead and parched feeling
in the throat, that had contracted ra.
ging fever. was constitutionally liable to
this disease, which never failed sooner or
later to affect the brain. and l now knew
by ringing in my ears that was about to
be attacked by delirium. Gradually, my
fancies grew fantastic. Uuearthly faces
grinned out from the embers. The flicker.
ing shadows on the wall leaped up towards
me, waving what imagined to be the
tawny arms Of savages, performing furi-
Gus war dance. Then, from amid this
motley group, there rose low wailiug
sound, which resembled the cry of some
tortured victim, pleading for release and
mercy. Now, with regard to the quickly
swaying savages and the grotesquerie of
their wild movements, | entertained that
half consciousness of illusion which seldom
deserts us either in delirium or in dreams,
but the wailing sounds profundly felt TO
be real. The dancing became more rapid
aud reckless; the weird figures increased
prodigiouSly in bulk aud outline, until sud
denly they seemed 90 dart towards the door,
through which they disappeared, doubtless
in chase of their victim, who, as thought,
was making desperate etfod to escape,
nerding the,air with shriek on shrek as he
retreatej.. In state Of unbounded excite
ment, splang to my feet, and rushed
inadly after the shadows. a light was still
burning dimly IN the reception room, which,
let me observe, was in immediate proximity
to my chamber. j dashed up and down
this apartment, crossing tue floor at every
possible angle, for the phantoms were all
around me, and the victim still walled more
pitably than ever. have said that at the
very acme of my madness I knep the
sounds Of lamentation and terror to be real
Well, as | ran fran,ically about the room,
was arrested immediately beneath the muf-
fled '"'brilliants" Of the chandelier by won
derful increase Of dstinctness in these
sounds. Previously there had been no
definite syilabiiication. but now could catch
the meaning Of words, pronounced in
plaintiye, beseeching manner, accompanied
by deep groans, and the occurrence at in
tervals Of what | took to be the blows of
some dull and weighty instrument. Under
the instructive conviction that was about
to be brought in contact with what was ac
tual and tangible, the delirium which pos
sessed me became at once intensified and
systematic. determined to penetrate the
mysteries by which was surrounded, and
especially to decipher the riddle of the blows
and wailings, which grew louder and more
painful every instant Evidently, they is
sued from the room above me, and this
room now determined to find. Stealing
cautiously into the corridor, crept with a
swift and quiet pace up the stairway, and
speedily reached the door Of the apartment
whence the singular noise proceeded. l
was now enabled to hear everything which
passed within. There could be no doubt
that cruel and personal chastisement was
being inflicted upon some one. Groans Of
deep anguish and hoarse petitions 70: pardon
were interrupted only by the repeated apd
regular strokes.
rever developed into frenzy Us listened.
1t was easy to persuade myself that nothing
less than murder was about to be commit.
ted. That, of course, it was my duty as
man and a Christian to prevent. SO
seized the handle Of the door, which, to my
surprise, yielded to the pressure, aud quick.
ly entered the room.
The spectacle which met my eye was
certainly most strange and startling. Grow
elling at the foot of rough wooden image
OF the Virgin, lay the man whom l sup.
posed to be the master of the house, gath.
cred up into a heap, with a leathern thong
held loosely in his right hand, and the
blood flowing freely from his side and
shoulders, which were perfectly bare. lie
was motionless, and | perceived upon ap.
preaching nearer that he had tainted away.
fanaP was hurnino IN tl,o fable lofos.